Why PC plate is favored in the construction field?

Contemporary architectural design concepts puts more emphasis on how to build space that is able to coexist with a specific social and natural environment. As the basic elements of the building, materials and components have a new value in the artistic expression of the current new architectural space. With the continuous emergence of new technologies, new materials have provided more and more possibilities for the structural design, safety, sustainable development and reduction of maintenance costs of modern buildings. Polycarbonate panels is one of the outstanding ones, and it is widely used in the field of construction and decoration. So, what is the magic of clear PC sheet? Why PC plate is favored in the construction field? This starts with several excellent characteristics of PC sheet.

Hollow PC panel for underground garage ceiling

Safety

PC has the best impact resistance among thermoplastic engineering plastics. The impact strength of 6mm PC multi-layer panel and 4mm thick PC hollow panel reach 160N·m and 400N·m, respectively, which are about 80 times and 200 times that of ordinary glass, 16 times and 40 times that of safety glass. Besides, it features exceedingly toughness. It does crack or break when being hammered by a 3kg hammer or drop from 2 m high ground and it has the reputation of "non-breaking glass" . And the PC board does not explode like tempered glass, so the PC board is safe to use.

Light and compact
In addition, the density of PC is 1.2g/cm³, which is less than half of the density of glass. It is light in weight, convenient for construction and installation. Moreover, the support keel is compact and beautiful. PC multi-layer sheets and hollow sheets are particularly suitable for large-span roofs, suspended awnings and curtain walls of large public buildings. The pluggable multi-layer board is more suitable for large-area curtain wall paving with hidden frame requirements.

Winter garden

Aesthetic
PC panels have been successfully used in the construction of many international large-scale stadiums. The built stands and outer walls have high transparency and light supporting structures to ensure sufficient sunlight. For example, the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium is one of the venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and the stadium is shaped like an oval water drop. The water drop shaped roof is composed of three materials with inner ring being made of hollow PC board, the middle ring, metal plate, and the outer ring, high-strength glass. It overlooks the entire stadium. Plates, metal plates, and high-strength glass are laid in layers from top to bottom to form a water droplet with a transparent top, a closed circle in the middle, and a transparent circle at the bottom so as to express the fashionable and dynamic beauty of the "water drop".

Solid panel ceiling

Machinability
The PC board has strong machinability, and can be cut, drilled, and milled by hand. It is not easy to break and does not need to be heated at room temperature. It can be cold or hot bent. The minimum bending radius is for 16mm three-layer reinforced type is 2800mm. Therefore, according to the design drawing, cold bending method can be adopted on the construction site to achieve arched, semicircular and other curved structures. For example, part of the roof of the Shenyang Olympic Center Stadium, which accommodates 60,000 spectators, is made of UV-resistant 3-layer 25mm thick PC panels. The arched roof design not only fully reflects the flexibility of PC processing and installation, but also gives the building artistic expression.

Hollow PC sheet for greenhouses

Easy to process

Capable of being designed into various complex shapes, the PC board has rich color options. Products with different colors and different transparency can be selected according to needs, so as to design architectural styles with various artistic effects. The INFORM art installation of the German Embassy in China uses white, red, and blue UV-proof solid panels to construct a three-dimensional art installation using thermoforming methods, covering an area of more than 1,300 square meters, and each panel is made by hand.

Highway noise barrier
Soundproof

The PC board is light in weight, high in impact strength, high in safety, and easy to install. The hollow structure and intelligent design of the multi-layer PC board allow light to selectively pass through, and reduce heat entry; in the cold season, it can reduce the heat emission to maintain the temperature and reach energy-saving effect. In addition, PC board is completely recyclable, which can be repeatedly processed and formed, and waste products and leftover materials can also be recycled.

Therefore, the application of PC sheet and its components give full play to its stylish, light-transmitting, warm and pleasant characteristics, which not only meets people's demand for modern architectural artistic expression, but also greatly reduces carbon dioxide emissions and  energy consumption.