CellularPolycarbonate
Extruded thermoplastic resin panel with very high mechanical resistance. Its internal multi-chamber (cell) architecture traps air, offering excellent thermal insulation with a weight hundreds of times lower than equivalent glass, making it the icon of industrial and sports lightweight roofing.
The tenacity of polycarbonate is up to 250 times greater than that of glass. In case of impact (e.g. extreme hail), the external skin absorbs energy by elastically flexing on the diagonal ribs, without shattering.
When glass becomes too heavy, expensive or fragile to install at great heights. Cellular polycarbonate is the triumph of engineering design: by extruding plastic into a honeycomb geometry, a self-supporting panel is obtained that is simultaneously a roof, insulator and window.
Polycarbonate (PC) granules are pushed through a die that creates the continuous sheet, formed from horizontal walls connected by vertical or diagonal ribs (flutes). The historic limit of plastics in architecture is solar degradation (photo-oxidation), which makes them yellow and brittle. This is solved by UV co-extrusion: a thin layer of UV absorbers is fused directly onto the external face of the panel. This invisible shield guarantees retention of transparency and elasticity for over 10-15 years.
Dry air is trapped inside the cells (alveoli). While base panels have only 2 walls (Twin-wall), for modern nZEB roofs panels with up to 9 walls with X-bracing (40-50 mm thick) are used. These micro-chambers prevent convective movements of air inside the panel, achieving thermal transmittance (Ug) values comparable to a triple-glazed unit, but weighing only 4 kg/m² versus 60 kg/m² for glass.
Standards
European and international references applicable.
Physical properties
Usage environment
Polycarbonate has a thermal expansion coefficient 6 times higher than glass. A 6-metre sheet can lengthen by almost 2 cm in summer. Aluminium containment profiles and EPDM gaskets must be calculated to allow free sliding of the panel, otherwise it will warp and break. Always install the UV co-extruded face facing outdoors (marked with protective film).
Documented applications
TAV. DIndustrial Roofing / Shed
Insertion of continuous translucent strips in shed industrial roofs to guarantee diffuse zenithal natural light.
Curved Tunnels and Skylights
Cold bending on metal centering to create long continuous low-rise arch skylights without intermediate joints.
Stadia and Sports Arenas
Cantilevered stand covers in arenas: the lightness of polycarbonate dramatically reduces the cost of the load-bearing steel structure.
Facade Systems (Click)
Male/female interlocking panels click-joined vertically creating continuous walls without visible aluminium frames.
Weight / Thermal Insulation Ratio (kg/m² to achieve U = 1.2 W/m²K)
TAV. EReplacing a glass roof (which would weigh tonnes and require gigantic steel beams) with polycarbonate sheets allows the roof engineering to be dematerialised, using ultra-thin trusses and reducing the entire building’s seismic load.
Used in these systems
TAV. SOperational documents from this sheet
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