Episode 111 - Can Glass Really Be Structural?

About this episode

This episode explores the use of glass as a structural material in engineering, discussing its properties and design considerations.

In this episode, we dig into structural glass design and explore why glass in buildings can be far more than a transparent enclosure. We talk through how engineers approach glass as a true structural material in systems where stiffness, redundancy, detailing, and post-breakage behavior can be just as important as ultimate strength.We break down how engineers think about glass in tension, compression, and bending, how laminated assemblies and interlayers improve resilience, and why connections often control the performance of the entire system. The conversation also covers the differences between annealed, heat-strengthened, and fully tempered glass, how standards and testing inform design, common misconceptions about brittleness and safety, and why close collaboration between architects, fabricators, and engineers is essential when ambitious transparent structures are the goal.Guest Profile:Matt Soda, P.Eng., PE, SE is a Structural Project Engineer with RJC Engineers, where he specializes in structural glass and facade engineering. His work focuses on delivering high-performance glass systems that balance architectural vision with structural behavior, constructability, and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Zach, Max

Guest: Matt Soda, P.Eng., PE, SE

Topics covered

• structural glass design
• engineering
• material properties
• architecture
• collaboration

Keywords

• structural glass
• engineering design
• material properties
• laminated assemblies
• architectural vision

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: RJC Engineers

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