Jan Belis – författare

The application of glass as a structural material may seem surprising initially, yet pioneering glass structures were first built two decades ago already. Ever since, Structural Glass has been developing at a very high pace thanks to very intensive scientific and industrial research and new technological developments.Right at the heart of these rapidly evolving developments, the European COST Action TU0905 'Structural Glass – Novel Design Methods and Next Generation Products' is active. With its main goals of unifying, harmonizing and boosting the ongoing developments in structural glass research, COST Action TU0905 frequently organizes international expert meetings and Training Schools, and supports scientific research missions.This proceedings volume of the COST Action TU0905 Mid-term Conference on Structural Glass offers a great insight into the latest developments in Structural Glass by means of more than 60 peer-reviewed papers by nearly 140 authors. Contributions cover all major topics in the field, ranging from in-depth material investigations to full glass structures and facades. As such, it represents an appealing work on this very young and dynamic field, and is intended for a global readership of researchers and practitioners, including structural and civil engineers, architects, material scientists, building consultants, contractors, material suppliers and product manufacturers, as well as other professionals involved in the design and realization of structural glass projects.The COST Action TU0905 Mid-Term Conference was held as a unique event, strongly embedded in COST Action TU0905 'Structural Glass – Novel Design Methods and Next Generation Products'. As such, it reflects the Action’s strong position as probably the largest Structural Glass research network worldwide, and disseminates the ultimate COST philosophy: true cooperation in Science and Technology.

This proceedings volume of the Challenging Glass 4 & COST Action TU0905 Final Conference, held 6-7 February 2014 at the EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, represents the Final Action Publication of the European research network COST Action TU0905 “Structural Glass – Novel design methods and next generation products”. It contains nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers – published by more than 180 authors from 22 different countries – that focus on the architectural and structural applications of glass in structures and facades. As such, it provides a profound state-of-the-art of structural glass design and engineering. A must-read for all architects, engineers, scientists, industry partners and other enthusiasts interested in this rapidly evolving and challenging domain.