Point-Supported Bottom- and/or Rear-Trussed Glass Panels

Dirk Schulte, DORMA-Glas GmbH

Transparent constructions in glass can be found in virtually every area of modern architecture. In order to achieve the primary goal of the design concept - maximizing the transparency and minimizing the costs - suitable and effective glazing systems have to be employed.

With the patented system of bottom- and/or rear-trussed glass panels, high transparent and very cost-efficient solutions can be implemented for vertical (e.g. facades) and horizontal (e.g. roofs) glazing applications. An innovative combination of glass-clamp-mountings, tie-rod systems and compression rods provides a bottom- and/or rear-trussed system which can be used for the load-bearing structure of a wide spanned glass panel itself, without any additional primary substructure. This kind of float-effect glazing construction uses a closed static bearing system consisting of glass and hardly detectable steel elements, reaching the target: efficient load-bearing transparency.

As a spin-off, in case of horizontal or sloped overhead glazings, the bottom trussed arrangement increases the residual load-bearing capacity of the (laminated-) glass panel upon breakage by providing a stable backup structure.

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The Authors

Dirk Schulte Business Development Manager, Structural Glass Applications DORMA-Glas GmbH DIRK SCHULTE APG Middle East / Sharjah, U.A.E. + APG Intl. Inc. / Glassboro (NJ), U.S.A. Key Data - Managing Director of APG Middle East in Sharjah, U.A.E. Dirk Schulte heads the Middle Eastern b... Read more