Transparency in Structural Glass Systems Via Mechanical, Adhesive, and Laminated Connections ‐ Existing Research and Developments

Abstract

The consistent architectural transparency demand in buildings is highly promoting the structural use of glass, in combination or to replace loadbearing components made of traditional constructional materials. Despite its huge application in facades, roofs, envelopes, frame components, however, glass still represents a rather innovative and not well-known material, requiring specific design conceptsm and further extended studies, toward the fulfillme nt of safe design requirements. A key role in glass systems and assemblies involving multiple components is given to connections. Major issues in their design, consequently, arise from restraining single glazing elements, as well as from ensuring their mechanical interaction with other constructional systems, as a part of full 3D buildings, including several materials, and various loading/boundary conditions. In this paper, an overview of typical connection types in use for glass systems is presented, with special consideration for mechanical, adhesive, and laminated adhesive connections, giving evidence of their typical applications, evolution, current design issues. Existing research and major projects are also discussed, both at the material/component level as well as at the assembly level.

Basis of Guidelines for Structural Design and Thermal Assessment of Buildings with Hybrid CLT-Glass Elements

“…Differing from other facade solutions that take advantage of mechanical or adhesive connections between the load-bearing members (Bedon and Santarsiero, 2018), a key role is assigned to contact mechanical interactions only. Following Fig.…”

Safety Issues in the Seismic Design of Secondary Frameless Glass Structures

“…Glass is increasingly used in buildings and constructed facilities. Typical applications can be found in the form of curtain walls, innovative "adaptive" facades or even load-bearing members (beams, columns), shear walls intended to contribute to the structural performance of the building they belong to or complex stand-alone systems (see for example Figure 1 and [1,2]). Given the intrinsic mechanical features of glass in buildings (and its combination with other constructional materials), dedicated design methods are required for ordinary loads, and even more to withstand extreme events like earthquakes [3][4][5].…”

“…In such a scenario, the typical need of robustness, redundancy, and ductility of glass structures are further enforced [6,7]. reproduced from [1] with permission from Elsevier, license n. 4637550841997, July 2019); (c)-(d) typical point-fixings for facades (both photos reproduced from [2] with permission from WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, license n. 4665240805701, September 2019).…”

“…However, secondary assemblies (and their fasteners) in seismic conditions must in any case satisfy some rigid structural design requirements, both at the local and global levels. Even more attention and advanced design methods [1] with permission from Elsevier, license n. 4637550841997, July 2019); (c,d) typical point-fixings for facades (both photos reproduced from [2] with permission from WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, license n. 4665240805701, September 2019).…”

“…The post-F V N is set equal to 10 years for CC1 and CC2, while it must be calculated from specific studies for CC3;2 Excluded structures/parts that can be dismantled/reused.…”