Glass-Aluminium Partition Walls with High-Damping Rubber Devices: Seismic Design and Numerical Analyses

An innovative solution for aluminium-glass partition walls that can withstand seismic actions without damage is presented. The key feature characterising the proposed innovation is a dissipative coupling between the components of the partition wall, i.e., the glass plates and the surrounding aluminium frame, accomplished through the interposition of high-damping rubber pads (HDRPs). Sliding mechanisms between glass panels and the aluminium frame are permitted through specific detailing solutions, which allow the partition wall to be unsensitive to the inter-storey drift imposed by the hosting structure. A detailed discussion of the system conception is illustrated, showing the main intermediate steps that led to the final solution. The implementation of a refined numerical model is illustrated, and its characteristic parameters are calibrated according to a set of experimental tests previously performed on materials and subcomponents. A numerical application to a case study consisting of a partition wall system installed within a three-storey building is provided to assess the performance of the proposed innovative solution under severe earthquakes.