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March 21, 2007
High-Tech Glass From Saint-Gobain Makes Grand Canyon View Possible : GlobalGiants.com
Photo: Glass-Bottomed Skywalk Unveiled over Grand Canyon: Visitors who have marveled at the Grand Canyon's vistas will now have a dizzying new option: a glass-bottom observation deck allowing them to gaze into the chasm beneath their feet. The Skywalk, unveiled Tuesday, is being touted as an engineering marvel. The glass-and-steel horseshoe extends 70 feet beyond the canyon's edge with no visible supports above or below. (WENN Photos)
HUALAPAI RESERVATION, Ariz., March 20 -- The new Grand Canyon Skywalk, the u-shaped glass bridge suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River, makes it possible for the first time for visitors to take in incomparable views of the western edge of the Grand Canyon. What makes this engineering marvel possible is the durable and ultra-clear glass that was designed and produced by Saint-Gobain, the world's leader in glass technology for more than 300 years.
Saint-Gobain -- which employs 24,000 people in the United States, many of them through its building materials subsidiary CertainTeed -- manufactured the low-iron Diamant(R) glass for the floor of the Skywalk at its Cologne, Germany, plant. It was processed into laminated glass at three of its European subsidiaries. The deck, approximately 10 feet wide and 70 feet deep, is made of laminated tempered glass more than two inches thick, produced in 46 pieces that were shipped directly to the western edge of the canyon. Each piece of glass is held in place by connectors specifically designed by Saint- Gobain for the bridge. The floor glass includes structural interlayers of DuPont SentryGlas(R) Plus for optical clarity and strength.
According to Roger Watson of Saint-Gobain Glass Exprover, the business which oversees architectural glass export to nations throughout the globe, the Diamant glass in the Skywalk contains a significantly lower amount of iron oxide than regular glass, which means that it is exceptionally clear, appearing virtually invisible to visitors and giving them a completely unobstructed view of the natural wonder.
The glass deck is supported by outer and inner steel beams anchored into solid stone in the wall of the Grand Canyon. The Skywalk is said to support approximately 100 pounds per square foot, can withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, and 100 mph winds.
Headquartered in Paris, Saint-Gobain has more than 200,000 employees throughout the world, including 24,000 in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to its leadership in glass for architectural products, the company is the world's largest supplier of building materials and is a major manufacturer of abrasives, ceramics, and other high-performance materials. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:49 AM | Link to this Post
