Design and stability of laminated glass fins with continuous lateral silicone restraint

The stability of monolithic glass fins is reasonably well defined; as an elastic material it behaves in a similar manner to other elastic materials such as steel, for which there are many equations of different forms which give similar results. Special care is required for continuous restraint to the tension flange. Equations presented in Australian Standard AS1288 Glass in Buildings—Selection and Installation (2006) have been used successfully for many years for monolithic fins when used with the strength model of AS1288, but require a more comprehensive approach when using laminated fins and/or strength models that allow higher levels of stress. This paper presents strategies for determining the moment capacity of beams made of laminated glass with continuous flexible buckling restraints, such as structural silicone, which have initial imperfections and a known design strength capacity. The accuracy and validity of the approach is also assessed by means of comparisons with the outcomes of Finite Element numerical analyses.