Seismic demand and experimental evaluation of the nonstructural building curtain wall: A review

This paper reviews the existing studies related to seismic demand and experimental investigation of the nonstructural building curtain wall (CW). Being treated as a nonstructural component, seismic performance of the building CW relates to its seismic demand parameters, i.e., acceleration and drift demands. In current code provisions, the acceleration demand consists of the floor acceleration amplification factor, component acceleration amplification factor, component importance factor, and component response modification factor, which are all based on or induced by the floor response and dynamic response of the CW itself. For the CW which is attached to the main structure, drift demand is an indication of the interstory drift ratio. The in-plane seismic drift mechanism of the framed glass CW was fully developed, and the corresponding static testing protocols were implemented in codes based on several past experimental studies. Shaking table testing of the CW was conducted as well, where the input motions need specific floor response analysis of the main structure. The relevant damage state definition and fragility curve development are important to represent the performance and damage level of the CW system. The philosophy of the performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) and its application to CW are elaborated, and possible challenges related to the seismic demand, experimental studies, and PBEE of the CW are addressed as well.