12 oktober 2025
Effective Thickness Method
In this video Martina Eliášová explains how the polymer interlayer between glass panes influences the performance of structural elements like floors and roofs. The key property is the interlayer's shear modulus, which is highly dependent on temperature and load duration. At high temperatures or under long-term loads, the shear modulus is low, and the glass panes behave more independently. At low temperatures or under short-term loads, the shear modulus is high, causing the panes to act as a single, monolithic unit. This variable behavior must be considered in design to accurately calculate stress and deflection. The video mentions that modern standards, like the effective thickness method in EN 16612, provide simplified analytical models to account for this partial shear interaction, leading to more economical and accurate designs than older, more conservative practices. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Martina Eliášová for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.