"Article 12.2.2 of the Technical Code for Glass Façade Engineering, JGJ102-96, stipulates: 'One check should be conducted on the façade one year after the completion of the glass curtain wall, with subsequent checks every five years; for cable-supported curtain walls, a prestress check should be conducted six months after completion, followed by checks every three years; after ten years of use, structural sealant adhesion performance should be sampled checked at different parts of the curtain wall, with subsequent checks every three years.' Article 9.0.3 of the Technical Code for Metal and Stone Façade Engineering, JGJ133-2001, states: 'During normal use, the using unit should conduct a check every five years. Inspections should be made on panels, sealing strips, sealants, and silicone structural sealants.'"
The original notice issued by the former Ministry of Construction on the "Management Measures for Safety Maintenance of Existing Building Facades" (Document No. JZ 2006[291]) stipulates in Article 15: "When one of the following situations occurs in the existing building facade, the person responsible for safety maintenance shall actively entrust a safety assessment. (1) Abnormal deformation, detachment, or explosion of panels, connecting components, or local walls; (2) Damage caused by natural disasters or sudden accidents such as typhoons, earthquakes, lightning strikes, fires, and explosions; (3) Existing safety hazards detected and identified in the main structure of the related building. The facade engineering project shall undergo a safety assessment once every ten years after the completion and handover for use."
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the General Administration of Safety Supervision of the People's Republic of China issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Safety Protection of Glass Façades" (No. Jianbiao [2015] 38) in 2015. Article 3 stipulates: "(ii) Enhance maintenance and inspection of glass facades. One year after the completion of the acceptance inspection of glass facades, the construction unit shall inspect the safety of the façade. The safety maintenance person in charge shall conduct special inspections of existing glass facades in accordance with regulations. After natural disasters such as hail, typhoons, lightning strikes, earthquakes, or in the event of emergencies like fires or explosions, the safety maintenance person in charge or their designated technical units with corresponding qualifications shall promptly inspect the glass facades of potentially damaged buildings and carry out timely repairs. (iii) Timely assess the safety performance of glass facades. When glass facades reach the designed service life, the safety maintenance person in charge shall entrust a unit with corresponding qualifications to assess the safety performance of the glass facades. If renovations, reinforcement, or demolition are required, the unit with corresponding qualifications shall be responsible for implementing them. (iv) Strictly regulate maintenance and reinforcement activities of glass facades. Structural maintenance and reinforcement of glass facades must not alter the structural components arbitrarily. Structural calculations and reinforcement plans shall comply with national standards and specifications. For those exceeding technical standards, safety technical arguments should be conducted. After the completion of structural maintenance and reinforcement projects, the owner, the safety maintenance unit, or the unit responsible for daily maintenance and management shall organize an acceptance inspection."
In accordance with the aforementioned regulations, after the completion and handover of the building curtain wall project for use, the following situations apply to curtain walls that require safety performance testing and assessment:
Lack of corresponding curtain wall specifications and standards during design and construction.
2. Not designed, constructed, or inspected in accordance with the regulations and standards of the same period.
3. Concerns regarding the safety of curtain wall due to incomplete technical documents and warranty materials.
4. Panels, supporting structures, connecting components, or local wall panels showing abnormal deformation, displacement, detachment, cracking, or where a safety accident has occurred.
5. Damage caused by natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, lightning strikes, fires, explosions, or other unforeseen accidents exceeding the design load capacity.
6. Continued use beyond the designed service life or structures that have been neglected due to age.
7. Structures with potential safety hazards detected and verified.
8. Facades requiring major repairs or renovation.
9. Upon completion, acceptance, and usage, safety inspections shall be conducted every ten years,原则上.
