Manhattan, KS
USDA National Bio & Agro-Defense Facility
Scope/Solutions
Developed through a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, this new research facility features an entrance with a 52 ft tall glass curtain wall that is required to resist blast loads. Working for the specialty glass subcontractor, SGH was the specialty engineer of record and also consulted on the building enclosure design for the curtain wall.
The curtain wall, comprising structural glass panels, architecturally exposed structural steel structural members, and stainless steel tension rods, supports an aluminum sun screen. The glass panels’ vertical edges are staggered and the curtain wall system does not have mullions behind the vertical panel joints. SGH evaluated the curtain wall glazing and structure for the specified blast loads. Highlights of work include:
- Using WINGARD software to analyze the glazing system with stainless steel clamps at the panels’ top and bottom edges
- Evaluating the proposed laminated insulated glass unit panels supported by horizontal mullions and structural silicone glazing sealant for the required GSA performance condition
- Using a combination of in-house proprietary single degree of freedom software and ABAQUS, a nonlinear finite element analysis software package, to perform dynamic analyses of the curtain wall structure and evaluate proposed member sizes for supporting columns and beams
- Refining member sizes to allow for increased ductility and energy dissipation, as well as to reduce steel weight and forces at the anchorage locations and support points on the base building’s floor and roof levels
- Designing all connections and providing the structural engineer of record for the base building with design forces at locations where the curtain wall is anchored to the building structure
- Preparing construction and shop drawings for the glass and screen walls
Project Summary
2023
1.25B (complete facility)
Key team members
