New German DIN standard DIN 18008 for design of glass elements

Geralt Siebert, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Chair for structural design and building physics

At present design of glass is done in Germany using easy to use rules like TRLV or TRAV. These and few other existing regulations are based on global safety concept and experience. They only cover a small field of application, for interesting structures special knowledge is needed and a special permit has to be applied for in Germany. In Europe at present the transfer from global safety concept to concept of partial safety factors is done since several years, so concept of design for all building materials except glass do follow the modern concept. Because of this a DIN standard working committee was established to develop rules according the new concept. By this the field of possible applications will be widened to almost every form of application (not only linear bearing vertical and overhead but also e.g. point fixed glazing, accessible glazing…). This paper gives at first a very short overview about the history of design rules and in the main part explains the concept and rules of new German DIN Standard DIN 18008. A comparison shows that not only a transfer to the concept of partial safety factors was done but that also existing reserves can be used now.

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The Authors

Prof. Geralt Siebert Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Universität der Bundeswehr München Geralt Siebert, born in 1966, received his civil engineering degree from TU München. The doctor’s thesis about the application of architectural glass as load carrying structural element was accepted 1... Read more