STRUCTURAL GLASS FACADES - USC School of Architecture

and load conditions. A testing methodology should be developed that each newly defined
system type could be subjected to upon completion.
Opportunities for Future Development
Additional System Types
As discussed above, there is great opportunity in additional system types. Tensegrity type
structures have been explored to only a very limited extent as façade structures. Grid shells
and hybrid structures offer other interesting possibilities.
Building Enclosures
This thesis has been broad enough in scope just in consideration of structural glass facades
in relatively conventional form; in vertical applications as part of a larger building. In fact, the
technology is capable of accommodating overhead applications and even complete building
enclosures in a remarkable diversity of form. It is entirely conceivable that such systems
could be developed and included in the FacadeDesigner and StructureDesigner programs.
Although this would represent a considerable undertaking, it would dramatically broaden the
functionality and potential application of the programs.
Development of the DR Technique
In conversations with Dr. Dehghanyar, author of the DR program, it has been determined
that there is some possibility of applying a modification of the DR method as discussed in
Chapter 7 to a broader range of structure types, including the simple truss system as a
replacement to the method described in 7.4.1. The potential advantage is for a closer
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