How to Achieve Detachable Connections for GRC Curtain Walls: Design Essentials, Technical Approaches, and Engineering Application Research

In contemporary building curtain wall design, demountable connection technology is becoming a key breakthrough for achieving green construction and sustainable development. GRC curtain walls, with their lightweight, high-strength, and flexible shaping characteristics, demonstrate unique advantages in demountable connection systems, while how to achieve this goal through scientific design and technological innovation has become a core topic of industry attention. As an industry participant with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials field, Qinglong Group has always taken "creating beautiful architecture" as its mission and has accumulated rich practical experience in the R&D and application of GRC curtain wall demountable connection technology.

Design Key Points for Demountable Connections of GRC Curtain Walls: Balancing Structural Safety and Flexible Maintenance

Demountable connection design must be built on a deep understanding of material properties and engineering requirements. The elastic modulus and flexural strength of GRC materials (glass fiber reinforced concrete) are fundamental parameters for connection joint design; high-quality GRC components can achieve flexural strength of over 20MPa, providing structural load-bearing assurance for demountable joints. During the design phase, three core elements need to be prioritized: first, the mechanical performance of joints, ensuring stability under wind loads, temperature deformation, and other actions; second, ease of assembly and disassembly, reducing on-site operation complexity through modular design; third, durability, where joint materials must form a coordinated weather-resistant system with GRC components. In a commercial complex project in Nanjing, Qinglong used BIM technology to simulate the stress state of connection joints and adopted a combined solution of stainless steel connectors and adjustable bolts, achieving non-destructive disassembly and reuse of GRC curtain wall panels.

Technological Path Innovation: Full-Chain Optimization from Material Selection to Construction Techniques

The technological path to achieving demountable connections for GRC curtain walls involves multi-dimensional innovation in materials, structure, and construction. At the material level, Qinglong's developed modified GRC formula enhances the collaborative working performance between components and connectors through fiber content optimization and interface treatment technology; at the structural level, two demountable systems have been developed—the "plug-in" and "suspended" types, with the former suitable for standardized panels and the latter enabling flexible installation of irregular curved components; in construction techniques, 3D laser scanning positioning and digital pre-assembly technology have been introduced, controlling on-site installation errors within ±2mm. Taking a cultural landmark project in Guangzhou as an example, Qinglong adopted UHPC and GRC composite connectors, which not only ensured connection strength but also reduced hoisting difficulty through lightweight design. During later project maintenance, the disassembly and replacement time for a single curtain wall panel was reduced to one-third of that of traditional methods.

Engineering Application Practice: Value Transformation from Theoretical Innovation to Project Implementation

The engineering value of demountable connection technology has been fully verified in actual projects. In the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project that Qinglong participated in, the GRC curtain wall system adopted a demountable sunshade panel design, which not only met architectural aesthetic requirements but also enabled later adjustment of shading angles according to sunlight conditions. In overseas projects, such as a hotel curtain wall project in Malaysia, drainage channels and anti-corrosion coatings were innovatively installed at connection joints to address the local high-temperature and high-humidity environment, ensuring the long-term reliability of the demountable system. These practical cases demonstrate that GRC curtain wall demountable connection technology can not only reduce later maintenance costs but also reduce construction waste through component recycling, aligning with the green building development direction under the "dual carbon" goals.

As a national high-tech enterprise and a participant in formulating GRC industry standards, Qinglong Group has always regarded technological innovation as its core competitiveness, from participating in the compilation of the "Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC)" to research on the technical conditions of UHPC non-load-bearing components, continuously promoting industry technological progress. In the future, with the in-depth development of modular construction and sustainable design concepts, GRC curtain wall demountable connection technology will play an important role in more high-end buildings, injecting strong momentum into the realization of the vision "to become an outstanding world-leading UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP manufacturing enterprise."