Wrightstyle succesfully combines structural glazing with close-range explosive resistance

Wrightstyle, the international glass and steel systems company, has successfully introduced an advanced structurally-glazed system, and independently tested it against the equivalent of 500 kilos of TNT, acknowledged to be the explosive impact of a lorry bomb, and roughly ten times the size of a car bomb.

Known in the industry for developing glazing solutions for challenging specifications, Wrightstyle was approached with a set of criteria for the Central Security /Co-ordination Command Centre for the Asian games hosted in Doha, Qatar in December 2006.

Initially designed to protect & prevent any disruption to the critical operations of the games co-ordination, the USD $31million building also had to be designed with the intention to hand over to the Qatar military on completion of the Asian Games.

The strict criteria from the project architects / consultants required the majority of the external glazing to mitigate the effects of a medium range lorry bomb and close range car bomb. Other requirements were for the glazing to be solar control, thermally performing, but to have an external sight line of less than 20mm and internal sightline of less than 60mm to maximise vision to the building exterior – project requirements for which there was no tested system available on the market.

The Wrightstyle system’s strength was achieved through a high-specification structural glazing technique that bonds the glass to the framing support system so that, in an explosion, the components work together to safely absorb the thermal shock of the explosion.

The successful tests were carried out independently by Advantica Limited at a specialist site within RAF Spadeadam, Northumberland. The simulated lorry bomb attack was immediately followed by a simulated car bomb attack (100 kilos of TNT). The lorry bomb was detonated 75 metres from the test rig and the car bomb was detonated at a distance of 20 metres, producing a higher loading on the façade.

The Wrightstyle system sets a new benchmark for a glazing system to mitigate against blast attack, and has now been supplied to a number of projects in the United States, UK, and the MENA and Asia-Pacific regions.

Technical Specification Clause

H11 CURTAIN WALLING 110

Blast resistant structurally glazed steel curtain walling system:

Manufacturer and reference: Wright Style Limited, Units 2 & 7, Banda Industrial Estate, Nursteed Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 3DY. Tel: 0870 8554025. Fax: 0870 8554026. Email: info@wrightstyle.co.uk Web: www.wrightstyle.co.uk

System Specification Reference:
WSL SG Blast resistant curtain walling system.

Protection Rating:
Equivalent close range car bomb, at 130Kpa overpressure, with minimum rating of high protection level/very low hazard according to GSA, ISO, DIS & HOSDB requirements.

Glass Specification:
TBA – Subject to project specific information.

Weathertightness: (According to EN13830 Curtain wall product standards)
Water tightness: RE (1650Pa)
Air permeability: AE (>600Pa)
Windload resistance: Up to 3kPa safety
Thermal performance: <2.0 w/m2 K elemental value according to document L.

Material:
Consisting of internally & externally galvanised steel mullion profile “SR60140-4” 60mm x 140mm x 4mm, with internally & externally galvanised steel transom profile “SR60140-4” 60mm x 140mm x 4mm.
Stick format bracketed system with mechanically jointed steel shear blocks and dry glazed with EPDM compound gaskets internally and with two part silicone externally by others.
Semi unitized carrier system structurally bonded to glass unit (by others) and retained to grid using site located self tapping, self threading zinc coated stainless steel screws and specially designed catenery clips. Total elevational sightline of 60mm wide internally, 22mm externally.

Main grid profiles of a minimum S235 yield mild steel produced to DIN 2395 pts 1 & 2 (EN10147/10326) with cross sectional tolerances in accordance with EN10143. Sendzimir galvanised steel to EN1042~10326. Fully certified by accredited test report from range testing.

All framing finished, powder coated to a standard RAL colour. Tape protected.
Finish: Powder coating
Colour/texture: RAL___ as required / Consult with Syntha Pulvin metal finishing applicator for full details.
Minimum film thickness: 60 Microns / Consult with Syntha Pulvin metal finishing applicator for full details.