Adding a New Dimension to Glass Giants: Development of a Three-Dimensional Topology Optimization Algorithm for Mass-Optimized Cast Glass Components

This thesis is part of a larger ongoing research project at the TU Delft regarding structural glass as a novel construction material. Here, the focus is directed towards the casting of glass to create complex free-form geometries. Thus far, only smaller components have been created, but a multitude of previous student work explored how the...

Just Glass: Development of a Topology Optimization Algorithm for a Mass-Optimized Cast Glass Component.

This thesis continues the investigation in the direction of exploring the potential regarding the use of Topology Optimization techniques for the design of cast glass structures. Previous theses in TU Delft have underlined the large potential for the design of these megaliths, but at the same time they have also underlined the strong limitations...

Product development of Hybrid Glass Blocks: Rethinking shape, manufacturing process and assembly system

Glass has been widely used in the construction industry since the early nineteenth century. It was most commonly used in the form of a window, which is a flat glass panel. Glass has natural optical properties and is resistant to weather, making it ideal for use as a facade material. Glass’s novel applications in the built environment have led us...

Hybrid Glass Block: Load bearing and thermally sound glass block

The wide application of glass in buildings is due to its innate transparency and durability. This quality has led to the development of hollow glass blocks during the industrial revolution. These blocks are durable, fire-resistant, exhibit heat resistance, and sound deadening properties. In recent years, new explorations have begun to uncover...

Reconstructing vaults 2.0: The potential of cast glass for reconstructing historical buildings

This thesis is about reconstructing historical vaults with cast glass. The vision is to design a complete dry-assembly cast glass arch vault where the Notre Dame de Paris is the chosen case study. The main question is: To what extent can a historical masonry arch vault be reconstructed by using cast glass components? The method is based on...

In Between: An interlayer material study for interlocking cast glass blocks

The current research investigates potential interlayer materials candidates, for an interlocking cast glass block assembly. Various alternative interlayers are examined, as well as the effect their unique material properties have on the potential application of the interlocking system. The whole process, from fabrication to construction of the...

Structural cast glass-ceramic components: The potential of recycling soda-lime-silica glass into cast glass-ceramic components and its mechanical behaviour

This master's graduation project researches the potential of upcycling waste glass into glass-ceramic components through casting techniques and thermal treatments. To explore its potential and possibilities, the process of crystallization, the material glass-ceramic and influencing parameters are studied at first. A glass-ceramic is a glassy yet...

Shaping transparent sand in sand: Fabricating topologically optimised cast glass column using sand moulds

This research investigates the potential of 3D printed sand moulds for casting structural glass column having optimised cross section. Conventionally, Glass, in architectural industry, has been used in form of sheets (Float glass) due to ease of fabrication of planar sheets, but in last few years, cast glass bricks have been used for creating...

Topologically Optimised Cast Glass Grid Shell Nodes: Exploring Topology Optimisation as a design tool for Structural Cast Glass elements with reduced annealing time

Cast glass is a promising structural material that has seen increasing use in the build environment over the last year. It offers a great freedom of shape for designers and engineers, beyond the two-dimensional float glass that is still primarily used. Despite this, cast glass in practice has only been used for solid bricks, mimicking...

The Stackable Glass Column

In 1942 cast glass columns weredesigned in the Danteum by GiuseppeTerragni. But due to the annealing timeof large glass pieces, these have neverbeen produced. Now, more than 75years later, a new type of cast glasscolumn will be designed. This time, thedesign is made out of interlocking drystacked cast glass components.Glass is a strong yet...

Glass columns: Structural analysis on replacing existing columns with glass

Not many glass columns exists in the world, and especially used for buildings. Safety and mass manufacturing is a problem. How can you make sure that a glass column is safe even enough for the public and in what way can it been manufactured? These are two of the seven problems I am faced with during my research. The purpose of this thesis is to...

Structural consolidation of historic monuments by interlocking cast glass components: A computational analysis of interlocking cast glass brickwork

The search for a transparent, reversible, and reusable consolidation system for monuments led to the ambition to test possible cast glass interlocking brick designs using numerical calculations. The focus of this research is hence the design, simulation and evaluation of a possible cast glass interlocking geometry using Finite Element Analysis ...

Structural cast glass; A research process of design and experiment towards a feasible geometry for a cast glass element

This research aims to contribute on the scientific and applicable research in Structural glass in the Built environment. Specifically the use of cast glass in a dry-assembled arched bridge application in which cast glass blocks are used to form the span of the structure. The research consists of three important phases. By following a project...

Glass Columns, exploring the potential of free standing glass columns assembled from stacked cast elements

Extensive research shows that not many examples exist regarding glass columns and the main reason is that safety is difficult to guarantee in a design. Recent technologies however have now created sufficient boundary conditions to provide this safety in a design. Two glass columns have therefore been designed to replace the concrete pillars...

Transparent Restoration

The aim of the research is to investigate the common ground between restoration practices and structural glass technology, as a new methodology to exploit our built heritage; a distinguishable, yet discreet restoration approach. Transparency is introduced by means of structural glass in an attempt to reinstate the image of the monument, allowing...