Wind Load and Glass Railings: FS1500 vs FS3000 vs FS7000 Compared
Why is wind load calculation critical for glass railings? Differences between 1.5, 3.0 and 7.0 kPa load classes per EN 1991-1-4, system selection by building height and Alcodec FS series comparison — with interactive animation.
What Is Wind Load?
Wind load is the pressure wind exerts on a structure, measured in kPa (1 kPa = 102 kg/m²). For glass railings, wind acts directly on the glass panel and base profile. EN 1991-1-4 governs the calculation.
Three Load Classes
FS1500 (1.5 kPa): 1-5 storey residential. FS3000 (3.0 kPa): 5-15 storey commercial. FS7000 (7.0 kPa): 15+ storey, stadiums, coastal.
Glass Thickness and Wind Load
Wind capacity scales with the square of glass thickness. 6+6mm: 1.5 kPa. 10+10mm: 3.0 kPa. 15+15mm: 7.0+ kPa.
System Selection by Building Height
1-3 storey: FS1500. 4-8: FS1500/FS3000. 8-15: FS3000. 15-30: FS7000. 30+/coastal: FS7000 + engineering.
Coastal Locations
30-50% higher wind loads. A4 (316L) or A5 (duplex) stainless steel mandatory. Standard galvanizing corrodes in 5-10 years at coast.
