Finite Element Analysis of Reinforced Glass Beams using ABAQUS Software

Glass is used in buildings as partition wall, window panels, etc in the past centuries as a non structural element which do not carry loads other than its self weight. But it is used as structural element for the past few decades. Glasses are used as beams in roofs of glass structures which bring light into the building and serves to eco - friendly world. Glass has very high compressive strength compared to other building materials but low tensile strength due to its surface flaws, also it is a brittle material. In order to increase the safety of structural glass in structures, glass has to be converted to ductile by providing reinforcement. In glass beams reinforcements are provided in the tensile zone in various forms to increase the flexural behavior. This work presents analytical study of glass beams with reinforcement provided by bonding stainless steel plate at the bottom by ABAQUS finite element software. Quarter beam is modeled by taking the advantage of the symmetry of the boundary condition, loading condition, and cross section. Four beams made up of polyvinyl butyl laminated annealed glass with three different thicknesses of stainless steel plates were analysed. The load carrying capacity from the ABAQUS software is compared with the numerical values calculated.