Abstract
Investigating thermal breakage of glass panes requires careful analysis of the environmental boundary conditions to determine the expected thermal gradient between the sunlit and shaded parts of the glass. This is particularly critical for glazed spandrels, where an opaque posterior insulation layer normally increases the system’s temperatures. The choice of the spandrel system should also be evaluated against the aesthetical impression that it conveys. The aim of this study is to understand how early design factors, such as aesthetical features like color, are driving temperature gradients in the glazed pane to design for thermal shock. Multiple finite-differences analyses in a quasi-static regime for non-ventilated, single glazed spandrels were conducted in three locations (London, New York and Mumbai). Results were then analyzed via a general linear model in SAS 9.4 and Tuckey post hoc analysis. It was shown that a low absorptance of the back insulation (e.g., light color) can lead to a wide range of possible temperature gradients depending on the glass transparency, with higher values of the thermally induced temperature gradients for more opaque glasses. Conversely, a high absorptance of the insulation layer leads to moderate values of glass temperature gradients, which are not substantially sensitive to the effect of the glass transparency.
Highlights
In recent years, the design of façades has become a complex decision-making process characterized by a multiplicity of stakeholders, intricacies and key decision points along the design process [1,2,3,4].The early-stage selection of aesthetical features in glazed spandrels are an example of how decisions taken at conceptual stage affect following stages
The present paper investigates how the spandrel system’s basic aesthetical features induce temperature gradients in glazed spandrels to facilitate the early specification of system’s thermotemperature gradients in glazed spandrels to facilitate the early specification of system’s thermo-physical physical properties against thermal shock
The results can be used by designers to swiftly acquire a better understanding of how design choices can affect thermal shock risk and the expected temperature differential as a function of the principal visual features of the spandrel element
Summary
The early-stage selection of aesthetical features in glazed spandrels are an example of how decisions taken at conceptual stage affect following stages. Given the combined presence of insulation, glass and polymeric materials (e.g., interlayers, gaskets), and external solar radiation, temperatures in spandrel elements tend to increase significantly. Elevated temperatures can lead to potential failures such as polyvinyl butyral (PVB) delamination, excessive temperatures in polymeric gaskets and, lastly, thermal shock in the glazed layer. Current research on spandrels is mainly focusing on performance of finished products, rather than on providing approaches that can effectively support the early design of the system. The effect of surface treatment like fritting on the structural resistance [5] or condensation risk [6] has been studied. There are examples of temperature of real-world spandrel systems monitored over time [7]
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