Trade Journals for the Concrete Industry

A distinction is made between three types of architectural façades: load-bearing façade, sandwich façade, and non-bearing façade. Loadbearing façades consists of a single layer and are designed to transfer loads from slabs etc. Sandwich façades consists of three layers: an exposed outer concrete facade, insulation in the middle, and an inner load-bearing layer. Non-bearing façades are mounted on existing structures at a certain distance using stainless steel fittings. The gap may contain additional thermal insulation. Sandwich façades and non-bearing façades only carry their own weight, i.e. they do not transfer structural loads. This article describes possible surface finishes for architectural façades, production techniques, and typical risks.