How to Secure GRC After Installation? Connection Technology and Qinglong Group's Safety Anchoring System

The fixing method for GRC after installation, i.e., the connection technology, is the core of ensuring the safety of the curtain wall system. Its essence lies in achieving a precise balance between "allowing necessary thermal deformation" and "providing sufficient structural restraint". The fixing systems adopted by Qinglong Group mainly fall into three categories: "undercut anchor connection, embedded part welded connection, and post-installed anchor fixing". The specific choice depends on factors such as "component size, type of structural substrate, wind load magnitude, and deformation requirements". In the Shenzhen Yirui Biotechnology Building project, we designed a four-point supported undercut anchor connection system for large UHPC curtain wall panels. Each connection point was secured by embedding a stainless steel undercut anchor into the panel body, then connected to a three-dimensionally adjustable aluminum alloy bracket, and finally fixed to the concrete structure with chemical anchors, successfully withstanding the typhoon tests of the coastal region. Reliable fixing is not simply "welding it shut", but a precise "dynamic restraint".

Undercut Anchor Connection: The Mainstream and Reliable Choice

This is currently the most commonly used connection method for large GRC panels. A hole is drilled in the back of the GRC panel, a dedicated stainless steel undercut anchor (undercut type or hammer-set type) is inserted, and then the panel is connected to the substrate keel or structural wall via brackets. Its advantages lie in high connection point strength, three-dimensional adjustability, and minimal damage to panel edges. Qinglong Group uses high-quality 316 stainless steel undercut anchors in all key projects and provides pull-out force test reports to ensure that the pull-out resistance of each anchor meets design requirements.

Embedded Part Connection: Suitable for Factory Prefabrication Integration

During GRC fabrication, metal connectors (such as threaded rods and steel plates) are directly embedded into the component. This method offers the highest connection strength and good overall integrity, but requires extremely high production precision—embedded parts must be positioned with absolute accuracy. Qinglong Group uses positioning molds for embedded part installation at its Nanning production base, ensuring positional errors of less than ±2mm, which provides a solid foundation for accurate on-site installation.

Post-Installed Anchor Connection: Flexibly Adapting to On-Site Changes

For certain renovation projects or special situations, post-installed anchoring can be used, i.e., fixing connectors directly to the structure via chemical anchors or undercut anchors. This method is flexible, but requires an accurate assessment of the substrate structure (such as concrete strength) and rigorous on-site pull-out testing.

The "Heart" of the Hanging System: Adjustable Brackets

Regardless of the anchoring method used, the accompanying "metal brackets" are the key to achieving "fixed positioning within adjustability". The brackets used by Qinglong Group are typically made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy, designed with slotted holes that allow fine adjustments up and down, left and right, front and back during installation, to absorb structural construction tolerances. After installation and adjustment are complete, anti-loosening washers or break-off nuts are used to lock everything firmly in place, preventing loosening due to vibration or other causes.

Flexible Joint Sealing as an Extension of Fixing

Fixing is not just mechanical connection; the weather-resistant sealant in panel joints also plays an important role in "flexible fixing". It bonds adjacent panels, absorbs slight movements, and prevents connectors from being directly exposed to wind and rain, serving as an important guarantee for the durability of the entire fixing system.

The connection designs Qinglong Group carries out for each project all undergo rigorous structural calculations and simulation analysis, ensuring that under various extreme loads, GRC panels can be securely and reliably fixed to the building, safeguarding the safety of the building and the public.