Static and dynamic responses of point-fixing laminated glass plates under out-of-plane loading

In canopy and façade panel applications where glass elements are utilized, support is typically provided through small point-fixed steel hinges, which can enhance transparency but introduce notable structural challenges. To ensure structural integrity over time, the design of these systems must be supported by experimental evidence or its response monitored during its lifetime. A common approach involves continuous structural monitoring via accelerometers, which theoretically enables the detection of stiffness variations, indicative of potential damage, within the monitored components.The paper examines the static and dynamic responses of point-fixed, two-ply laminated glass panels, both heat-strengthened and thermally toughened (tempered), to assess their elastic and post-breakage behavior. Experimental data are compared directly with results from numerical simulations. The findings demonstrate that: (i) conventional monitoring systems for damage detection in glass panels are effective only with thermally toughened glass; (ii) point-fixed boundary conditions represent the most structurally disadvantageous support configuration; (iii) simplified numerical models offer a preliminary but informative framework for understanding the post-breakage response of glass panels.