A buckling verification approach for monolithic and laminated glass elements under combined in-plane compression and bending

Glass elements are widely used in modern buildings as structural columns, beams, stiffeners. Nevertheless, due to accidental eccentricities, additional loads, boundary conditions or imperfection factors, glass beam–columns are frequently subjected to in-plane compressive actions combined with bending moments. Because of this reason, the paper focuses on the buckling resistance of glass elements subjected to eccentric compressive loads. Based on large experimental numerical results available in literature for monolithic and laminated glass columns or beams in out-of plane bending, verification criteria for these simple loading conditions are firstly recalled from previous contributions. Subsequently, numerical static incremental simulations are performed with a finite-element model able to predict the buckling strength of imperfect glass elements eccentrically compressed. In it, also the effects of various geometrical imperfection shapes are deeply investigated. Finally, an analytical interaction curve is proposed for a conservative and rational buckling verification of monolithic and laminated structural elements.

► Structural glass elements are widely used in modern buildings.
► Glass elements are frequently subjected to compression combined with bending.
► Numerical simulations are performed on glass elements eccentrically compressed.
► The effects of various geometrical imperfection shapes are deeply investigated.
► An analytical interaction curve is proposed for their buckling verification.