Carbon fibers are ideal for tensile structures

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) can be used for highly tensioned cable nets, which become very stiff due to second order effects when loaded perpendicularly to their plane. Based on experience with steel cable-net glass facades, a new type of glass facade was developed, which allows for the positioning the entire load bearing structure, consisting of very thin and highly tensioned CFRP cables, in the joints between the individual glass panels. In this fashion, not only are the cables well protected, but more importantly, large glass facades without any visible load bearing structure become possible. In this paper the conceptual and structural design as well as the very promising results of a prototype test will be described.

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