A Structural Glass Design Manual
Guidance for engineers, architects and specifiers
Presented on October 10, 2024 at Facade Tectonics 2024 World Congress
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Overview
Abstract
Other than limited special cases, there is a lack of standards providing guidance on the design of structural glass. This has resulted in an ad-hoc approach by cities (authorities having jurisdiction), architects and engineers. This paper outlines the key aspects of designing with glass in a manner that has reliability and robustness principles consistent with other structural materials while recognizing the unique aspects of glass. The Structural Glass Design Manual31 negotiates the spectrum of glass design between ‘non-structural’ applications, such as window glass and ‘structural’ applications such as glass floors by using four glass risk categories, based on occupancy and four robustness categories based on retention, redundancy and residual capacity. Developing consistent practices facilitates confident design in glass for engineers, architects and the building authorities. This paper outlines the principles guiding the Structural Glass Design Manual (Public Draft.)
Authors
Richard Green PE SE P.Eng CPEng IntPE(Aust) APEC Engineer
Principal / Owner
Green Facades LLC
Richard@GreenFacadesLLC.com
Terrence McDonnell S.E., P.E., P.Eng., SECB
Principal
Klein & Hoffman
trmcdonnell@kleinandhoffman.com
Andrew Crosby BASc, P.Eng., LEED® AP BD+C
Principal
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
acrosby@rjc.ca
Keywords
Paper content
1. Introduction
Glass is unique amongst building materials as being both transparent and brittle. Unlike the other common brittle materials, concrete and masonry, cracking of any kind in glass is
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