All of the engineering services that are likely to be needed by a facade contractor, beginning with the structural design of a new wall system, and including preparation of the routine reports to demonstrate compliance with construction codes, can be provided by PTCC.

During the development of new facade systems our engineers guide the design team, setting the sizes and cross sectional shapes of structural members, choosing fixings and supports, and proposing options for cost reduction. Our engineering expertise lies in the use of modern facade materials and systems — extruded aluminium frames, all-glass assemblies, natural stone and lightweight trusses — but, in addition, we provide calculations for related items such as steel sub-structures or the transportation and lifting equipment to be used during installation.

PTCC uses a range of different mathematical techniques, implemented in its own in-house software, to arrive at structural designs in which material usage is minimized, and which therefore are economical to construct. We have found that, in comparison with facades conceived and detailed in the traditional way, by experienced human designers working without the assistance of software, these computerized design techniques result in significant material cost savings.

Normally, for every project, formal calculation reports will need to be submitted to the building owner to demonstrate that wall and cladding systems are adequate structurally. PTCC is familiar with the various different analytical codes followed in the English-speaking regions (particularly those published in Britain, America and Australia). All of our computations are typeset, not handwritten.

Because we have automated the computation and presentation of standard analytical routines with pre-programmed templates, our engineering reports can be prepared efficiently.

Structural studies can be carried out using finite element techniques. A range of different software packages and hardware platforms are available to PTCC's engineers, so, a computational environment can be selected to cope with the complexity of the task at hand. Linear analysis of small components such as brackets, which typically can be modelled with only a few thousand node points, easily can be accomplished with a single desktop computer. We are experienced in the application of sophisticated solvers to investigate the behaviour of materials whose properties are non-linear, and to study phenomena such as large deflections, plastic deformations, membrane stresses, dynamic loadings and so forth. Models which are large in scale are analyzed using powerful clusters of server computers.

Some government and institutional buildings are potential targets for terrorists. For projects in this category PTCC is well practiced in the design of facades which will protect the occupants even if an explosion were to occur outside the building. The peak pressure occurring during such an event can be large — sometimes hundreds of times greater in magnitude than pressures arising during a severe wind storm — but, because we make use of energy-absorbing materials which deform in a controlled manner, and because we are able to simulate and tune the dynamic response of the wall system, we can avoid the sort of "fortress" or "bunker" appearance that is typical of military structures. Our blast-resistant curtain walls are architecturally attractive and can incorporate large panes of vision glass.

Using one of our industry's standard thermal modelling software packages, we are able to quantify a wall system's effectiveness as a heat barrier and predict the conditions under which condensation will form on its surfaces. During recent years, as levels of environmental awareness have risen worldwide, and with the proliferation green building codes, requirements for studies of this sort have become increasingly common.

Typically PTCC's designers, engineers and draftsmen will work together, as a team, to create and document a building's facade. In some cases however, particularly when a project demands out-of-the-ordinary analytical techniques, PTCC can provide engineering support for your own, in-house designers. We are ready to discuss your requirements: just contact us to discuss the ways in which we can help.