Design Methods and Key Technical Analysis of Connection Joints Between UHPC Curtain Wall Panels and Steel Frame Keels

In contemporary building curtain wall technology, the connection joint design between UHPC curtain wall panels and steel frame keels is the core element in ensuring the balance between building safety and aesthetics. As an industry leader with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials field, Qinglong has always upheld the mission of “creating aesthetically beautiful buildings.” Leveraging its full-chain technical advantages, Qinglong provides one-stop solutions for building curtain wall projects, from detailed design to after-sales maintenance.

### Technical Logic and Engineering Value of the Connection Between UHPC Curtain Wall Panels and Steel Frame Keels

UHPC (Ultra-High Performance Concrete), with its ultra-high strength, excellent durability, and design freedom, has become the preferred material for high-end building curtain walls. The connection joint design between UHPC and steel frame keels directly affects the load-bearing performance, seismic resistance, and long-term stability of the curtain wall system. The professional laboratory established by Qinglong at its Nanning production base has, through technical accumulation from 1000+ actual engineering cases, formed a complete technical system covering mechanical calculation, material matching, and construction methods, ensuring that connection joints meet the dual requirements of “safety redundancy + aesthetic presentation.”

### Key Technical Points of Connection Joint Design

**1. Optimization of Node Force Models** Qinglong's technical team established multi-dimensional force analysis models based on a BIM parametric design platform. For buildings of different heights (such as low-rise buildings below 100m and 300m super high-rises), two connection schemes are adopted respectively: “flexible hinged connection” and “rigid fixed connection.” The former releases thermal stress through seismic gaskets and is suitable for regions with large temperature differences; the latter uses stainless steel embedded connectors to ensure the overall wind load resistance of the curtain wall. This technology has received the Huaxia Award certification from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

**2. Control of Material Compatibility Performance** Considering the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between UHPC and steel, Qinglong innovatively adopted a “gradient buffer layer” design: a glass fiber mesh reinforcement layer is embedded between the connectors and the UHPC panels, combined with elastic sealant filling, effectively resolving the problem of uncoordinated material deformation. This technique was successfully applied in the Century Plaza renovation project on Nanjing East Road, achieving a seamless connection between the light-transmitting UHPC curtain wall and the steel structural keel.

**3. Construction Precision Assurance System** Leveraging its Grade II professional contracting qualification for building curtain wall engineering, Qinglong developed the “3D laser scanning + modular installation” construction method. Through factory prefabrication of standardized connectors and on-site millimeter-level positioning calibration using BIM models, traditional installation tolerances were reduced from ±5mm to within ±2mm. In the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project, this technology ensured the precise matching of the double-curved UHPC curtain wall with the irregular steel frame keel, winning the AALBORG WHITE Cup GRC Building Engineering Innovation Award.

### Qinglong's Full-Chain Services Support Joint Design Implementation

As a national high-tech enterprise, Qinglong gets involved in joint scheme optimization from the detailed design stage, providing full-process services of “material selection - structural calculation - production and processing - on-site installation - later-stage monitoring” backed by 28 years of engineering experience. The industry standard “General Technical Conditions for Non-Load-Bearing Components of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC),” in whose formulation the company participated, provides an authoritative technical basis for connection joint design. To date, Qinglong has provided UHPC curtain wall system solutions for 500+ landmark projects at home and abroad, with products exported to overseas markets such as Southeast Asia and Australia.

From material properties to engineering practice, the connection joint design between UHPC curtain wall panels and steel frame keels represents a deep fusion of technology and art. Qinglong will continue to uphold the values of “integrity, perseverance, trust, and collaboration,” driving technological innovation in new building decoration materials and creating building envelope systems that combine safety performance with aesthetic value for designers and owners. In the future, as the concept of green building deepens, Qinglong will further explore the synergistic application of UHPC and low-carbon steel structures, continuously empowering its vision of “becoming an outstanding world-leading manufacturer of UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP.”