Address:
Glafo, Box 5157,
SE-350 05 Växjö
SWEDEN

Visitor's address:
Vejdes plats 3

Tel: +46 10 516 63 50
E-mail: info@glafo.se

You find a map at the
"about Glafo" page.

GLASS-WOOD COMBINATIONS – INNOVATIVE BUILDING PRODUCTS WITH ADDED VALUE

The target of this work is to carry out three research projects and a one aimed at disseminating the results, to establish an appropriate network, to employ two PhD students, to hold three theme/seminar meetings, and to produce at least one new prototype of a combined glass and wood building construction component.

Background
The building industry has rediscovered its interest in the use of wood as a structural material for advanced applications. In addition, there is substantial interest in exploiting the aesthetic values of glass in buildings, as in (for example) large glazed surfaces. At the same time, there is the question of whether or how glass can be used as part of load-bearing systems. It is in this particular segment that there are major opportunities for developing new, added-value construction products that offer development potentials for the industry.

Today's architecture is looking for new ways of expressing its message, open-plan solutions and large glazed areas, all of which impose new requirements. How, for example, will the more stringent energy conservation requirements of updated building regulations affect the appearance of future buildings? Can glass and wood be combined in load-bearing structures? If so, what opportunities will be opened up for expression, as well as for technical properties such as load-bearing capacity, sway, acoustics, distortion, fire or energy? Many possibilities and many questions.

Project summary
The project is intended to acquire new applied knowledge in several working areas. The main idea is to upgrade the wood raw material and float glass to standardised, innovative construction components and systems. Three technical sub-projects - 'Adhesives, stability and load-carrying capacity', 'Energy and the environment' and 'Architecture and expression' - will develop the appropriate technologies and accumulate knowledge in conjunction with the participating research parties and industry representatives. It must be possible to use the components and systems in both new building work and conversion work, in order to create good living environments in terms of safety, indoor climate and energy use.

Finding the best way of bringing glass and wood together requires a basic understanding of the chemical and physical properties involved in this approach. In addition, we need to know the properties of the resulting combination of the two materials in composite structures. Examples of the necessary investigations include surface characterisation, the composition of materials, compatibility of fasteners and adhesives, strength, stiffness and toughness.

The project is being operated by
Glafo, working closely with Linnaeus University (former Växjö University) and the University of Lund.

Financers



and industry in the reference group through
Emmaboda glas, Forserum Safety Glass AB, GFAB i Kalmar, LBE arkitekt AB, Osby Glas AB, Pilkington Floatglas AB, Sika Sveriga AB, SP Trätek, Svensk Planglasförenings service AB, TMF, Trä och Möbelindustriförbundet, Tremco-illbruck AB

CURRENT PROJECTS