The effect of reinforcement on loadbearing capacity of structural glass

The transparent property of glass makes it a favored choice of material in the design of structures because it maximizes light and creates an illusion of larger spaces. However, it is a very brittle, making it difficult to use as a common building material. Laminated glass significantly improves the strength through a layer of resin called polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Laminated glass is typically used for buildings in which human impact is vulnerable, such as hurricane prone areas or important government buildings. However, laminated glass still lacks the residual loadbearing capacity that one would find in reinforced steel, for instance. Residual loadbearing capacity is important to ensure the safety and reliability of glass as a structural material. This thesis will provide an overview of the common glass treatments, fixings, structural systems, and design methods used today. Additionally, two research studies investigating the effects of reinforced glass will be examined. Finally, the author will provide a simulation of a three-layer laminated glass stair tread with an applied design load. The simulation compares the stresses and displacements of the unreinforced glass tread with a glass tread reinforced with a 4 mm thick steel plate. The results from the simulation are inconclusive. However, experimental results from the two research studies show promise for the use of reinforcement in glass to improve load bearing capacity.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Navarro, Bridget I. (Bridget Isabela)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jerome J. Connor.

• Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66844

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/66844