Load-bearing capacity of tempered structural glass

This paper presents a method for the failure analysis of structural glass c omponents of buildings. Structural glass is generally prestressed by temper ing. In the method, residual stresses are first computed by simulation of t his tempering process of soda-lime-silica glass plates using the finite-ele ment method, The model includes both stress and structural relaxations. The edge effects of tempering are modeled. Then, the failure strength of annea led glass is obtained by a statistical analysis of tests performed on small specimens. Loading rate effects are also taken into account. Computational results are associated with the statistical approach for the failure predi ction of large annealed and tempered glass plates. This prediction method i s validated by experimental results from four-point bending tests up to fai lure.