A novel glass brick façade has been designed and engineered to reproduce the original brick façade of a former townhouse in Amsterdam. Based on the original design the resulting façade comprises more than 6500 solid glass bricks, reinterpreting the traditional brick pattern, and elaborated cast glass elements for the replication of the window and door frames. To achieve unhindered transparency, the 10 by 12 m glass block façade has to be self-supporting. Previous experimental work by Oikonomopoulou et al. (J Facade Design Eng 2(3-4):201-222, 2015b. doi:10. 3233/fde-150021) concluded that it was necessary to use a clear, UV-curing adhesive of high stiffness as bonding material. Experimental work on prototype elements indicated that the desired monolithic structural performance of the glass masonry system, as well as a homogeneous visual result, are only achieved when the selected adhesive is applied in a 0.2-0.3 mm thick layer. The nearly zero thickness of the adhesive together with the request for unimpeded transparency introduced numerous engineering challenges. These include the production of highly accurate glass bricks and the homogeneous application of the adhesive to achieve the construction of the entire façade with remarkably tight allowable tolerances. This paper presents the main challenges confronted during the construction of the novel façade and records the innovative solutions implemented, from the casting of the glass units to the completion of the façade. Based on the conclusions of the research and the technical experience gained by the realization of the project, recommendations are made on the further improvement of the presented glass masonry system towards future applications.
This paper investigates the potential of cast glass structural components in architectural applications. Initially, the commonly applied casting methods, glass types and mould types are discussed. To address both the possibilities and limitations in the size and form of cast glass components, an overview of the largest monolithic pieces of cast glass ever made is presented, from giant telescope mirrors and nuclear glass blocks to massive artifacts. Weighing several tons each, these cast glass pieces are assessed with comparative charts of technical data collected from literature, industry and field research, regarding their geometry, materialization, manufacturing method and annealing process. The data highlight not only the potential but also the practical implications involved due to the meticulous and time-consuming casting and annealing process of threedimensional glass elements. Learning from the extreme, proposals are made for optimizing the size, shape and casting process of cast glass components suitable for architectural applications. Subsequently, the state-of-the-art architectural examples employing cast glass are analyzed and evaluated in terms of manufacturing, structural system, level of transparency, ease of assembly and disassembly. Based on the findings the authors suggest new design concepts for cast glass components that can take full
Currently, tons of high quality commercial glass are down-cycled or landfilled due to contaminants that prevent close-loop recycling. Yet, this glass is potentially a valuable resource for casting robust and aesthetically unique building components. Exploring the potential of this idea, different types of non-recyclable silicate glasses are kiln-cast into $$30\times 30\times 240$$ 30 × 30 × 240 mm beams, at relatively low temperatures (820–1120$$\,^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$ ∘ C ). The defects occurring in the glass specimens due to cullet contamination and the high viscosity of the glass melt, are documented and correlated to the casting parameters. Then, the kiln-cast specimens and industrially manufactured reference beams are tested in four-point bending, obtaining a flexural strength range of 9–72 MPa. The results are analysed according to the role of the chemical composition, level of contamination and followed casting parameters, in determining the flexural strength, the Young’s modulus and the prevailing strength-limiting flaw. Chemical compositions of favourable performance are highlighted, so as critical flaws responsible for a dramatic decrease in strength, up to 75%. The defects situated in the glass bulk, however, are tolerated by the glass network and have minor impact on flexural strength and Young’s modulus. The prerequisites for good quality recycled cast glass building components are identified and an outline for future research is provided.
Glass columns are a promising solution for transparent structural members, capable of transferring the compressive loads in a building while allowing for light and space continuity. Several different types of allglass columns have been explored in the past, nevertheless, they are seldom applied in construction. Reasons include complications in fabrication, lack of adequate strength data but foremost the decreased safety due to the inherent brittleness of glass. This work presents the engineering steps towards the realization of the bundled glass column, from its fabrication method to the experimental testing of series of prototypes in several lengths. Composed of multiple adhesively bonded standardized extruded borosilicate rods, this column can be manufactured relatively easily, achieving a high visual result and sufficient load-bearing capacity. Initially, compressive testing is conducted on series of small-scale prototypes to evaluate the degree of coupling of the rods and the influence of spliced joints along the length of the individual components. Based on the findings, prototypes on a scale relevant to buildings are produced and The results demonstrate that the designed bundled column can perform monolithically under loading and has sufficient load-carrying capacity to be considered a structural element. Post-tensioning of the column can contribute to a consistent failure but further development is necessary so that sufficient cooperation between the glass and the steel tendon is achieved.
This paper presents the casting of volumetric glass components from glass waste as an alternative glass-recycling approach. The approach is characterized by its flexibility to accommodate a variety of compositions and ability to yield volumetric (solid or thick-walled) glass products that can tolerate higher contamination rates without a significant compromise to their properties. The novelty of the proposed glass-to-glass recycling method lies in the “as-received” recycling of glass waste, using relatively low forming temperatures (750–1200 °C). This reduces both the need for expensive, labour-intensive and logistically complex purifying, segregation and treatment (e.g. removal of coatings) techniques, and the required energy and CO2 emissions for product forming. Aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the potential but also of the technical and supply-chain challenges and limitations that still need to be tackled, in order to introduce this recycling approach to the market. Addressing the supply-chain barriers of glass recycling, the principal challenges linked to the collection and separation of glass waste and the established quality standards for the prevailing glass production technologies are identified, in order to argue upon the potential of this new recycling approach. In continuation, addressing the technical challenges that are mainly linked to contamination, an overview is provided of the main experimental findings on the influence of cullet contaminants and casting parameters on the generation of defects, and how these affect the mechanical properties. The experiments study a broad variety of glass compositions, including soda-lime, borosilicate, aluminosilicate and lead/barium glasses, and different levels of cullet contamination, of embedded (e.g. frit, wire) or external (e.g. stones, glass ceramics) character. Based on the cullet characteristics and imposed firing schedules, different glass quality grades arise and critical defects are highlighted. Thereafter, the most promising glass waste sources that can be recycled via this novel recycling approach are distinguished and directions for future research are highlighted.
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