Aspetti strutturali dei rivestimenti di facciata

The building sector is today more and more often represented by tall, complex, energy-efficient and multi-functional buildings, characterized by innovative façade systems. The recent history teaches that, although closely related with the building structure and required to possess adequate resistance to the acting loads too, the new cladding systems have shown not infrequently inconsistencies or mechanical deficiencies, such as to compromise their safety. This for a competency gap between structural engineers, inclined to consider the façades only as an additional mass carried by the structure, and building designers, interested to deepen the technological and detail aspects related to appearance, energy, acoustic and durability performance, but not related to behaviour and safety under the stresses and deformations point of view. Overlook or underestimate the structural aspects in the façade design can result in critical consequences, especially in the case of large buildings subject to seismic and wind actions. This paper calls and illustrates the necessity of studying and solving the structural aspects of façade claddings through proper numerical modelling and laboratory tests.