Laminated double insulating glass units under concentrated and linear loadings. A comprehensive analytical, numerical, and experimental analysis

This paper presents a comprehensive analytical, numerical and experimental evaluation of the structural response of laminated insulating Double Glass Units (DGUs) under concentrated and linear loads. Laminated DGUs, combining thermal efficiency with enhanced post-breakage safety, are increasingly used in modern architecture. Accurate structural design requires models that effectively account for the partial shear transfer within the laminated pane, and the load-sharing mechanism between the glass plies via the sealed gas cavity. This study employs a sequential analytical modeling approach. First, the Enhanced Effective Thickness (EET) method is used to define the equivalent stiffness of the laminated glass pane. Subsequently, the Betti’s Analytical Method (BAM) is applied to the overall DGU system to predict load-induced deflections, accounting for the coupling through the gas. To validate the models, experimental laboratory tests were conducted also considering the load applied to both single and laminated glass, supplemented by Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations. The obtained results are in good agreement with experiments, with a percentage error of the order of 4.0% for the loaded plate; while being higher for the not loaded plate. These results demonstrate that the coupled EET-BAM model provides accurate and computationally efficient predictions of the load–deflection response. This research establishes a robust and reliable framework for the structural assessment and design of laminated DGUs, addressing a gap in the literature regarding their performance under external loads.