Additional study: curtain walling

I. Read and translate the text

Curtain walling in its broadest sense is any form of walling which is non-load bearing and recent years have seen considerable developments in this field. There has been an increasing tendency to replace brick and stone walls by thin sheet materials in large panels or by lightweight frameworks with various form of infilling. The main function of any form of walling is protection against the weather. In addition to providing this curtain walling also affords rapid erection, fixing from the inside of the building, a saving in foundation loads, increased floor areas and good insulating properties.

Ideally curtain walling should be durable, weatherproof, and simple to attach to steel work or to a floor, attractive in appearance, self-cleaning, easily removable, easily maintained and have sufficient strength to withstand wind pressure. There are many types on the market, which possess some or all these requirements. The panel frames are made of steel, aluminium, or timber, but the infilling includes materials such as thin stove, asbestos cement, aluminium sheet, timber, plastic sheet and so on.

Joints must be completely waterproof and yet allow for thermal and structural movement. Obviously the larger the panels, the less the number of joints required, but fabrication and erection problems then occur. Broadly speaking there are three different ways of sealing joints: rubber or plastic strips, clamping or interlocking connections, and plastic jointing compounds.

The semi curtain wall, which is frequently employed, embodies a separation between the outer skin and the thermal insulation behind it. The insulating backing is generally built up from hollow blocks, clinker blocks or cellular concrete. The type of wall must also be provided with a ventilated air cavity and a vapor barrier to prevent internal condensation.

The fastening devices must secure the panels rigidly, even if the structure undergoes deformation due to the temperature variations. Moreover they should be corrosion resistant and as far as possible fireproof. Fire protection requirements vary considerably with the location, size and use of the building. The point to remember in design is to prevent flames, which are escaping out of a window from spreading to the floor above.

II. Give translation of the following words and phrases:

Curtain walling, broadest sense, non-load bearing, considerable development, increasing tendency, to replace (v), lightweight framework, infilling (n), to provide (v). to afford (v), rapid erection, a saving in foundation loads, good insulating properties, durable (adj), weatherproof (adj), simple to attach to, attractive in appearance, self-cleaning, easily removable, easily maintained, to withstand wind pressure, to allow for thermal and structural movement, clamping or interlocking connections, semi curtain wall, thermal insulation, hollow blocks, clinker blocks or cellular concrete, a vapor barrier to prevent internal condensation, to undergo deformation due to the temperature variations, Fire protection requirement,