The core material of glass guardrails is safety glass, with the mainstream options being tempered glass and laminated glass. Tempered glass is formed through a high-temperature quenching process, creating a uniform compressive stress layer, offering impact resistance up to 3-5 times that of ordinary glass. Upon breaking, it fragments into钝angle small particles, significantly enhancing safety. Laminated glass consists of two layers of glass with a PVB film in between; even if one layer breaks, the film maintains the structural integrity and prevents shards from flying. According to the "Technical Code for the Application of Building Glass," the thickness of tempered glass used for guardrails must not be less than 12mm, and the total thickness of the laminated glass must exceed 16.7mm.
In the field of metal frame materials, stainless steel and aluminum alloy are the mainstream choices. 304 stainless steel contains over 18% chromium, forming a dense oxide film in humid environments, with excellent corrosion resistance; 6063-T5 aluminum alloy, after anodizing treatment, achieves a surface hardness of over HV300, combining lightweighting with weather resistance. The frame structure must undergo finite element analysis to verify its load-bearing capacity, such as a commercial complex project using an 80×40×3mm rectangular steel tube frame, which can withstand a horizontal load of 500kg/m² after testing.
Glass railing boasts three key advantages: Firstly, it offers over 85% transparency, allowing for seamless visual integration between indoor and outdoor spaces; secondly, it exhibits excellent weather resistance, maintaining structural stability within a temperature range of -30℃ to 80℃; and thirdly, it has low maintenance costs, requiring only neutral detergent for regular cleaning, with the fluorocarbon coating on the frame surface lasting for over 15 years. A seaside resort project utilizing laminated glass railing has maintained its good condition after 5 years of salt mist testing, proving its environmental adaptability.
