02/02/2017 ArchitecturalTestingAir,Water,StructuralMockup

Air,Water,StructuralMockup

Whatisapreconstructionmockup?
Whyperformancetestapreconstructionmockup?
WhattypesofwallsystemshasArchitecturalTestingtested?
Whatsizeshouldacurtainwallmockupbe?
WhatarethereferencedASTMandAAMAtestmethodsforconductingairinfiltration,waterpenetrationandstructuralperformanceonexteriorwall
mockups?
Whatothertestsareexteriorwallmockupssubjectedto?
Whatisabasictestprocedure?
Whatisacomplextestprocedure?
Howdoestheprojectspecificmockuptypicallyprogress?
Whataresomecommonmistakesmade?

Q: Whatisapreconstructionmockup?
A: Apreconstructionmockupisafullsizerepresentationoftheproposedexteriorwallsystembuiltbeforetheexteriorwalldesigniscompletedinorderto
studyproposedconstructiondetails,testforperformanceandpossiblyjudgeappearanceoftheexteriorwallsystem.

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Q: Whyperformancetestapreconstructionmockup?
A: Constructionprofessionalsusemockupsinanattempttoreversetheoldadagethatthereisneverenoughtimetodothingsright,butthere'salways
timetodothemover.MockupsaregreattoolsnotonlytoverifydesignbutforlogisticsofprojectinstallationproceduresandQC.Itisimperativetoutilize
thesameconstructionpersonneltobuildthemockupthatwillbeattheprojectsite.Withproperplanning,costsassociatedwithmockuptesting
generallyareaminimalimpacttooverallprojectcostsandismoneywellspentcomparedtofixinganentirebuildingafterthefact.Mockuptestingcan
beaveryinexpensiveinsurancepolicyandvaluablelearningtool.

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Q: WhattypesofwallsystemshasArchitecturalTestingtested?
A: ThesystemstestedbyArchitecturalTestingincludebutarenotlimitedtostickbuiltsystems,unitizedsystems,unitandmullionsystems,columncover
andspandrelsystems,windowwallandslabcoversystems,cavitywalls,pointsupportedglass,structurallyglazedwalls,cablesupportedglasswalls,
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rainscreenpressureequalizedwallsystems,skylightsandmore.Sincethemid1980'sATIhasconductedthousandsoftestsonmockupsfromallover
theworld.

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Q: Whatsizeshouldacurtainwallmockupbe?
A: Acurtainwallmockupcanrangefrom100ft2toover2,000ft2.Thesizeofthebuilding,variousbuildingconditions,canallbefactorsusedin
determiningthesizeofthecurtainwallmockup.Thearchitects,consultants,buildingowners,andmanufacturersdeterminewhatbuildingconditions
needtobetestedinthecaseofspecificprojects.MinimumsizerequirementsarespecifiedinthetestspecimensectionofASTME283,E330,E331,
andE547.Formultistorybuildings,mostconditionscanbeincludedinmockupsthataretwostorieshighandthreeunitswideperAAMA50194.

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Q: WhatarethereferencedASTMandAAMAtestmethodsforconductingairinfiltration,waterpenetrationandstructuralperformanceonexterior
wallmockups?

A: AirinfiltrationisconductedinaccordancewithASTME28391,StandardTestMethodforDeterminingtheRateofAirLeakageThroughExterior
Windows,CurtainWalls,andDoorsUnderSpecifiedPressureDifferencesAcrosstheSpecimen.Staticwaterpenetrationisconductedinaccordance
withASTME33100,StandardTestMethodforWaterPenetrationofExteriorWindows,CurtainWalls,andDoorsbyUniformStaticAirPressure
Difference.DynamicwaterpenetrationisconductedinaccordancewithAAMA501.194,StandardTestMethodforExteriorWindows,CurtainWallsand
DoorsforWaterPenetrationUsingDynamicPressure.StructuralperformanceisconductedinaccordancewithASTME33097,StandardTestMethod
forStructuralPerformanceofExteriorWindows,CurtainWalls,andDoorsbyUniformStaticAirPressureDifference.

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Q: Whatothertestsareexteriorwallmockupssubjectedto?
A: Manycurtainwallmockupsaresubjectedtoverticalandhorizontalinterstorymovement.Simulatedfloorslabconditionsaremechanicallyfastenedto
permithydraulicjackingsidetosideandupanddown.Thepurposeofthesemovementsistosimulatewindinducedmovementofmultistorybuildings
andliveloadconditions.Horizontalmovementsduetoseismiceventsareperformedonoccasionaswell.Thermalcyclingandcondensation
evaluationsarealsoperformedfrequentlyoncurtainwallsystems.Studwallchamberscoveredwithfoaminsulatingboardareerectedontheexteriorof
themockup.Thecurtainwallmockupissubjectedtoalternatinghotandcoldcyclesmaintainedfortwohourspercycle.Windowwasheranchorage
loadtests,supplementalwaterresistancefollowingsealantremoval,negativeloadsealantbondingtestsareperformedwhenspecified.

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Q: Whatisabasictestprocedure?
A: Thefollowingisabasicprocedureortestsequence:

1.Preload@50%D.P.
2.Airinfiltration
3.Staticwaterresistance
4.Dynamicwaterresistance
5.Structuralperformance@D.P.
6.Structuralperformance@1.5xD.P.

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D.P.=Designwindpressure

S.T.P.=Structuraltestpressure=150%D.P.
W.T.P.=Watertestpressure=20%D.P.

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Q: Whatisacomplextestprocedure?
A: Thefollowingisacomplexprocedureortestsequence:

1.Preload@50%D.P.
2.Airinfiltration
3.Staticwaterpenetration
4.Dynamicwaterpenetration
5.Structuralperformance@D.P.
6.Repeatairinfiltration
7.Repeatstaticwaterpenetration
8.Repeatdynamicwaterpenetration
9.Interstorymovementdisplacement(vertical)
10.Repeatairinfiltration
11.Repeatstaticwaterpenetration
12.Repeatdynamicwaterpenetration
13.Condensationevaluation
14.Thermalcycle
15.Repeatairinfiltration
16.Repeatstaticwaterpenetration
17.Repeatdynamicwaterpenetration
18.Supplementalstaticwaterpenetration
19.Structuraloverloadat75%and150%D.P.
20.Supplementalnegativestructuralload
21.Seismic(lateraldisplacement)

D.P.=Designwindpressure
S.T.P.=Structuraltestpressure=150%D.P.
W.T.P.=Watertestpressure=20%D.P.

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Q: Howdoestheprojectspecificmockuptypicallyprogress?
A: Apreconstructionmockuptestshouldbescheduledwellinadvanceofthefinalproductionscheduleforabuilding.Atimelymockuptestwillidentify
design,fabrication,andinstallationdeficiencieswithampleopportunitytomakecorrectionsrelativelyeasilyandlessexpensively.Aproperlyexecuted
mockuptestprogramprovidesrelativelyinexpensiveinsurancethattheexteriorwallbeingtestedwillperformasintended.
Asuccessfulpreconstructionmockuptestrequirescooperation,coordination,andunderstandingoftheresponsibilitiesbetweenthearchitect,general
contractor,curtainwallmanufacturer,installer,andtestinglaboratory.
Thecontractdocumentsmustincludespecificationsanddrawingsforthepreconstructioncurtainwallmockup.Thespecificationwritermustclearly
identifywhattestsaretobeperformed,themethodologyforperformingthetest,andtheperformancecriteria.Itisveryimportantthatthearchitectsforthe
projectprepareaschematicdrawingofthearchitecturalmockup,whichshouldincludeadimensionedelevationandplanviewofthemockup.The
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curtainwallmanufacturermustalsopreparedetaileddrawingsofthemockup,whichareinclusiveofglazing,anchorage,andsealantdetails.

ATIutilizesthearchitect'sandcurtainwallmanufacturer'sdrawingstoprepareadrawingofthebuildingframerepresentation(testchamberdesign),
wherethebuildingstructureistypicallysimulatedwithstructuralsteelbeamsandcolumns.

Onceapprovalisgivenofthetestchamberdesign,ATIconstructsthetestchamberandschedulesamockupinstalldate.Themockupisthenerected
bytheappropriatepersonnelanduponcompletionoftheinstallationandadequatesealantcuretime,themockupisperformancetested.

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Q: Whataresomecommonmistakesmade?
A: ArchitecturalTestinghastestedhundredsofmockups.Wefindmostmistakesareworkmanshiprelatedandarearesultofnotfollowingrecommended
applicationorinstallationdetails.Thisisalsorelativetounderstandingandadheringtotheprojectspecifications.Somespecificmistakesareasfollows:
Impropersealantselection/application
Notprovidingadequatedetailsatguttersorflashingterminations
Guttersandflashingsareinstalledwithoutenddamsorproperspliceseals
Failuretocoordinateasecondlineofdefenseagainstwaterpenetrationfromonecontractors'worktoanother
Inadequatedesignandinstallationofthesystemincludinganchorageandworkingjoints,toeffectivelyaccommodatefabrication/construction
tolerancesandbuilding/thermalmovements
Thereisattimesatendencytomakemodificationstoasystemduringperformancetestingthatarenotpracticalforjobapplicationorarenot
carriedthroughinthefield
Again,overtheyears,ATIhasbeenwitnesstoremediationtomockupsresultingmostlyfromworkmanshipissues.Thisisbestlearnedinthelaboratory
settingsoitcanbetakentotheprojectsite.Althoughnotthemajority,designchangesarealsomadeasadirectresultoftheperformancetesting
process.Identifyingandcorrectingthesemistakescanbethoughtofasareprievefromcostlyproblemsdowntheroad.

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