Institute for Architectural Science and Technology (IAST)

Course Description

Glass is the only structural material in common building use that is also transparent, brittle, and expected to provide both weather protection and safety barrier performance simultaneously. This course provides architects and building design professionals with practical knowledge of structural glass behaviour – covering annealed, heat-strengthened, and fully toughened glass, along with laminated and insulating glass unit configurations. You’ll learn how glass responds to wind load, thermal stress, and impact – and why the choice between glass types affects not only strength but also breakage pattern, post-failure behaviour, and safety classification. The course addresses impact classification, barrier loading requirements, and the design principles for glass under sustained and short-duration loads. Presented by Eugene Korch (façade engineer and IAST Programme Director), the course uses real glass specification scenarios – overhead glazing, structural balustrades, large-format vision panels – to demonstrate how glass type, thickness, interlayer selection, and support conditions combine to determine structural adequacy and safety compliance. With glass performance charts, breakage pattern photographs, and worked sizing examples, this course helps you understand glass calculation reports, specify glass correctly for safety-critical applications, and recognise when specialist glass engineering input is required.