Influence of Load-bearing Structure on Size of Bonded Facade Cladding

Abstract

Architecture has been an integral part of our lives ever since people first existed. Structures are required by both investors and society to have what is considered a highly modern appearance while maintaining elements of a long service life. To meet such requirements, it is necessary to use modern technologies and materials. Bonded joints represent one of the options. Unlike with mechanical joints, it is possible to use bonded joints to anchor large format cladding panels to bearing substructures of various shapes and sizes. The design is simple, but very technically demanding to implement. One of the factors which have an impact on both the design and its implementation is the bearing substructure itself. As part of a research project, a load bearing substructure made from wood and aluminium alloy was tested. The test results prove that the mechanical properties of the materials used, especially their thermal and moisture expansion, directly influence the size of the cladding. In the case of a bearing substructure made from wood, the cladding may be larger by several percentage points than in the case of a bearing substructure made from aluminium alloy.