Silicone adhesives, which have been tried and tested in the construction industry for a long time, have found a wide range of applications in the field of structural glass construction. They are used to seal weather joints and as an edge seal for insulating glass units. In addition to this sealing effect, silicone has the potential to take on load-bearing functions, e.g. in glass façade constructions. The European Technical Guideline ETAG 002 currently regulates structural boundary conditions and design methods for silicone joints for linear bonding in the field of structural glass construction. ETAG 002 has been supplemented for a few years by the cross-industry DIN 2304-1 standard, which considers bonding technology primarily with regard to ensuring a reproducible process chain. Uncertainties in the load-bearing behavior of silicone bonds in structural glass construction are still covered by method factors, which for the most part result in a low theoretical utilization of silicone bonds. In recent years, extensive research activities in the field of bonding technology in structural glass construction have led to more precise knowledge with regard to load-bearing principles, durability and ageing resistance of silicone joints.

The Bonding Working Group actively supports the preparation of calculation and design results from research in such a way that they can be applied in practice and incorporated into standardization and technical regulations. The aim is to create design bases for simple and more complex joint geometries planned by engineers. The aim is to make it possible to freely design adhesive joint geometries and to optimize them with regard to the best possible failure mechanism. Simple formulas and characteristic values should be available for the design of any bonded joints. This could also significantly reduce the number of test series for new joint geometries for innovative glass constructions.

In addition, research activities (SHM – Structural Health Monitoring) will be used to develop monitoring concepts that can be used to non-destructively assess the stability of installed bonded joints and thus predict the risk of failure with sufficient accuracy.

In addition to considering the mechanical behavior of silicone bonds, changing architectural requirements also raise additional questions regarding alternative adhesives. As an alternative to the tried and tested silicone, for example, issues regarding the applicability of crystal-clear MS polymers for use in structural glass construction are open in order to fulfill the requirement for transparent, structural adhesive joints, if necessary. Alternative materials such as brass and bronze as well as powder-coated surfaces raise questions regarding practical suitability testing and suitable quality assurance during production. The working group aims to provide the relevant data and information on relevant adhesives in a concentrated form and to support the planning and implementation of alternative adhesives and substrates.