Lamination of glasses

1. Behavior of Laminated Glass Beams in Comparison with Monolithic and Layered Glass
Beams
Abstract
In the modern Civil engineering world, great effort is taken to make sure that the structural
design of any given building is suitable. Basing on this aspect, various engineers have
resorted to the use of laminated glass since it has a great ability to resist much load. This is
the main reason as to why laminated glass is used in buildings that are at a high-rise.
Additionally, laminated glass is used in ordinary residential windows. During the use of
laminated glass, it is possible for one to use it as thermal insulated. Through this thermal
insulation, the noise is reduced and the safety of the glass is increased. In the research, the
way how laminated glass behaves mechanically was not illustrated. It is for this reason that
the research aimed at studying the structural behavior of laminated glass beams. Additionally,
the research aimed at evaluating the suitability of laminated glass in structural design. In the
past, people used to employ the use of monolithic glass in structural design. However, today
it is being replaced by laminated glass. according to the engineering designs, the changes in
the selection between the two building materials( from monolithic glass to laminated glass) is
based on the reasons that lamented glass is more safe and stronger compared to monolithic
glass. The research clearly explains the way how laminated glass is developed leaving a thin
intermediate layer between two or more glass plates. During the research, numerous methods
were employed to understand the real concept of laminated glass regarding the main
objectives. The structural behavior of laminated glass was studied by using experimental and
numerical data. These were used on laminated glass both under dynamic and static loading.
The salient features of laminated glass were understood by employing mathematical models.
Additionally, the methods employed in the current design codes were compared with real

2. laminated glass behavior. Furthermore, various case studies regarding the laminated glass
applications were carried out to understand the members of the main structure.

3. CHAPTER 1
1. INTRODUCTION
Laminated glass is made of two or more pieces of glass that are joined together with a
layer that is elastomeric in nature. In most cases, the layer used to join the two or more pieces
of glasses is polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Whenever the laminated glass breaks, the resultant
glass shards are held together by its construction. The aspect in which the glass shards are
held together makes the laminated glass retain its frame. This property makes it possible to
overcome forces that tend to act against the glass. This explains the reasons as to automotive
windshields of vehicles and the high-rise buildings use laminated glass in their respective
structural designs. Through this way, the safety of the design structures that employ
laminated glass is improved. Additionally, the structures are made safe from accidents that
occur when using monolithic glasses and layered glasses. The property of post-breakage that
is posed by laminated glass makes it a perfect material for applications in architecture, safety
glazing, glazing that has to remain joined after breakage, and overhead glazing. As per the
model building codes provisions, the glasses use by any given architectural structure should
put into consideration the safety of individuals in that given building in case of breakage of
glass. Moreover, a bigger percentage of the architectural applications of laminated glass are
in line with the provisions employed by the model building codes. According to the model
building code, laminated glass has the most convenient type factors that are stronger that the
monolithic and layered glasses of the same thickness. As per the design recommendations of
the model building code, the strength of design of laminated glass is between 45% and 90%
do the monolithic glass strength which made of the same type of glass and with the same
nominal thickness. In a building that employs laminated glass, the designers are sure of the
strength and the safety of the people who are most likely to put the structure into use. This

4. assurance is given to them by the fact that the laminated glass cannot fall off its frame even if
it breaks.
1.1. Laminated glass structure features
The mechanical properties or characteristic of laminated glass are categorized in various
groups. These groups include material mismatch, stacking sequence, large slenderness,
Figure 1: The London Shard
Figure 2: Laminated glass composition

5. sensitivity to temperature and loading duration, fracture of glass, and PVB properties that are
nonlinear in nature.

6. sensitivity to temperature and loading duration, fracture of glass, and PVB properties that are
nonlinear in nature.