In recent years significant progress has been made in structural application of glass elements in building industry. However, the issues related to computer modelling of glass panes, as well as analytical procedures allowing for taking into account the bonding action of PVB foil are not widely known in the engineering environment. In this paper results of numerical study of laminated glass plates are presented. The scope of the research covers over 40 cases of panes. Narrow (characterized by edge length ���� >2) and square (��/�� = 1) panes made of two or three layer laminated glass have been taken into account. The paper deals mainly with point supported glass. However, selected results for linearly supported plates have been included as well for comparison. For each considered case an advanced computational model have been developed within the environment of Abaqus software. Pointwise supports have been modelled using methods of various complexity. The obtained results have been compared with the results of standard calculations using Wölfel–Bennison and Galuppi– Royer–Carfagni hypotheses. The analytical procedures proposed by CEN have been applied as well. As a result, recommendations for static calculations of laminated glass panes have been formulated. The computational procedure based on the hypothesis presented by L. Galuppi and G. Royer-Carfagni should be considered the most universal. The remaining methods may be applied only in limited scope. In order to estimate maximum principal stress in the support zone an advanced computer model has to be used. The support may be modelled in an exact or simplified manner.

Glass is a material commonly used in construction. The development of technology related to it, and the increase in knowledge concerning its mechanical and strength properties offer opportunities for glass to be applied as a structural material. The advancement in glass structures, methods for their design, as well as guidelines and standards in this fields are being developed in parallel. This article describes the main assumptions contained in the German TRxV guidelines, the series of German DIN 18008 standards, and the European EN 16612, and EN 16613 standard. Moreover, the following article presents the concept of structural glass design included in the draft pre-standard prCEN/TS 19100, which provides the basis for the formulation of the European standard Eurocode 10. According to this pre-standard, structural elements of glass will be verified in four limit states, depending on the Limit State Scenario (LSS). Apart from the classic limit states, i.e., the ultimate limit state (ULS), and the serviceability limit state (SLS), it is also assumed to introduce a fracture limit state (FLS), and postfracture limit state (PFLS). The article also addresses the issue of laminated glass working in structural elements. Depending on the coupling between the glass panes and the polymer or ionomer interlayers, laminated glass can be divided into complete coupled or uncoupled, and can work in intermediate situations. The methods for determining the effective thickness contained in European standards and guidelines are discussed in this article.