Project: Composite-tempered glass profiles and panels for light structures in construction

GOAL_x000D_The goal of this project is to develop a novel compounded material made of polymeric composite and glass that fulfils the required specifications to be used in light structures such as roofs, domes, staircases and interior constructions. The new product will substitute current structures based on steel, what will provide highly relevant advantages like (1) reduced weight of the overall structural elements and, thus, possibility of increasing the span. Current structures rely on steel to provide support to the overall weigh of the construction; curiously, it is the steel which is increasing the weight due to its high density (~7.8 kg/m3). The use in light structures of polymeric compounds, being about 6 times less dense than steel, faces directly this aspect and ultimately results in the increase of the dimensions of a self-supported structure. (2) Design flexibility: compared to current materials, the use of polymer-based elements will allow the production of larger elements, as polymeric systems can be easily produced in continuous processes. (3) Novel aesthetics: the physical properties of polymers are radically different from metals, also in the appearance. That is why new features will be achievable with the new systems, including the production of fully transparent structures (e.g. self-supported glass look). (4) Reduced environmental impact: the production of polymeric-based materials is expected to diminish the overall amount of energy consumed when producing steel-supported structures. Other potential goals that will also be pursued within the project include improved fire retardant ability at a minimum fireproof content, what is expected to be achieved through the use of nanoparticles in the polymeric formulations, or designing and producing puzzle-like structures which, following an easy-to-assemble principle, should simplify enormously the construction of big structures. _x000D__x000D_BACKGROUND_x000D_The history of light structures in architecture has been marked COly by the search for the greatest possible spans and transparency. Advances that have been made in this sense have been thanks to the new materials and constructive techniques used. This, together with advances in glass manufacture, resulted in increasingly large light and complex structures. _x000D_The success achieved nowadays by this type of light structure is due to numerous reasons. The transparency and removal of visible barriers between elements of the building is one of them. The aesthetic aspect and image of modernity they afford is another. To these points and evidently more subjectively should be added more prosaic aspects such as the speed of construction involved with this system. Another point is that it is a dry-type construction (no materials requiring water are used in the building work). Likewise, it is a type of construction that favours pre-manufacture whereby previously manufactured modules are starting to be used at production plants of sizes up to 2x4m, with the resulting benefits that this entails in terms of the industrialization of the elements due to its complete construction at the factory and the speed with which it is fitted on site._x000D__x000D_TECHNICAL APPLICATION_x000D_Until now the lightweight structures have been performed COly on steel and aluminium. These materials have some disadvantages widely spread as explained above (COly weight in steel and treatments in aluminium). In recent years they have started using new materials with improved characteristics both structural and finishing. The use of these materials hasn’t been extensive due to its high production cost (e.g. elements made of carbon fibre-see Annex Fig.1,2 and 3)._x000D_The project aims to solve this issue using new materials (e.g. reinforced with basalt fibres) and by optimizing the geometry of the building solutions to get products with better performance than steel and aluminium at a reduced cost._x000D__x000D_MARKET APPLICATION _x000D_The CO markets for products developed in the project would be singular, public and office buildings, large shopping centers, etc._x000D_*Number of buildings in Spain (2009-2011) with possibilities to use the systems developed in the project_x000D_ Office Buildings: 2.083 _x000D_ Hotel Management: 1.058_x000D_ Cultural, Social and Recreation Areas: 2.258_x000D__x000D_In the absence of a market study of light structures, this extrapolation can not be done reliably, but it could be between 10% and 20% of the total number of buildings, being conservative. With these results there would between 539 and 1079 active works over 2M € in the last two years. These buildings would be the target market of the systems developed in the project.

Acronym	GLASSCORE (Reference Number: 7478)
Duration	01/10/2012 - 30/06/2015
Project Topic	New building materials made of tempered glass and polymeric composite will be developed for use in light structures such as roofs, domes, bridges or facades. Introduce innovative such as basalt fibres or fire-retardant nanoparticles, will substitute commonly used and expensive steel.
Project Results (after finalisation)	A new composite polymeric composite and glass has been developed. The material conforms to the European standard to be used in light, such as roofs, cupolas, stairways and interior construction, to replace the items that are currently being built in steel structures. Specifically, a mixed lightweight composite structure - tempered glass for structural application, properties of fire resistance was obtained.
Network	Eurostars
Call	Eurostars Cut-Off 8

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
5	Advance Composite Fibers SL.	Coordinator	Spain
5	ATARD SAVUNMA VE HAVACILIK SANAYI ILERI TEKNOLOJI UYGULAMALARI ARASTIRMA VE GELISTIRME A.S.	Partner	Türkiye
5	Bellapart S.A.U.	Partner	Spain
5	Nanografi Nano Teknoloji Bilisim Imalat ve Danismanlik LTD STI	Partner	Türkiye
5	Strain Engineering S.L.	Partner	Spain