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Decorativeexteriorwall,MexicoCity,Mexico,2008.

Abrickwall

WallFromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Awallisastructurethatdefinesanarea,carriesaload,orprovidesshelterorsecurity.Therearemanykindsofwalls:

DefensivewallsinfortificationWallsinbuildingsthatformafundamentalpartofthesuperstructureorseparateinteriorsections,sometimesforfiresafetyRetainingwalls,whichholdbackearth,stone,orwaterWallsthatprotectfromoceans(seawallsorriverslevees)Permanent,solidfencesBorderbarriersbetweencountries(sometimes)

Contents

1Etymology2Defensivewall3Buildingwall

3.1Curtainwall3.2Mullionwall3.3Partitionwall3.4Partywall3.5Infillwall3.6Firewall3.7Shearwall3.8Kneewall3.9Cavitywall3.10Ponywall3.11Movablepartitions3.12Solarenergy

4Shipbuilding5Boundarywall6Borderwall7Retainingwall8Sharedwall9Portablewall10Temporarywall11Wallsinpopularculture12Seealso13References14Externallinks

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Etymology

WallcomesfromLatinvallummeaning"...anearthenwallorrampartsetwithpalisades,aroworlineofstakes,awall,arampart,fortification..."whiletheLatinwordmurusmeansadefensivestonewall[1]Englishusesthesamewordtomeananexternalwallandtheinternalsidesofaroom,butThisisnotuniversal.Manylanguagesdistinguishbetweenthetwo.InGerman,someofthisdistinctioncanbeseenbetweenWandandMauer,inSpanishbetweenparedandmuro.

Defensivewall

Thewordwalloriginallyreferredtodefensivewallsandramparts.

Buildingwall

Buildingwallspurposesaretosupportroofs,floorsandceilings,encloseaspaceaspartofthebuildingenvelope,alongwitharooftogivebuildingsform,andtoprovideshelterandsecurity.Inaddition,thewallmayhousevarioustypesofutilitiessuchaselectricalwiringorplumbing.Wallconstructionfallsintotwobasiccategories:framedwallsormasswalls.Inframedwallstheloadistransferredtothefoundationthroughposts,columnsorstuds.Framedwallsmostoftenhavethreeormoreseparatecomponents:thestructuralelements(suchas24studsinahousewall),insulation,andfinishelementsorsurfaces(suchasdrywallorpanelling).Masswallsareofasolidmaterialincludingmasonry,concreteincludingslipformstonemasonry,logbuilding,cordwoodconstruction,adobe,rammedearth,cob,earthbagconstruction,bottles,tincans,strawbaleconstruction,andice.

Therearethreebasicmethodswallscontrolwaterintrusion:moisturestorage,drainedcladding,orfacesealedcladding.[2]Moisturestorageistypicalofstoneandbrickmasswallbuildingswheremoistureisabsorbedandreleasedbythewallsofthestructureitself.Drainedcladdingalsoknownasscreenedwalls[3]acknowledgesmoisturewillpenetratethecladdingsoamoisturebarriersuchashousewraporfeltpaperinsidethecladdingprovidesasecondlineofdefenseandsometimesadrainageplaneorairgapallowsapathforthemoisturetodraindownthroughandexitthewall.Sometimesventilationisprovidedinadditiontothedrainageplanesuchasinrainscreenconstruction.Facesealedalsocalledbarrierwallorperfectbarrier[3]claddingreliesonmaintainingaleakfreesurfaceofthecladding.Examplesoffacesealedcladdingaretheearlyexteriorinsulationfinishingsystems,structuralglazing,metalcladpanels,andcorrugatedmetal.

Buildingwallsfrequentlybecomeworksofart,externallyandinternally,suchaswhenfeaturingmosaicworkorwhenmuralsarepaintedonthemorasdesignfociwhentheyexhibittexturesorpaintedfinishesforeffect.

Curtainwall

Inarchitectureandcivilengineering,curtainwallreferstoabuildingfacadethatisnotloadbearingbutprovidesdecoration,finish,front,face,orhistoricalpreservation.

Mullionwall

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GlassPartitionWall

Mullionwallsareastructuralsystemthatcarriestheloadofthefloorslabonprefabricatedpanelsaroundtheperimeter.

Partitionwall

Apartitionwallisawallthatseparatesrooms,ordividesaroom.Partitionwallsareusuallynotloadbearing.Partitionwallsareconstructedofmanymaterials,includingsteelpanels,bricks,blocksofclay,terracotta,concrete,orglassblocks.

Somepartitionwallsaremadeofsheetglass.Glasspartitionwallsareaseriesofindividualtoughenedglasspanelsmountedinwoodormetalframing.Theymaybesuspendedfromorslidealongarobustaluminiumceilingtrack.[4]Thesystemdoesnotrequiretheuseofafloorguide,whichallowseasyoperationandanuninterruptedthreshold.

Atimberpartitionconsistsofawoodenframework,supportedonthefloororbysidewalls.Metallathandplaster,properlylaid,formsareinforcedpartitionwall.Partitionwallsconstructedfromfibrecementsheetingarepopularasbasesfortilinginkitchensorinwetareaslikebathrooms.Galvanizedsheetfixedtowoodenorsteelmembersaremostlyadoptedinworksoftemporarycharacter.Plainorreinforcedpartitionwallsmayalsobeconstructedfromconcrete,includingprecastconcreteblocks.Metalframedpartitioningisalsoavailable.Thispartitionconsistsoftrack(usedprimarilyatthebaseandheadofthepartition)andstud(verticalsectionsfixedat600mmcentres).

Internalwallpartitions,alsoknownasofficepartitioning,isusuallymadeofplasterboard(drywall)orvarietiesofglass.Toughenedglassisacommonoption,asislowironglass(betterknownasoptiwhiteglass,whichincreaseslightandsolarheattransmission.

Wallpartitionsareconstructedusingbeadsandtrackingthatiseitherhungfromtheceilingorfixedintotheground.[5]Thepanelsareinsertedintothetrackingandfixed.Somewallpartitionvariationsspecifytheirfireresistanceandacousticperformancerating.

Partywall

Partywallsarewallsthatseparatebuildingsorunitswithinabuilding.Theymayprovidesoundresistanceorserveasafirewall.Ownershipofsuchwallscanbecomealegalissue.

Infillwall

Aninfillwallisthesupportedwallthatclosestheperimeterofabuildingconstructedwithathreedimensionalframeworkstructure.

Firewall

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Firewallsarespecialwallsthatresistspreadoffirewithinorsometimesbetweenstructurestoprovidepassivefireprotection.Adelayinthespreadoffiregivesoccupantsmoretimetoescapeandfirefightersmoretimetoextinguishthefire.Suchwallshavenowindows,andaremadeofnoncombustiblematerialsuchasconcrete,cementblock,brick,orfirerateddrywallandhavewallpenetrationssealedwithspecialmaterials.Adoorwayinafirewallmusthavearatedfiredoor.Firewallsprovidevaryingresistancetothespreadoffire,someintendedtolastonetofourhours.Firewalls,generally,arealsosmokebarriers.

Shearwall

Shearwallsresistlateralforcessuchasinanearthquakeorseverewind.Therearedifferentkindsofshearwallssuchasthesteelplateshearwall.

Kneewall

Kneewallsareshortwallsthateithersupportraftersoraddheightinthetopfloorroomsofhouses.Inaoneandonehalfstoryhouse,thekneewallsupportsthehalfstory.

Cavitywall

Cavitywallsarewallsmadewithaspacebetweenthe"skins"toallowdrainage.

Ponywall

Ponywallisageneraltermforshortwalls,suchas:

Ahalfwallthatonlyextendspartwayfromfloortoceiling,withoutsupportinganythingAstemwallaconcretewallthatextendsfromthefoundationslabtothecripplewallorfloorjoistsAcripplewallaframedwallfromthestemwallorfoundationslabtothefloorjoistsAkneewall,whichextendsfromthefloortoacountertop,rafter,orhandrail

Movablepartitions

Movablepartitionsarewallsthatopentojointwoormoreroomsintoonelargefloorarea.Theseinclude:

Slidingaseriesofpanelsthatslideintracksfixedtothefloorandceiling,similarslidingdoorsSlidingandfoldingsimilartoslidingfoldingdoors,thesearegoodforsmallerspansScreensusuallyconstructedofametalortimberframefixedwithplywoodandchipboardandsupportedwithlegsforfreestandingandeasymovementPipeanddrapefixedortelescopicuprightsandhorizontalsprovideagroundsupporteddrapesystemwithremovablepanels

Solarenergy

Atrombewallinpassivesolarbuildingdesignactsasaheatsink.

Shipbuilding

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StonewallofanEnglishbarn

AnoldItalianwallsurroundedbyflowers

Onaship,awallthatseparatesmajorcompartmentsiscalledabulkhead.Athinnerwallbetweencabinsiscalledapartition.

Boundarywall

Boundarywallsincludeprivacywalls,boundarymarkingwallsonproperty,andtownwalls.Theseintergradeintofences.Theconventionaldifferentiationisthatafenceisofminimalthicknessandoftenopeninnature,whileawallisusuallymorethananominalthicknessandiscompletelyclosed,oropaque.Moretothepoint,anexteriorstructureofwoodorwireisgenerallycalledafencebutoneofmasonryisawall.Acommontermforbothisbarrier,whichisconvenientforstructuresthatarepartlywallandpartlyfenceforexampletheBerlinWall.Anotherkindofwallfenceambiguityisthehahawhichissetbelowgroundleveltoprotectaview,yetactsasabarrier(tocattle,forexample).

Beforetheinventionofartillery,manyoftheworld'scitiesandtowns,particularlyinEuropeandAsia,haddefensiveorprotectivewalls(alsocalledtownwallsorcitywalls).Infact,theEnglishword"wall"derivesfromLatinvallumatypeoffortificationwall.Thesewallsarenolongerrelevantfordefense,sosuchcitieshavegrownbeyondtheirwalls,andmanyfortificationwalls,orportionsofthem,havebeentorndownforexampleinRome,ItalyandBeijing,China.ExamplesofprotectivewallsonamuchlargerscaleincludetheGreatWallofChinaandHadrian'sWall.

Borderwall

Somewallsformallymarktheborderbetweenonepopulationandanother.Aborderwallisconstructedtolimitthemovementofpeopleacrossacertainlineorborder.Thesestructuresvaryinplacementwithregardtointernationalbordersandtopography.Themostfamousexampleofborderbarrierinhistoryisprobablythe

GreatWallofChina,aseriesofwallsthatseparatedtheEmpireofChinafromnomadicpowerstothenorth.ThemostprominentrecentexampleistheBerlinWall,whichsurroundedtheenclaveofWestBerlinandseparateditfromEastGermanyformostoftheColdWarera.

Retainingwall

Inareasofrockysoilsaroundtheworld,farmershaveoftenpulledlargequantitiesofstoneoutoftheirfieldstomakefarmingeasierandhavestackedthosestonestomakewallsthateithermarkthefieldboundary,orthepropertyboundary,orboth.

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DrystonewallGrendon

AshlarwallIncawallatMachuPicchu,Peru

Retainingwallsresistmovementofearth,stone,orwater.Theymaybepartofabuildingorexternal.Thegroundsurfaceorwaterononesideofaretainingwallistypicallyhigherthanontheotherside.Adikeisaretainingwall,asisalevee,aloadbearingfoundationwall,andaseawall.

Sharedwall

Speciallawsoftengovernwallsthatneighbouringpropertiesshare.Typically,oneneighbourcannotalterthecommonwallifitislikelytoaffectthebuildingorpropertyontheotherside.Awallmayalsoseparateapartmentorhotelroomsfromeachother.Eachwallhastwosidesandbreakingawallononesidewillbreakthewallontheotherside.

Portablewall

Portablewalls,suchasroomdividersorportablepartitionsdividealargeropenspaceintosmallerrooms.Portablewallscanbestatic,suchascubiclewalls,orcanbewallpanelsmountedoncasterstoprovideaneasywaytoreconfigureassemblyspace.Theyareoftenfoundinsideschools,churches,conventioncenters,hotels,andcorporatefacilities.

Temporarywall

Atemporarywallisconstructedforeasyremovalordemolition.Atypicaltemporarywallcanbeconstructedwith12"(6mm)to58"(16mm)sheetrock(plasterboard),metal23s(approx.57cm),or24s,ortaped,plasteredandcompounded.Mostinstallationcompaniesuselattice(stripsofwood)tocoverthejointsofthetemporarywallwiththeceiling.Thesearesometimeknownaspressurizedwallsortemporarypressurizedwalls.

Wallsinpopularculture

Wallsareoftenseeninmanypopularcultures,representingbarrierspreventingprogressorentry.Forexample,theprogressive/psychedelicrockbandPinkFloydusedametaphoricalwalltorepresenttheisolationfeltbytheprotagonistoftheir1979conceptalbumTheWall.AmericanpoetlaureateRobertFrostdescribesapointlessrockwallasametaphorforthemyopiaofthecultureboundinhispoem"MendingWall",publishedin1914.Inareallifeexample,theBerlinWall,constructedbytheSovietUniontodivideBerlinintoNATOandWarsawPactzonesofoccupation,becameaworldwidesymbolofoppressionandisolation.

Insomecases,awallmayrefertoanindividual'sdebilitatingmentalorphysicalcondition,seenasanimpassablebarrier.

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ViewofthewesternenclosingwalloftheGreatMosqueofKairouan(alsocalledtheMosqueofUqba)inthecityofKairouaninTunisia.

Wikisourcehasthetextofthe1911EncyclopdiaBritannicaarticleWall.

Anothercommonusageisasacommunalsurfacetowriteupon.ForinstancethesocialnetworkingsiteFacebookpreviouslyusedanelectronic"wall"tologthescrawlsoffriendsuntilitwasreplacedbythe"timeline"feature.

Seealso

AshlarClimbingwallDrystonewallFabricstructureHyRibListofwallsLoadbearingwallSleeperwallStonewallTensilestructureThinshellstructureWallpaper

References1. Wall.Whitney,WilliamDwight,andBenjaminE.Smith.TheCenturydictionaryandcyclopedia,vol.8.New

York:CenturyCo.,1901.6,809.Print.2. CommitteeonDampIndoorSpacesandHealth,BoardonHealthPromotionandDiseasePrevention.Damp

indoorspacesandhealth.InstituteofMedicine,(U.S.).NationalAcademiesPress.Washington,D.C..2004.3435.Print.

3. Straube,J.F.andBurnett,E.F.P.,"DrivingRainandMasonryVeneer".WaterLeakagethroughBuildingFacades,ASTMSTP1314.R.J.KudderandJ.L.Erdly,Eds.AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials(ASTM),1998.75.Print.

4. "PARTITIONWALL"(http://niceduniya.blogspot.com/2007/12/partitionwall.html).PrinciplesofDesign.Retrieved17July2013.

5. "PartitionWalls"(http://www.ceilingspartitions.co.uk/partitionswalls/partitions/).Excellenceincraftsmanship.Retrieved17July2013.

ExternallinksThedictionarydefinitionofwallatWiktionaryMediarelatedtoWallsatWikimediaCommons

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