What is the typical thickness range of UHPC curtain wall panels?

Selecting the thickness of UHPC curtain wall panels is a balancing process that seeks the optimal solution among "structural safety, flatness control, cost-effectiveness, and installation convenience." Based on the practical experience of Qinglong Group in dozens of large UHPC curtain wall projects such as the Shenzhen Yirui Biotechnology Building and Shanghai Century Plaza, the thickness of conventional non-load-bearing UHPC curtain wall decorative panels typically ranges from 15mm to 30mm, with 20mm-25mm being the most common and versatile. For large panels with special load-bearing requirements or load-bearing components, the thickness can be increased to 40mm or even thicker.

20mm-25mm is the thickness range offering the best overall performance. This thickness is sufficient to ensure: 1) Adequate out-of-plane stiffness: under wind load, the deflection at the panel center can be controlled within L/200 or even stricter limits (where L is the panel span), ensuring a flat facade without any "bulging" effect. 2) Good impact resistance and failure safety: even if a panel is accidentally punctured, the high toughness of UHPC prevents it from shattering and falling. 3) Reasonable self-weight: a 20mm thick panel has a surface density of about 50kg/㎡, and a 25mm panel about 62.5kg/㎡, making it easy to transport and hoist, while adding only limited load to the main structure. 4) Controllable cost: with performance requirements met, material usage is most economical.

For smaller panels (with side lengths within 1m) or interior applications, thin panels of 15mm-18mm can be selected to further reduce weight and save costs. For oversized panels (e.g., exceeding 3m), highly perforated panels, or components that need to carry part of the structural load, panels of 25mm-30mm or even thicker are required, with stress and deformation verified through finite element analysis. In the Nanning New Media Center project, Qinglong individually determined panel thicknesses ranging from 15mm to 28mm based on the curvature, panel size, and loading conditions of each double-curved panel, achieving a unity of safety and economy. Therefore, determining the thickness of UHPC curtain wall panels must be based on the specific panel division, support conditions, load calculations, and appearance requirements, with precise design carried out by a professional manufacturer.