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484 Barry’s Advanced Construction of Buildings
Roof
Roof
Glass fin
Angle plates
Glass fin
Angle plates
Glass fin
Angle plates
Angle plates
Floor
Glass fin
Figure 7.60 Glass fin support for suspended glazing.
larger and heavier screens, the fins will usually extend the full height of the glazed screen,
as illustrated in Figure 7.60. Whichever system is selected will be chosen as being the least
visually intrusive compatible with adequate strength to give support.
Fins are usually cut from 19 mm thick toughened glass, which is holed for bolts and fixed
with stainless steel plates over 1 mm thick fibre gaskets each side of the glass fin. Both single
and double glazing may be used for the panes of glass to the screen for the fin system of
support. The usually accepted maximum height for fin supported glazing is 10 m.
Framed support
Glass fin support for frameless, suspended glazing, which is limited to a height of about
10 m, is used generally for sports stadia, and support to glazing hung as a screen to conventional
framed structures where a clear, unobstructed view is critical. For large enclosures,
suspended glazed screens are supported by systems of lattice steel frames and tensioned
cable rigging fixed between floor and roof or to an independent steel frame used to support
both wall and roof glazing to single-storey enclosures where a more sturdy system of support
is necessary. Various single cell enclosures have been constructed with lattice-framed supports
and tensioned cable stays to support clear glass suspended glazing for both the wall
and roof, to the extent that the glass acts more as a showcase for the complicated system of
frames rather than another purpose. The frame and tension cable supports may be used
separately or in combination. The most straightforward system of support is by lattice steel
frames anchored between floor and roof level to a structural frame or to a separate frame at
the junction of walls and roof. Each frame provides support to the glazed screen at the junction
of four large panes of glass. Figure 7.61 and Photograph 7.4 show typical lattice frames.
The frames are fabricated from small steel sections welded together with stays and props
to support rectangular panes of glass. The panes may be hung on one long edge to provide
the maximum practical width between frames for appearance sake.