Transparent Hybrid Glass-Wood Bracing: Initial Results of an Experimental Campaign

This paper focuses on the shear behaviour of glass panels used in curtain walls, in particular those with an adhesive joint between the frame and the double glazing units, as described in the Patent No. 102020000025636, entitled “Continuous Facade System for Buildings”. The importance of this research lies in the need to understand the response of these panels to seismic and wind forces, particularly through experimental research. Whilst the use of curtain walls with glass panels is becoming more widespread in the building industry, their structural behaviour during seismic events remains poorly understood. Given the complex nature of these systems, a careful study is required, taking into account all relevant variables. Although these structures are designed to effectively resist wind-induced pressures and depressions, their dynamic behaviour during earthquakes may be complex and difficult to predict. During seismic events, the structural components of the façade can be subjected to various stresses induced by horizontal or vertical vibrations, resulting in increased internal stresses that cause damage and permanent deformations. Therefore, our objective is to study the response of these glass panels to shear forces, with the aim of understanding their structural behaviour with different construction solutions, such as monolithic and laminated tempered glass. The interest in assessing their shear performance also extends to exploring their potential application as transparent bracing walls, offering an alternative to conventional solutions such as reinforced concrete, solid masonry (reinforced or not) and similar methods. The present paper illustrates the results of in-plane shear tests on curtain wall panels assembled with structural adhesives. The frame is made of mahogany wood and the glass panels are made of laminated and non-laminated tempered glass. Overall, the experimental results highlighted how the use of adhesive bonding increases the stiffness of the resulting hybrid structural system allowing the application of transparent stiffening partitions in buildings.