Structural performance evaluation of a full-scale tempered glass guard and handrail system

Abstract

In this study, the structural performance capabilities of a tempered glass guard and handrail system not reinforced with a structural framework are investigated. It is known that this cantilevered system has low redundancy and that the glass material itself is brittle. Considering these characteristics, full-scale experiments involving two (bolted and plaster-filled) connection types and two (rectangular and parallel) glass shapes of the types in frequent use as well as two (monotonic and cyclic) loading methods as three variables in total were conducted. Depending on the connection type, the stress concentration phenomenon at the point of the connection appears to be unavoidable. The final fracture mode is very dangerous and sudden such that it is necessary to control the structural safety by means of a higher margin. Specimens with a bolted connection showed inferior performance due to the brittle fracture stemming from the stress concentration phenomenon, while specimens with the plaster-filled connection exhibited excellent performance even under cyclic loading. These results therefore demonstrate that the guard and handrail system with a bolted connection should be structurally reinforced.