REPORT OF THE CASE STUDY MADE FOR THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM IN BEACH TOWER BUILDING PROBLEM: It was identified

that a kind of sound tuck was heard in the living room of the flat coming in the south-west corner Apartment in 21st floor ( grid 7 & 8 as per the construction drawing) References: 1. Architectural drawing of the 21st floor 2. Details from Shop drawings for the fixation of Aluminum curtain wall in the particular location.

Analysis The following aspects of the curtain wall fixation was analyzed 1. 2. 3. 4. Behavior of individual Mullions of curtain wall during the thermal variation Behavior of individual transoms of curtain wall during thermal variation. Behavior of glass panels during thermal variation Behavior of the curtain wall system as a whole covering Grid 7, 8 including the corner

Basis of Analysis 1. Co-efficient of thermal expansion for Aluminium 1= 23x10-6/oC 2. Co-efficient of thermal expansion for Glass 2 = 12x10-6/oC 3. Temperature variation, dt during summer days taken as 30 oC ( say 50 20 = 30) 4. Youngs modulus of elasticity for Aluminum E a = 70000 N/mm2

On analyzing it was found the expansion mullions and glass do not pause structural problem.(Maximum expansion length comes less than 2mm) But the analysis behavior of the whole curtain wall system as a whole , had revealed the following facts

1. From grid 7 to corner of the building the overall length is 8820mm 2. 4 sets of transom between 13 mullions to be considered as a single unit under the thermal action 3. Since the transoms are rigidly connected to the mullion, any expansion/ contraction in transom can be transmitted from one end to other end. Thus if we consider the one line of transom as a Single continuous unit, the stress during thermal expansion in one unit

Expansion in the longer portion = Length x 1x dt = 8820x23x10

-6

= 6mm

Since the fixation near grid-7 acts as a fixed end, the only provision to accommodate the expansion is to twist the corner mullion. Thus in effect 4 sets of transoms are expanding @ 6mm each and the effect of this on the corner mullion ( please refer the diagram given below) is to twist the mullion ( Torsion)

As there is a small 2mm thick aluminum plate in bent shape is provided here, the said torsion effect in the Corner mullion can cause a Spring action in the bent plate during the expansion & contraction of the system. This can lead to produce a Tuck or tick sound.

Remedy
It is advisable to provide suitable mechanism to accommodate the expansion of the system This can be made possible by providing a 10mm expansion joint in the connection of transom to the mullions in the spandrel area coming in between grid 7 & 6.