Specifications
Shield™ panel technical data
The published performance figures for the Shield™ building system, in one place. Everything here is taken from Guardian's three-part specification (CSI Section 07480) and the Shield™ technical product description, with the clause cited under each table.
Thermal resistance
Insulation R-value changes with temperature, so the specification publishes each panel at two mean temperatures. Use the one that matches your climate and season.
Wall panels
| Thickness | R at 40 °F | R at 75 °F |
|---|---|---|
| 9¼ in | R-38 | R-35 |
| 7¼ in | R-30 | R-28 |
| 6 in | R-25 | R-23 |
Roof panels
| Thickness | R at 40 °F | R at 75 °F |
|---|---|---|
| 12 in | R-50 | R-46 |
| 8 in | R-33 | R-30 |
| 6 in | R-25 | R-23 |
Across the product range Guardian publishes R-16 to R-75 depending on panel type and thickness: curtain walls R-16 to R-75, load-bearing walls R-16 to R-50, roof panels R-30 to R-75.
Source · 3-Part Specification 1.5 E.5; Shield™ Technical Product Description · Guardian documents
Design loads
- Design wind load, standard 9 ft wall
- up to 40 psf
- Design axial load, standard 9 ft wall
- 2,250 lb per lineal foot
- Engineered wall height
- up to 20 ft at up to 40 psf design wind load
- Design horizontal roof load
- 40 psf with purlins or ridge beams at 12 ft on centre
- Roof panel span
- 8 ft to 15 ft at 30 to 50 psf live load
Source · 3-Part Specification 1.5 E.1; Technical Product Description · Guardian documents
Fire performance
- Fire-resistance assembly
- ASTM E119-08a load-bearing assembly available; tested with the ASTM E2226-08 hose stream
- Rated finish
- ½ in or ⅝ in drywall provides the rating required by the uniform building codes
- EPS flame spread index (ASTM E84)
- 5 to 20
- EPS smoke developed index (ASTM E84)
- 95 to 300
- EPS ignition temperature
- 600 to 650 °F, against approximately 500 °F for Douglas fir
- Combustible content
- 0.0833% of the combustibles present in wood products
Source · 3-Part Specification 1.5 E.2; Technical Product Description · Guardian documents
Acoustic performance
- Sound Transmission Class
- up to STC 59 in an engineered assembly
- Sound absorption at 1,000 cps
- 0.36
- Sound absorption at 2,000 cps
- 0.54
- Sound absorption at 4,000 cps
- 0.38
Source · 3-Part Specification 1.5 E.3 and E.4 · Guardian documents
Materials and connections
- Insulation core
- UL certified modified expanded polystyrene (EPS), minimum density 0.90 pcf, Type I, complying with ASTM C578
- Structure
- Cold-formed steel integrated into the EPS opposed inside and outside to eliminate thermal bridging
- Tie screws
- Maximum 3 ft apart
- Panel-to-panel connection
- 1½ in × 1½ in 20-gauge minimum galvanized steel angle or track, fastened with TEK screws
- Roof connection
- Specially shaped 20-gauge minimum galvanized steel, fastened with TEK screws
- Openings
- Structural headers integrated into the wall panels per the architectural drawings
Source · Shield™ Technical Product Description · Guardian documents
Panel types
Five assemblies, each with its own size limits and performance range.
Wall panels
The general-purpose Shield™ wall panel, sized to the project and used on both residential and commercial work.
Details →Curtain walls
Exterior non-load-bearing cladding panels, custom designed for wind load and attached to a steel frame or masonry structure.
Details →Load-bearing exterior walls
Structural walls that carry the floors and roof above, and can remove some or all of the red iron framing from the building.
Details →Demising and corridor walls
The walls between tenancies and along corridors, where fire separation and sound matter as much as structure.
Details →Roof panels
Load-bearing roof panels for gable, hip or flat roof lines, compatible with red iron steel or bar joists.
Details →Standards and testing
Guardian's specification references more than twenty standards. Each one is explained in the standards library, with Guardian's own result where a document states it.
Written by Data Subsystems, for Guardian Structural Technologies. Last updated .
Drafted from Guardian Structural product literature and published building-science sources. Awaiting Guardian technical review. Confirm any figure against the current product documents or ask us before you rely on it in a design.
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