Structural Behaviour of a Bolted Section at the Karla Tower Glass Box

This study examines the structural response and resistance of a 4‐ply laminated glass panel bolted section of Karlatower glass box under uniaxial tensile loading. Five full‐scale specimens with stainless steel bolts were tested, that included grout between glass and connectors. The results indicate a progressive failure mechanism, initiated by the fracture of a single ply and followed by gradual cracking of the remaining layers. Despite minor lamination imperfections, the grout exhibited consistent mechanical performance across all tests. Characteristic resistance was derived in line with EN 1990 Annex D, using maximum load prior to a 5% drop. A complementary finite element model developed in Abaqus replicated the experimental behaviour and identified local stress concentrations near the insert. The analysis confirmed that while geometric imperfections influence local stresses, the grout ensures stable load transfer and predictable tensile resistance.