Monasadat Miraliyari

Building Technology

Designing a Movable Bridge with Glass Structural Elements

The main orientation of this project is designing a load-bearing glass structure to demonstrate that the mechanical properties of glass are comparable with conventional structural material such as steel and concrete. In this regard, I came to this idea that the bridge as the best example of engineering and structural physics, has notable role in our social life. So, designing a movable glass bridge, can prove capability of glass for carrying the loads regardless of its deficiencies such as intrinsic brittleness and manufacturing limitations.

Nowadays, glass has been used for constructing the bridges but regardless of being remarkable transparent structural material, the load bearing capacities are again assigned to a traditional steel elements. It means that using glass as a secondary structure which still demonstrates that glass is a fragile and dangerous material.

However, it is possible to exploit glass with its unique structural behavior as a safe structural component, utilize its undoubtable beauty and offer the excellent space quality. Designing a movable glass bridge is covering the mentioned purposes and may lead to more investigation about the movable load bearing glass structure in the future.

More information

Master thesis (Repository)