Experimental campaign and numerical simulation of the behaviour of reinforced glass beams

An experimental campaign was performed on glass beams reinforced with FRP pultruded bars. After glass cracking, tensile stresses can be carried by FRP bars, so that beams have a significant residual strength. Tested beams are formed by three-layer laminated glass panes and FRP bars are installed inside a channel along each longitudinal edge. FRP are glued to glass using common structural resins, whose adhesion to glass was investigated through preliminary tests. Beams were tested under four-point bending. Some analytical and numerical models were also developed.