One of the celebrated properties of natural stone it its impressive density. However, there are times when that density introduces a problem because natural stone is also heavy. The mass of stone can normally be accommodated with properly designed support and anchorage systems, yet in some specialty applications, it can be difficult or impossible to accommodate. In many of these cases the solution is to use a structurally backed, ultra-thin composite stone panel. The backer element may be of a variety of materials, including fiberglass, carbon fiber reinforced polymer, or perhaps the most common: aluminum honeycomb. The resultant product is a lightweight, structurally sound composite panel with the beauty and luster of natural stone at the exposed face, but without the penalty of the weight that comes with traditional stone cladding thicknesses.

Leanring Objectives:

• Learn when a composite panel may be an appropriate solution for your project, and when it might not it might not.
• Acquire a general understanding of the unique manufacturing processes employed in the production of these innovative panels.
• Familiarize oneself with the various quality control and testing procedures used to proof the product’s performance in application.
• Discover how these panels are typically anchored and what structural provisions are necessary in the building frame to accommodate such anchorage.

This course has been approved for CEU credit through the following organizations:

• AIA         NSI-T07OD, 1 LU|HSW
• LACES:  NSI-T07OD, 1.0 HSW PDH