ACM, short for aluminum composite materials, is a material commonly used in building cladding. ACM panels are made of thin layers of aluminum sheets surrounding a plastic core such as polyethylene, which is typically made to be fire resistant in high rise buildings. The plastic offsetting the two aluminum faces allows the panel to be stronger than a thinner panel with the same amount of aluminum without the cost increase of using thicker aluminum sheets.
We have extensive experience reviewing shop drawings to provide calculations for panels exposed to wind and potentially seismic loads. We have worked on buildings across the Eastern US, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, New York, North Carolina, and more. ACM is often used on commercial and educational buildings and we have worked on schools, university buildings, offices, and hotels.
Analysis of ACM panels must consider not only the behavior of the panels themselves but also of their connections. The primary loads on cladding panels come from wind, which can cause deflections and stresses in the panel’s face. The panels transfer these loads to their connections, and the pulling forces on screws from negative wind pressure is often the controlling element in a cladding system.
