Burning Issues on Cladding Systems in High Rise Buildings
07 December 2020High rise buildings often house residential units, offices, and other types of commercial properties. One part of high-rise properties that must be prioritised during the construction and even maintenance works is the cladding system. Cladding systems play a pivotal role in high rise buildings when it comes to resisting surroundings elements as well as protecting the entire structure.
Primary Functions of Cladding Systems
Cladding systems are comprised of components that are integrated into the main structure of a building to effectively create a non-structural external surface. Some of the components that are associated with these systems include screens, fillers, insulation, membranes, brackets, flashing, gaskets, and sealants. Other components included in these systems are windows, doors, gutters, vents, and many more.
The combination of these components helps cladding systems provide numerous functions to buildings. For one, they can offer effective thermal insulation and weather resistance to rooms and areas. These systems can also help in protecting the building from external conditions, creating a much-controlled internal environment, providing privacy and security, establishing an external façade, preventing the spread of fire in case there is one, and provide openings for daylight, access, and ventilation.
While these systems are attached to the main structure of a building, they do not necessarily contribute to the structural integrity of the property.
Burning Issues on Cladding Systems
Even though some components of a cladding system are intended to prevent the spread of fire, others may easily spread fire throughout the system. Burning issues on cladding systems are common on buildings that have insulation layer made from expanded polystyrene. Likewise, the presence of an air gap between the wall and the inner surface of the cladding system could allow fire gases to spread both vertically and horizontally. And even though the inner surface of cladding systems has a protective coating, this can be destroyed quickly by fire that comes from a very large opening.
Windows are also part of cladding systems. And with window openings, a fire can easily spread from storey to storey and subsequently ignite the façade of other neighbouring properties. Metal components of the cladding systems can melt once the temperature of the fire rises immensely, which then triggers distortion and failure. Walls that are close to service ducts and openings can also allow the fire to spread.
Designing Effective Cladding Systems
A well-designed cladding system can benefit high-rise building owners as it can easily maximise thermal performance, minimise air leakage, and optimise lighting. A system that is poorly designed and installed makes it prone to collapsing, pulling away from the structure, or causing the fire to spread quickly.
In designing an effective cladding system, the contractor should always consider its control of air leakage, condensation, and thermal movement, the integrity of the insulation, and provision of drainage. Cladding systems should be able to prevent the spread of fire and can be maintained and repaired easily. Materials used for the system must be durable and can withstand the effects of different elements. If you need to obtain components for your cladding systems, just give us a call at Split Ezy Pro. We specialise in innovative solutions in the building industry that makes installation easier and safer.
Optimized by: Netwizard SEO
