Composite in Glass-Rigid Foam-Concrete Sandwich Panels

This research project, funded by the University of Siegen, is investigating the technical feasibility of a novel sandwich panel for use in building facades. The concept calls for a three-layer structure consisting of a load-bearing shell made of reinforced concrete or ultra-high-performance concrete, an insulation layer, and a facing shell made of colored glass, which meets the high standards for aesthetics, durability, energy efficiency, and weather protection.

Compared to conventional construction methods that include an additional facing shell made of reinforced concrete, this design allows for significantly slimmer structures. It eliminates the need for mechanical fasteners to create a force connection between the facing shell and the load-bearing shell, as well as for additional bonding.

The transfer of tensile and shear forces between the individual layers occurs exclusively through an adhesive bond, which is achieved by foaming the insulation material or applying fresh concrete. This jointing technique, which is novel in large-panel construction, offers numerous structural and economic advantages and opens up new possibilities for façade design.