In recent decades, glass has been increasingly used as load-bearing material for facades, roofs, and footbridges but also as part of innovative building components and assemblies. However, the vulnerability assessment of glazing systems and partitions under dynamic loads (in general is still an open topic, requiring huge efforts. Especially in terms of dynamic-related effects, the use of Finite Element (FE) software packages can represent an efficient tool for design but special care should be spent for the definition of key input parameters, such as for example the restraints features. Moreover, boundary conditions could also modify, during the lifetime of a given glazed partition, due to external factors or materials degradation, hence resulting in possible unsafe structural performances or premature damage.

In this paper, the dynamic characterization of a glazed partition is presented based on Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) techniques and Finite Element (FE) numerical simulations.

The in situ tests have been carried out in the framework of the PON research project CADS- “Creating a Safe Home Environment”.

It is shown, in particular, how the actual restraint condition (i.e., flexibility of supports, with respect to ideal boundaries) can affect the vibration parameters (frequency, modal shape and damping capacity) of a given glazed partition.