Development of Novel Connection Joints for Glass‐Plastic‐Composite Panels

All‐glass systems such as mobile glass partition walls and all‐glass doors set high requirements for transparency, lightness and durability. The interconnection between the panels is conventionally performed by eye‐catching fittings and clamping details. Hence, innovative glass‐plastic‐composite panels, consisting of a systematic combination of a polymer Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) interlayer core and cover layers of thin glass, are currently under development. The units show high‐performance load‐bearing behaviour and exhibit full transparency at low panel self‐weight. Additionally, the novel composite allows for the implementation of a direct connection with the supporting structure into the PMMA interlayer core. These novel construction types will allow for small as well as unobtrusive connection details, which lead to the desired maximum transparency of all‐glass systems. Different connection joints such as fastened and bonded types were developed and tested with a focus on applications in all‐glass systems for the building industry. In this paper, the development process, and experimental results for different connection joints with glass and stainless‐steel substrates, tested under tensile and shear loading, are presented and evaluated in detail. For bonded joints, three transparent structural adhesives are included in the experimental program: UV acrylate, 2‐C epoxy resin and 2‐C polyurethane. Furthermore, the investigations consider detachable fastened connections. The results from form the basis for further investigations and an advanced design of connection details for the edge of glass‐plastic‐composites. A short outlook on the upcoming design of an ultra‐lightweight segmented glass arch adopting novel glass‐plastic‐composite panels and associated connections for the demonstration of the development in all‐glass applications completes the paper.