Integration of the new component into the design method for thermal insulating connections

The new type of thermal insulating connection has been developed in order to minimize the heat costs of the building. The research is focused on the static design of the bolted steel end-plate connection with intermediate insulating layer which would break the thermal bridges in the external cladding of the building. The static design of the thermal insulating connection is using the component method as in Eurocode [EN 1993-1-8:2005] extended with a new component 'insulating layer in compression'. The materials for the insulating layer are the technical plastics with sufficient compressive and shear strength. A couple of component tests have been undertaken with the plastic layer Erthacetal H in compression and the characteristics of the new component have been implemented into the component design of the joint to predict the behaviour of the whole connection under the effect of rotational moment and normal force. The connection tests have been undertaken in order to verify the calculated values. Other tests will show the possibility of using the pre-stressed bolts to transfer the shear force via friction in the joint that is depending on the specific material used for the insulating layer. The new solution for the thermal insulating joint seems to be statically functional, easy to design, energy saving and economically efficient.