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This book presents the findings of a detailed study to explore the behavior of architectural glazing systems during and after an earthquake and to develop design proposals that will mitigate or even eliminate the damage inflicted on these systems. The seismic behavior of common types of architectural glazing systems are investigated and causes of damage to each system, identified. Furthermore, depending on the geometrical and structural characteristics, the ultimate horizontal load capacity of glass curtain wall systems is defined based on the stability of the glass components. Detailed attention is devoted to the incorporation of advanced connection devices between the structure of the building and the building envelope system in order to minimize the damage to glazed components. An innovative new connection device is introduced that results in a delicate and functional system easily incorporated into different architectural glazing systems, including those demanding maximum transparency.

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Building envelope and mechanical compatibility with building structure.- Glass curtain wall systems and seismic behavior.- Advanced connection devices for building envelope systems.- Rotational friction connection devices: a novel approach towards friction connection devices for glazed envelope systems.- Tuning the connection device: adjusting the behavior of the rotational friction connections based on the seismic behavior of glass panels.- Conclusions on experimental tests and future developments.

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