6/2/2023 0 Comments Mock weather wall![]() Note that a single story only one bay wide is an inadequate sample. The best, but also the most complex and expensive, would be representative corner construction from the top of the building, which is subject to the greatest pressures. A better choice would include a corner construction near the bottom of the building. The normal choice of areas to be represented encompasses two floors and extends two “bays” wide. The area of wall represented by the mock-up should include the most critical and vulnerable conditions. The identical anchorage system-the steel angles, clips, shims, brackets, bolts and welds-should be employed. As far as practicable, the building frame which supports the wall should also be simulated. It is essential that the wall test mock-up be a faithful, full-size representation of the job-specific design, using the same methods of anchorage, the same type of glass and the same sealants, gaskets, perimeter caulking, splices and frame intersections. This provides relatively inexpensive insurance that the exterior wall will perform as intended. Thermal cycling and condensation evaluations as well as testing for wind-induced and seismic building movement may also be performed on the same mock-up. It should also identify any problems related to integration with the wall or the joints between multiple units or sections and non-conforming installation procedures. Of these, a preconstruction mock-up test scheduled well in advance of the final system manufacture should identify any design and fabrication deficiencies. There are three possible ways to test: in the laboratory, onsite during or immediately after actual construction, or on a special mock-up before construction begins. In particular, the performance characteristics of greatest concern are structural performance under wind loading and the ability of the wall to prevent water penetration during heavy rainstorms. For unproven wall designs with new and previously untried features, tests may be not only warranted but highly advisable as the only means of verifying performance. However, custom designs are a different matter. Most standard types of wall systems have been tested and often third-party certified, and have a history of satisfactory performance, making further testing for a specific job unnecessary. ![]() ![]() Performance and testing requirements are therefore one of the most important parts of commercial building envelope or curtain wall specifications. When a large commercial fenestration system is installed, modifications to correct any deficiencies in design, manufacturing or installation procedures discovered after the fact can be inconvenient and costly. Tests conducted on mockups of representative sections are often the best approach to validating finished performance. Verify the performance of the design and the installation method of fenestration systems before costly and time-consuming problems surface. AAMA 501.5, Test Method for Thermal Cycling of Exterior Walls, on a two-story mock-up.
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