Fatigue and creep behaviour of stainless steel/ glass / SentryGlas® joints

Abstract

SentryGlas® foil has been used for over a decade as a laminating foil but also to bond metal inserts to glass. Most famously in the Apple cube and other Apple buildings and staircases. Although the joint is transparent and statically strong, little is known about the long term behaviour. Specimens were prepared of perforated stainless steel and glass. These were laminated using SentryGlas® foil. Tensile tests, fatigue tests and creep tests were conducted at room temperature and additional creep/fatigue tests at 40⁰C. The results are analysed and conclusions about the mechanisms involved and the safety are drawn.