Abstract: Described herein is a curtain wall system for multi-story buildings that is highly resistant to the damage caused by multidirectional swaying motions in building frames during an earthquake. In a conventional curtain wall system, each story is connected structurally to the stories above and/or below it. Earthquake-induced swaying motions of the building frame cause significant load transfers from story to story and cause such a conventional curtain wall system to be susceptible to earthquake damage. Not only does this damage necessitate expensive repairs, but serious threats to life safety are imposed when debris falls from a damaged wall system. In contrast, each story of the earthquake-immune curtain wall system is structurally isolated (i.e., decoupled) from adjacent stories, which produces the beneficial effects of minimizing wall system damage and the attendant risks of falling debris (in the forms of broken glass, stone, concrete, etc.) during an earthquake.

Abstract: Described herein is a curtain wall system for multi-story buildings that is highly resistant to the damage caused by multidirectional swaying motions in building frames during an earthquake. In a conventional curtain wall system, each story is connected structurally to the stories above and/or below it. Earthquake-induced swaying motions of the building frame cause significant load transfers from story to story and cause such a conventional curtain wall system to be susceptible to earthquake damage. Not only does this damage necessitate expensive repairs, but serious threats to life safety are imposed when debris falls from a damaged wall system. In contrast, each story of the earthquake-immune curtain wall system is structurally isolated (i.e., decoupled) from adjacent stories, which produces the beneficial effects of minimizing wall system damage and the attendant risks of falling debris (in the forms of broken glass, stone, concrete, etc.) during an earthquake.

Abstract: A curtain wall system for multi-story buildings that is highly resistant to the damage caused by multidirectional swaying motions in building frames during an earthquake. In a conventional curtain wall system, each story is connected structurally to the stories above and/or below it. Earthquake-induced swaying motions of the building frame cause significant load transfers from story to story and cause such a conventional curtain wall system to be susceptible to earthquake damage. Not only does this damage necessitate expensive repairs, but serious threats to life safety are imposed when debris falls from a damaged wall system. In contrast, each story of the earthquake-immune curtain wall system is structurally isolated (i.e., decoupled) from adjacent stories, which produces the beneficial effects of minimizing wall system damage and the attendant risks of falling debris (in the forms of broken glass, stone, concrete, etc.) during an earthquake.