Performance of SentryGlas-laminated metal-reinforced glass beams at 23, -20 and 60°C

To validate the novel concept of laminating a metal reinforcement to a glass beam using a SentryGlas (SG) interlayer, a series of bending tests has been performed at 23, -20 and 60°C on 1.5 m SG-laminated metal-reinforced glass beams. The beams consisted of three glass layers with a stainless steel box section laminated in between the glass at the lower edge. The test results showed high redundancy of the beam specimens at all tested temperature levels. However, the specific response of the beam specimens varied at different temperature levels. At 23°C the beam specimens showed the highest residual strength, whereas the residual strength was reduced at both -20 and 60°C. This difference in response was caused by a difference in glass cracking behaviour and the occurrence of plastic hinges in the beams. These plastic hinges limited the residual strength of the beam and probably originated from a more brittle response of the SG at -20°C and a lower metal-to-glass bond strength of the SG at 60°C. Since the SG-laminated metal-reinforced glass beams showed promising results, future research at TU Delft will further explore the possibilities of this concept