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STRUCTURAL GLASS FACADES - USC School of Architecture

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2.4.1.11 Specifying Glass<br />

Specifying glass is challenging simply because <strong>of</strong> the large number <strong>of</strong> available options.<br />

Viracon <strong>of</strong>fers over 350 different kinds <strong>of</strong> insulated glass alone. Fortunately, the various<br />

glass manufacturers and fabricators have excellent online technical support for this purpose.<br />

Coatings and frits are specified by surface. Monolithic glass has two surfaces, 2-ply<br />

laminated glass and insulated glass have four, insulated laminated has six, and so on. The<br />

number one surface is to the outside <strong>of</strong> the building. Most frits and coatings are specified on<br />

the number two or three surface where they are better protected. The manufacturers <strong>of</strong>fer<br />

recommendation based upon panel makeup, coating material and function.<br />

2.4.2 Glass as Structural Material<br />

Glass is being used increasingly as a structural material. Even before the discovery <strong>of</strong> heattreating<br />

glass as a means to enhance the strength <strong>of</strong> the material, the 19 th century<br />

conservatory designers and builders were using glass as a stressed-skin to stabilize the<br />

irons structures supporting them. Glass is a very strong material but its extreme brittleness<br />

presents certain challenges in structural applications.<br />

2.4.2.1 Heat-treating<br />

Heat-treating typically refers to the post processing <strong>of</strong> float glass product to improve its<br />

strength and/or to alter its breakage behavior. Glass is annealed as part <strong>of</strong> the float glass<br />

process, and annealing itself is a form <strong>of</strong> heat-treatment.<br />

Heat-treating or toughening is a process developed by the French in 1928. This process<br />

provided the material necessary for the structural glass systems to follow decades later. All<br />

point-fixed glass systems utilize heat toughened glass. There are two kinds <strong>of</strong> heat-treated<br />

glass, heat-strengthened and fully tempered. Fabrication requirements, tolerances, and<br />

102

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