Structural Design of Architectural Glazing: A State-of-the-Practice Summary

This special issue of the Journal of Architectural Engineering focuses on the seeming paradox of performing structural design of architectural glazing components, which are commonly designated as “nonstructural,” or “architectural” building envelope components. In the face of natural hazards (severe windstorms and earthquakes) and man-made hazards (blasts), architectural glazing is often on the frontline of a building’s structural defenses. In this context, architectural glazing components must certainly be designed as structural components.

Building envelope designers currently have no single resource document to use in the structural design of architectural glazing. This special issue was intended to serve as a state-of-the-practice summary regarding the structural design of architectural glazing under various loading conditions. As such, it is offered as a first step toward developing a comprehensive glass structural design guide that would be significantly useful to future building envelope designers. We hope that such a design guide will be published in the future.

The first two papers in this special issue address the structural design of architectural glazing under the effects of severe windstorms. “Standards Governing Glazing Design in Hurricane Regions,” by Hattis, addresses the somewhat complex evolution of current hurricane glazing standards, developed primarily to protect against building envelope breaching, because of wind-borne debris impacts. “Design of Window Glass for Lateral Pressures,” by Minor and Norville, addresses architectural-glazing component design for wind-induced lateral pressures, including simplifications to established standards. Shifting to earthquakes, “Design of Architectural Glazing to Resist Earthquakes,” by Behr, addresses architectural glazing component design to resist earthquake-induced building movements. Blast design of architectural glazing components is covered in “Blast-Resistant Glazing Design,” by Norville and Conrath. The paper by Ledbetter, Walker and Keiller, “Structural Use of Glass,” extends beyond the architectural glazing component design theme followed in the first four papers; it addresses, more generally, the structural use of glass in building components beyond the building envelope. That paper was included because of growing interest in using glass more extensively for structural components and elements in modern buildings. “Curtain Wall Designs for Wind and Blast: Three Case Studies,” by Clift, includes case studies encompassing multihazard design considerations for architectural glazing systems, along with the structural design of such non–window glass components as “glass fins.”

The special issue editors thank the contributing authors for their diligent efforts in providing their papers, along with the many experts who provided meaningful input and feedback during the paper peer-review process.