When the Danish company Danfoss was going to establish a new main entrance, the company wanted to rethink the utilisation of glass in construction. Glass is already a popular material as it represents numerous options for ‘playing’ with daylight. Danfoss wanted to increase the light flow and at the same time create an illusion that the roof is floating. This requires the building being held by 12 columns of glass, each carrying 25 tons.
“We wanted to test the columns thoroughly before beginning the construction. They were therefore sent to the Department of Civil Engineering, BYG-DTU,” says Rasmus Ingomar Petersen, project manager at Rambøll. BYG-DTU is in possession of the largest clamping plane in Northern Europe for squeezing, twisting and bending large materials. It was the first time such a test was carried through, so the air was filled with excitement and expectations.
After testing the columns thoroughly the conclusion was clear: The columns could carry a load twice as heavy as they were supposed to, and Danfoss could start building.