1st Floor Balcony - Glass Balustrading - documents for BC?

[Conor]

Hi,

 

We've a first floor (3m drop) balcony and are planning on frameless glass. The prices from local companies have been utterly absurd, so we've found a company then directly imports glazing products from Eastern Europe. Supply only so I'd be fitting.

What would the BCO usually ask for? I know the NI regs state that he structure needs to withstand a force of 0.74kN at 1100mm. Will they ask for documentation to support this? Supplier says product (20.76mm toughened laminated glass) complies with equivalent European standards. Is this likely to be enough? Can't see any reference to a BS standard in the BC docs.

 

 

(cant ask BCO as we've not put the application in yet)

Edited February 1, 2023 by Conor

[joe90]

If the supplier can’t supply the necessary info I guess you need an SE to specify what’s required (before you buy it).

[Ralph]

I have the documentation that we gave building control for our frameless balcony. There is a calculation sheet from a glass consultant and test certification from the company that provided the fixings. This was all handled by our supplier and installer. I can PM it to you if it will help, I don't want to post it on an open forum as it has contact details on it.

[JohnMo]

We used made2measure web based company. All the design documents are on the website, our structural engineer accepted them and added to our structural design certificate.

[Conor]

27 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

We used made2measure web based company. All the design documents are on the website, our structural engineer accepted them and added to our structural design certificate.

 

Cheers. Hadn't spoken to them yet - quick online quote suggests they are close to the Lithuanian system and much cheaper than the local companies.

 

 

[JohnMo]

They were the best price I found. The quote starts from scratch once you make contact, they CAD up the drawings for our approval and make a full itinerary from there.

[George]

So a normal framed glass balustrade has the supporting structure (i.e. uprights and handrail) which would need to comply with Part A - the 0.74kN/m and (technically) PD6688-1-1 requirement of 0.5kN/m^2 over the whole area. If the supplier of that uprights and handrailing structure doesn't provide that calculation and BC want it, then a SE will need to demonstrate it complies.

The glass infill itself needs to comply with Part K, which would mean glass meeting the BS EN 12600 standard... Class 3... I think. This will mean it has been tested with the pendulum test to resist a given impact force and if it does  break, breaks 'safely'. The system of securing the glass (beads or clamps) would also need to have been designed. 

 

Now... with a frameless system I believe you would need to get the supplier to demonstrate BS EN 12600 compliance and give calculations that as a cantilever it can withstand the 0.74kN/m & 0.5kN/m^2 requirement. 

It would be relatively trivial for a SE to calculate the load capacity of the glass pane as a cantilever at a given thickness. The challenge is what do the support look like and can that be proven by calculation or whether load testing would be needed.