Experimental results of mechanical, adhesive, and laminated connections for laminated glass elements – A review

Abstract

In order to increase transparency in buildings, structural elements made of laminated glass are being developed. The recent technological improvements in terms of material research, fabrication processes, and construction techniques, are creating new design opportunities for laminated glass structural elements. For laminated glass, the post-breakage strength and safety are important because of the brittle nature of glass, especially in structural applications. The connection between elements is a critical part, because high loads are concentrated in small surfaces, leading to local peak stresses. In this review, different connection types for structural glass elements are presented, and their performance is evaluated. Most common connection types are mechanical, adhesive, and laminated. The main goal of this review is to compare the experimental results obtained from different types of connections, evaluating the type of test, the materials used, the pre- and post-breakage performance, the failure mode, and the influence of ageing factors and load duration.

The authors would The authors would like to thank the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to their research group (2017 SGR 1537). The work was partially funded by CRISTEC with CDTI funds (IDI-20160588). GREA is certified agent TECNIO in the category of technology developers from the Government of Catalonia. Xavier Centelles would like to thank University of Lleida for his research fellowship.