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Safety glass tube

Since 1995, the Institute for Building Construction and Design, Chair 2 of the University of Stuttgart, has been researching the possible use of glass tubes as a constructive element in architecture and design.

In numerous student research projects, rod-shaped structures have been investigated, with the result that one of the early tensegrity studies could be realized through exemplary cooperation between the chair, industry and trade (Tensegrity sculpture by Stefan Gose and Patrick Teuffel, glasstec 1996).

Preliminary considerations regarding the performance potential of glass stirrers as load-bearing structural elements were far exceeded by test series at the Materialprüfungsanstalt Baden-Württemberg, which will encourage engineers in particular to keep glass raw materials in mind as a future construction element. The aesthetic fascination that emanates from the transparent rods, which are only reflected by light reflections, is sure to inspire anyone who deals with design issues.

In 1998, SCHOTT Rohrglas commissioned the Institute for Building Construction to investigate individual topics related to tubular and profiled glass in more detail as part of a research project. In this context, possible solutions for safety glass tubing are shown and worked out. Concrete results in this field are of particular interest to planners because performance characteristics such as those of laminated flat glass (splinter bond, residual service life, etc.) are a prerequisite for numerous possible new applications.

At the same time, the manufacturing techniques known and proven from the production of laminated safety flat glass cannot be applied to tubes without further ado due to their circular geometry. In this case, it is necessary to break new ground with an only seemingly simple problem.

However, the results achieved so far at the Institute for Building Construction and Design give cause for justified optimism. Although there is still a long way to go to be able to present a glass tube that reacts correctly within the assumed load and temperature change limits, application-specific system solutions for components made of safety glass tubes will probably be available on the market in the near future.

 

Duration: 1999 - 2003
IBK2 I Research + Development
SCHOTT tubular glass

 
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