Experimental Investigation of Numerical Design Method for Point-Supported Glass
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 18, Issue 3
Abstract
Calculating stresses in structural glass components is essential for design, but is especially complex for customized components like point-supported glass (PSG) balustrades. Stress concentrations are introduced at the discontinuities of the plates precisely where boundary conditions elicit maximum field stresses. Further complicating design, most published stress data for glass components are based on annealed, edge-supported glass experiments—with limited applicability to fully tempered (FT), PSG applications. This article presents experimental and numerical results for a typical application of FT glass as a PSG structural balustrade. Strain data from six FT, monolithic glass balusters loaded to both service and ultimate conditions indicates 55.2-MPa stresses at service load and 155-MPa stresses at failure. Additionally, a design algorithm is developed, using beam theory with stress concentration factors to establish preliminary thickness for use in an optimized numerical analysis to calculate stresses. Comparison of numerical and experimental data leads to the conclusion that FT, PSG balustrades are most accurately idealized by solid linear elements and translation-fixed, rotation-permitted boundary conditions at the support node.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Viracon and Tri-Pyramid for their generous contributions of tempered glass and glass fittings, respectively.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 18 • Issue 3 • September 2012
Pages: 223 - 232
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 20, 2011
Accepted: Sep 8, 2011
Published online: Jan 25, 2012
Published in print: Sep 1, 2012
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