Translucent Coatings of Modern Construction Systems

Abramyan S.G.

It is impossible to imagine modern-time cities without construction systems with translucent insulation coatings. Translucent-coated structures not only ornate any building, but also serve as a life-supporting element. Considering this, the author, based on the review of foreign and national publications, describes the main trends in the application of translucent coatings for engineering and construction of long-span, high-rise and unique buildings. Over the past ten or twelve years, the preference in the global practice of using the above construction systems has been consistently given to polycarbonate and membrane coatings based on ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) film. The key reasons for the high popularity of these materials are: blending the boundary between the ambient environment and the inner space of a building; utmost utilization of natural light and solar energy to ensure energy efficiency of a building and maximum comfort during its operation; creation of facilities embodying a new architectural idea involving the most recent engineering achievements; ensuring multi-functionality of a building while preserving traditions and national flavor. Following the analysis of a number of studies, the paper compares the characteristics of glass units filled with aerogel with the characteristics of conventional double and triple-pane glass units, describing their benefits and drawbacks as applied to specific climatic conditions. It is noted that some studies insufficiently explore the safety of spider systems for glazing high-rise and unique buildings in seismically active regions or exposed to hurricane winds.