AUTOMATION OF STANDARD

CURTAINWALL CALCULATIONS
GI JSBERT LIBOUREL, P.E.

By automating the structural engineering calculations of standard curtainwall units as part of the
pre-sale and pricing phase of a building project, resources are optimized, building material quantities
are reduced, and a standardized set of deliverables is developed for the bid proposal presentation. As
a bi-product, automated calculations eliminate mistakes caused by human error in standard calcu-
lations. The automation of these calculations enables structural engineers to focus on job specific
challenges that distinguish Enclos from the competition.

TIME

Throughout the bid process, structural engineers spend a significant amount of time on the design
analysis of standard curtainwall elements. The structural engineer’s sizing of facade elements and
the designer’s mullion section is a somewhat iterative process that is critical to the pre-sale process.
If the Studios can reduce the turnaround time of proposals, we are able to bid for more work with
the same resources.

STANDARDIZATION

The engineering calculations included in proposals produced by the Studio include unique content
for each project. This is not desirable, at least for the standard curtainwall units. Although the added
value of the Studio is embedded in the capability to solve nonstandard complex problems, there is
no added value in varying the calculation report of standard curtainwall units.

OPTIMIZATION

Market conditions in facade manufacturing are moving into a direction that favor optimized use of
material. Labor costs and logistical know-how may sway an owner in awarding a project, but every-
thing else being equal, material quantities and associated costs are increasingly becoming a deciding
factor. The structural engineer sets the limit of minimum amount of material that can safely support
specified loads. The responsibility to optimize material quantities and increase the likelihood of
project award rests in the Studios' hands.

INSIGHT 03 OPTIMIZATION 67
 GEOMETRY LOADS MATERIAL
GOALS
aluminum DATABASE MULLIONS
centerlines dead loads (elasticity) STRAND7
1
(glass & aluminum) 10
DATABASE ANCHORS
5
The goals of the automation effort are:
glass blocks aluminum (shear)
2 11

steel
6
wind

concrete
• Reduce the time to size members
3 reinforcement 12 (cubic strength) and produce the report for structural
maintenance
7 calculations of standard curtainwall
anchor type units by a factor of 10. This reduction
4
blast CALCULATION ENGINE
8 in turnaround time enables Enclos to
bid an increased volume of work on an INPUT algorithms OUTPUT
seismic
9 annual basis with the current structural
exports data
engineering staff. through API

• Standardize the structural calculation

lookup functions
output report for standard curtainwall
units in Studio proposals.
• Optimize material use (glass and
MULLION GLASS aluminum) to enhance the Studios'
competitiveness in the marketplace (cost
Strand7 ASTM 1300 proposition). COMPUTING ENGINE
14 18

15
ESP mullion
database 19
Windgard SCOPE Enclos uses the Strand7 calculation engine
through the Application Programming Interface
Blast.exe anchor checks Standard curtainwall units (see Figures 3 & 4): (API). Strand7 is used to analyze internal forces
16 21
(i.e., bending moments and shear forces) and
mullion
optimization
• Calculation package for pre-sale purposes deflections of the structure of the curtainwall FIGURE 1
17
Automated workflow production for
to include in the bid proposal package. due to the imposed loads (see Figure 2).
a standard engineered calculation
• Elements span up to five building stories package for curtainwall units.
with varying floor-to-floor heights. STRAND7
• Standard anchor types
FIGURE 2
(top of slab and face of slab). Through the API it is possible to build and Diagram showing Strand7 API process in
• Wind loads and dead loads. analyze a Strand7 model that is parametric the program.
• Minimum of three vertical mullions. without actually opening Strand7 by using a
GEOMETRY CALCULATIONS COSTING / • Minimum of two horizontal mullions. ‘dummy’ Strand7 model with the following
OPTIMIZATION • Panel material transfers wind loads based elements:
sections loads/materials anchor calcs vertical joint size on tributary area.
• •
22 25 31 35

38
material quantity Self-weight of the panels is concentrated Nodes
glass make-up moments glass make-up horizontal at the setting block locations on the • Beams
•
24 26 32 36 joint size
39
# of dies horizontal mullions. Beam releases
maximum stress glass beads diagrams • Plates
•
27 33 37

40
# of connections,
parts COMPUTER PROGRAM Load patches with normal distributed
deflection wind load
•
28
INPUTS AND OUTPUTS Concentrated loads
code checks • Supports
•
29
Computer executable programs generally Material properties
section properties consist of inputs, a computing engine or process • Section properties library
•
30
and outputs (see Figure 1). Rigid links

INSIGHT 03 OPTIMIZATION 69
 The elements in the ‘dummy’ model don’t In the future more types will be developed, but
UNIT 1A UNIT 2B have the correct values since the model the first stage of the automation process consists
can be populated with the correct values by of these three types.
14 19 16 18
15
17
16
21
20
23
a
91 92 ‘copy-pasting’ the correct values into the model
53 57 61
RESULTS
14 18 22
13 15 17
76 PANEL 19 83 PANEL 20 90 L10 through the Strand7 API. After the correct
04 08 12

79 86 values are thus imported the model is built and

52 56 60
analyzed. CURRENT STATUS
L1
75 PANEL 17 82 PANEL 18 89
L9

03 PANEL 01 08 PANEL 02 13 GEOMETRY INPUT Enclos chose to produce an executable file

51
78
81 55
85
59 scripted in C# with several user input screens.
The geometry of standard curtainwall units falls Results include:
74 88
03 07 07 11
77 84 a
05 10 73 80 87
02 12 50 54 58

02 01 04 06 06
09 11 10
a
42 PANEL 15 46 PANEL 16 49 L8 into two categories.
01
b
B
b b
05
b
09
58 65 72
• Creating a Strand7 model with the correct
B
41
61
45
68
48 SINGLE-SPAN UNITS geometry for Type 2B walls that is both
quick and effective.
57 PANEL 13 64 PANEL 14 71
L7 For single-span units, the three types displayed • A database/library of previously designed
UNIT 2A in Figure 3 are considered. The input consists of mullion sections that can be referenced
the length (L), the width (B) of the panels and and continually added to.
40 63 44 00
60 67
17 19 21

•
24 56 70
22 26 59 66
the location of the setting blocks. In the future, Pre-processing of wind loads in
55 62 69 a
20 28 39 43 47
21 25 a
KEY
19 23 27
16 18 20

05 PANEL 03 10 PANEL 04 15 L2
30
40
PANEL 11
47
34 PANEL 12
54
38 L6
more types can be developed, but for the first accordance with ASCE7-2010.
04 11 18

mullions 43 50
stage of the automation process the three types • Post-processing of mullion sections as
04
07
09
14
14
29 33 37
depicted above are developed. This is repre- part of standard report output.
nodes
39 PANEL 09 46 PANEL 10 53
L5
sented by ‘Input Option 2’. Input of the node • Saving the Strand7 model and results file
03 PANEL 01 10 PANEL 02 17
L1 anchors coordinates by the user is deemed to be cumber- in a location accessible to the user. Any
glass 28 32 36
some and error prone. The node coordinates, data in the Strand7 model and results file
45
42 49
beams, etc. are generated in the calculation is therefore retrievable and auditable.
03 09 08 13
06 13 38 52
02 16 41 48 a

•
05 12 a 37 44 31 51
27 35
02 01 08 07 15 12
19 PANEL 07 23 PANEL 08 26 L4
engine before the Strand7 model is built by the Standard report with graphics are
aforementioned process. available within a much accelerated
01 06 11
b b b 22 29 36
b
B B

18
25
22
32
26
timeframe.
A ‘toggle function’ in the program enables the
21 PANEL 05 28 PANEL 06 35
L3 choice between single-span Types 1A, 2A and 3A, FUTURE WORK
UNIT 3A or the multi-span Types 1B, 2B and 3B.
20 29 22 24 17
24
27 21
31
25 Eventual iterations to include:
27 31
25
26 30
33
a
FIGURE 3 20
23 30
34
a MULTI-SPAN UNITS
19 26 33
24 28 32
Three variations of a single-span unit. 16 20 24

•
19 21 23

06 PANEL 05 12 PANEL 06 18 L3 05 PANEL 03 10 PANEL 04 15 L2 The creation of additional wall types.

•
05 14 23
04 11 18
For the multi-span unit (Type 2B) in Figure 4, the The creation of double span wall types.
•
09 18
05 11 17
L2
FIGURE 4 04
07
09
14
14 input consist of the lengths (L1 through L10), Incorporating anchor calculations into the
04 PANEL 03 13 PANEL 04 22
A multi-span unit.
the width (B) of the panels, the location of the program, including seismic loads.
•
08 17
12 PANEL 01 PANEL 02
stack joint (a), and the location of the setting Incorporating glass make-up calculations
04 10 16 03 10 17
L1

03 PANEL 01 PANEL 02 21 L1
blocks (b). Type 1B and 3B have similar input. into the program.
03 11 09 15 03 08 13
02
07 16
20 02
06
09
13
16
The difference between the types is the number
01 06 10 15 19 a 05 12 a
02 08 14 02 01 08 07 15 12
of panels. Type 1B has inputs for L1 through L5
01 07 13 01 06 11
b
B
b b
B
b b
B
b b
B
b and type 3B has inputs for L1 through L15.

INSIGHT 03 OPTIMIZATION 71