Bending and lateral-torsional buckling investigation on glass beams for frameless domes

Structural glass is used in constructions for beams, columns, and stiffeners, with high aesthetical impact to buildings in terms of transparency and modernity. Among several positive characteristics, most of glass members for constructions are typically slender, and this feature may cause major structural stability challenges for their mechanical design. In order to improve and extend the present engineering knowledge on their optimal structural design, the current study investigates the in-plane bending and buckling performance of glass beams that could be used in frameless glass domes. Experimental, analytical and numerical investigations are carried out to acquire insight into the behavior of glass beam specimens subjected to in-plane axial vertical loads, and susceptible to possible lateral-torsional buckling (LTB) collapse. Nine full-scale samples with fixed dimensions (l = 2000 mm span, h = 200 mm height) and variable thickness (t = 6, 8 and 10 mm) are subjected to quasi-static tests, by gradually increasing the imposed in-plane vertical forces until the critical loads are reached. The parametric experimental results are discussed in terms of strain and displacement outcomes. The comparison of parametric results is further extended by numerical considerations. The results confirm a substantial correlation between input geometric features (i.e., glass thickness and beam span), measured maximum deformation capacity, and corresponding allowable strain values, which should be further elaborated for possible optimized design considerations.