Material selection and testing of composite panels made of glass and fibre-reinforced plastic

The trend in modern architecture towards high-quality building envelopes is continuing. Due to its high surface quality and the broad colour spectrum, enamelled glass is used for weather protection and as a design element. The novel elements discussed in this paper do not require any sealant or adhesive since the fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) layer is directly applied on the rear glass surface. On the one hand, the applied polymer provides a matrix for embedding the fibres and on the other hand, it provides an adhesive bond to the glass. Therefore, no additional bonding process is required. The combination of both materials enables a full composite action. The novel material combination utilises the positive characteristics of each material. The high durability of glass provides protection against environmental impacts and the FRP provides an enhanced load-bearing behaviour. This paper presents the choice of suitable materials for FRP and gives an insight into the experimental testing of the novel material combination. This shows that the glass contributes to the load transfer in the system due to the significant coupling effects.