Features of the Operation of Anchor Plates for Fixing Windows under the Action of Wind Loads

Abstract

Numerical and laboratory studies have been carried out to study the static operation of anchor plates under the action of wind loads. Numerical studies of the operation of a standard anchor plate under the action of a compressive load acting perpendicular to the plane of the window have shown that its carrier is several times less than the force that occurs at the attachment points of window blocks when peak wind loads are applied to them. At the same time, the existing experience in the operation of window blocks shows that anchor plates in the vast majority of cases retain their bearing capacity throughout the entire working life of the window block. This indicates that the simplified design scheme of the anchor plate used in practice does not fully reflect its actual operation as part of the window structure. This statement was verified during laboratory tests of a window block with typical design fixed with anchor plates to a frame that simulates a window opening. It is established that the static operation of the anchor plate is significantly influenced by both the fastening of the window frame with mounting foam and the limitation of anchor plates deformations by window slopes. The issue of calculating anchor plates for the effect of wind loads should be considered by the professional community in order to develop both common approaches to the calculation of such fasteners and the fundamental possibility of their use for windows installation, especially in unique buildings.