design and analysis of a composite panel with ultra-thin glass faces and a 3d–printed polymeric core

The development of high-strength ultra-thin glass is becoming very interesting for the building sector due to its remarkable mechanical characteristics. This lightweight and rather strong material, better known for smartphone screen applications, is currently being researched and developed for building solutions such as façade adaptive panels, high performance windows and protective layers in interior architecture. However, ultra-thin glass is also quite flexible to make it a reliable and safe building material. Therefore, one of the main challenges is to find a way to stiffen it. This thesis project aims at exploring a feasible solution for an ultra-thin sandwich panel with a 3D printed stiffening core. Samples with different topologies are going to be designed and tested in bending. A numerical model for all options will help the evaluation of the panels’ stiffness. In this way, a possible composite panel for a façade application is proposed. Finally, after the discussion of the observed results, further recommendation for future studies in this brand-new research area will be given.