Since the beginning of 2021, CEN/TS 19100 Design of Glass Structures has been available in its first three parts. The fourth part is expected soon. This Technical Specification of the European standards organisation CEN is as a pre-standard of a corresponding future Eurocode. These documents constitute the first ever comprehensive design code for the entire structural glass engineering field on the European market for the first time. In addition to a clear outline, the Technical Specification has been drafted to be compatible with EN 1990 “Basis of Design” and to address glass-specific design matters, particularly related to robustness and redundancy. Although the standard still has the status of a CEN/TS, thereby allowing the European nations the option of whether to introduce it, either in full or in parts, it already contains national openings through which the European countries can adapt the design results to their own safety level by National Determined Parameters (NDPs). Such an approach already anticipates the future Eurocode, which is expected to be published as EN 19100—Design of Glass Structures. This article provides some context on the history and concept behind the new documents and gives an overview of the design rules and the corresponding technical background of the different parts of CEN/TS 19100.

Friction connections with long open slotted holes have been proven to be a competitive alternative to the conventional flange connections in steel tubular towers for wind energy converters. As full-scale tests are not available, results of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the real-scale tower geometry are used in this paper to investigate the influence of tower cross section shape, execution tolerance (gap between the shells) and length of the connection on the bending resistance. Buckling behaviour of the shell in the vicinity of the friction connection in circular and polygonal towers is compared. The friction connection is thoroughly examined and recommendations for execution tolerances are given. The influence of two types of the execution tolerances on the connection strength is considered: inward bended “fingers”, leading to inclined gaps, and a parallel gap created by different tower diameters.