Viscoelastic spider connectors for the mitigation of cable-supported façades subjected to air blast loading

The paper investigates the behavior of a cable-supported glazing façade subjected to high-level and medium-level air blast loads. To describe realistically the dynamic response of the studied system, nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed using a sophisticated FE-model (M01). This model, opportunely calibrated to dynamic experimental and numerical results on previous efforts, was used to highlight the criticalities of the façade with “rigid” spider connectors (RSCs). Since the glass panels and the cables are subjected to elevated tensile stresses when an explosion occurs, viscoelastic spider connectors (VESCs) are presented to improve the global response of the glass-steel curtain wall, and their structural benefits are investigated (M02 FE-model). As a result, maximum tensile stresses in glass panes and in pretensioned cables appear strongly reduced. At the same time, the proposed dissipative spiders do not trouble the esthetics of such transparent structural systems. At last, by means of an energy-based approach, design rules are proposed to estimate the response of the cable-supported façade subjected to dynamic loads of generic intensity and to calibrate the mechanical parameters characterizing the proposed VESCs.

► Cable-supported laminated glass façade subjected to high/medium-level blast loading.
► Glass panels and cables are seriously affected by explosion.
► Viscoelastic spider connectors (VESCs) are proposed to substitute conventional connectors.
► Analytical formulations are proposed to estimate the response of the façade.
► VESCs provide additional deformability/dissipative capabilities to the façade.