How does curtain wall support wind load in Gulf regions?

In Gulf-region cities such as Doha or Muscat, curtain-wall systems must withstand wind speeds exceeding 160 km/h during occasional storms. Structural resilience begins with robust aluminum framing: 6063-T6 or 6061-T6 extrusions designed with deep mullions and transoms increase section modulus and stiffness. Engineers perform wind-load calculations per ASCE 7‐16, tailoring the spacing and size of vertical mullions to limit deflections to span/175 for safety and comfort. High-strength stainless-steel anchors transfer loads to the primary structure while allowing for thermal expansion. Glazing units are laminated and bead-glazed into pocket glazing rebates that resist uplift. Pressure equalization cavities behind IGUs reduce net inward forces. By aligning curtain-wall framing profiles with compatible aluminum ceiling suspension grids, overall envelope movement is harmonized, preventing differential deflections. Workshops in Saudi Arabia and the UAE often run full‐scale mock-ups to validate performance before site installation.