[Meenal Jain]

Buildings with glass walls reperesent modernity. Descretly assembled glass plates enable easy plastic formation of shapes and sensation of lightness. 

The following glass systems can be distinguished:
1. Assembled on aluminium shape grate (dominating horizontal/vertical lines)
Aluminium shapes form column-beam system in which the facades have visible lines of division. Such facades are durable and resistant. Insulation is achieved by continuous thermal spacers and profiled gaskets.
This systems enables erection of walls bent either vertically or horizontally.



2. Assembled pointwise

Glass panels are assembled with steel elements. Inner plates are fixed mechanically. Pins are introduced into the glass. External plate is glued to the structure with constructional silicon.

Such a facade is externally uniform. Seal of the connection of glass and bolts is realised with silicon sealants which additionally increases stiffness of structure.


1. hardened glass
2. hardened and resined glass
3. constructional silicone
4. bolt
5. X-bit


3. Structural glass
In this technology a silicon glue is the only binder bonding a glass panel to the structure of the building.

Double-sided system. Two sides of the glass set are glued to the aluminium frame while the remaining two are fixed mechanically.


1. dilatational tape
2. structural silicon

Four-sided system. All four sides of the panel are glued to the aluminium frame.


1. structural silicone
2. PE filling cord
3. silicon sealant

Glass-rib system. Facade glass panels are sticked to the glass ribs mechanically assembled to the structure of the building.



Glued bolt system. Panels are fixed to the aluminium frame by means of a glued bolt.

[ankit parwal]

Structural Glazing System Types


4-Sided Structural Glazing

4-sided structural glazing is the most common and usually most cost efficient type of structural glazing system used in European countries. Glass is supported on all four edges of the glass with structural silicone. 4-sided SG systems are typically fabricated in a production facility and erected at a jobsite.

2-Sided Structural Glazing
2-sided structural glazing systems use structural silicone on two of the four sides of the glass. The other two sides of the glass are either mechanically supported or are not structurally supported by a frame. 2-Sided SG systems are fabricated in a production facility or at the jobsite.

Slope Glazing
Slope glazing is when structural glazing is applied on a façade that is not vertical. Typical slope glazed SG systems are skylights. In such cases, the weight of the glass is considered in the SG joint dimensioning calculations. 

Stepped Glass

Many SG systems install the SG joint on the internal surface of the outboard pane. In these systems, the insulating glass units are produced in a step fashion which allows glazing to the outboard pane. More traditional SG systems install the structural joint to the internal surface of the inboard pane of the insulating glass unit.
 
U-Profile Channel Systems
There are many proprietary systems that allow insulating glass units to be attached mechanically to the structure by a U-profile in the cavity between the two panes of glass. Depending on the nature of the system, the silicone sealant may or may not be performing as a structural glazing sealant in the design. 

Total Vision Systems
Total vision systems, which are commonly used at the front of a building to maximize vision area, use a glass fin to structurally support the vision glass. In such cases, the 2-sided SG system may use the structural silicone in shear from the glass edge to the glass fin.

http://www.dowcorning.com/

[ankit parwal]

Structural Glass Systems

Structural Glass Systems, often called “Spider Systems” or “Bolted Systems”, have been used on many high profile buildings. Holes are typically drilled in each corner of each glass pane and the glass is attached mechanically with stainless steel “spiders”. These systems are not structural glazing although they have a similar appearance from the exterior. In certain designs, the “spider” only attaches to the internal pane of an insulating glass unit. In such designs, the insulating glass sealant will have a structural function. In all types of Structural Glass Systems, silicone sealants play an important role in maintaining a
watertight weatherseal and in the performance of the insulating glass units.