/// Project : Glasnetz
Date: 1999
Location: Lehmbau-Versuchsgelände I RWTH Aachen
Project manager: Ulrich Knaack, Jan Wurm
Team members: A. Abitz, S. Dunkel, M. Fleckenstein, B. Herold, M. Hübner, T. Hüttl, S. Hoss, S. Menke, S. Kolev, M. Noch, R. Pflugfelder, S. Pöhler, R. Restle, B. Schafranitz, S. Stratman, F. Storch
Technical support: Institut für Stahlbau I RWTH Aachen
Sponsored by: BGT- Bretten, Klaus Fischer GmbH
Concept: In this object glass should be used as a tie members. this project is simply curved glass panes tied to each other, complex geometries also possible by this technique.
The critical point was combining this glass sheets under tension, also avoid drilling any holes through the glass panes.
The project was executed on a clay ground in the testing area applying architectural theory for Prof.DR.M.Speidel and was intended to be like some kind of a shelter there (Fig 01. Over view of the glass net) .
Supporting Structure: The system is simply glass panes forming a curve, fixed between two tubular steel frames, which is accommodating the glass loads. The glass panes are pivotally connected to each other and fixed to the tubular steel frames.
The glass panes are assembled in a shape, which is hanging one to the other and mounted to the frame system.
The total size of the system is 3*3 m , to handle the whole system, the glass panes are divided in to two groups, each one consist of five glass panes.
To secure the system, VSG had been used in addition to safety ropes, which is holding each group of panes in case of failure (Fig 02,03,04, Ground plan, Section, Upper view) .
Construction:The glass panes was bonding together by silicone bonding which was already supplied to the panes from the factory, but it was only to place the glass panes in its positions, anther 6 cm wide aluminum strips was added at the connecting points.
As there were two groups of glass panes, two different adhesives were used. each one of the groups had the aluminum strip in different position. the first one, the aluminum strip places on top, which had an advantage of protecting the adhesive from the sun, also having additional weight on the glass. the second one had the aluminum strip placed at the bottom, which allows to eliminate the additional weight, also the adhesive areas face failure at some parts after a short time from being exposed to the sun.
Instead of the aluminum strips, Mylar transparent foil tapes needed to be used, which could solve the problem of adhesive intolerance, and increase transparency for the system (Fig 05,06,07.) .
Glass: Laminated safety glass had been used, which were consisted of 2*8 mm heat strengthened glass, each glass pane had dimensions of 1.5*0.60 m. five panes were combined into two groups of 1.50*3.00 m size.
As laminated safety glass had been used, the areas which faced failure according to sun exposure, now its holding by the second glass layer (Fig. 08,09,10,11. Connecting detail, Section at the connecting detail, Bottom connection, Frame connection detail).
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