Lateral Drift and Facade Attachment [E26a]

When a building frame is designed to drift, it must still support the facade that is attached to it. In single-story buildings, this could mean allowing the frame to drift parallel to the facade, with a lateral connection to the facade for out of plane loads. In multi-story buildings, the facade is supported on a frame that moves. How does the engineer work with the architect to ensure the two work together? What does the structural engineer need to know about the strategies for accommodating drift in the facade? How do various facade systems and their attachments affect the engineer's design of the frame and spandel details?

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