Strength Factor for Laminated Glass

US building codes use type or strength factors
to relate the design strength of various window
glass types and constructions to that of monolithic
annealed window glass. Currently, the highest
strength factor for annealed architectural
laminated glass under short term loading is 0.90.
This strength factor holds despite voluminous test
data and theoretical analyses that indicate
laminated glass displays strength and behavior
equivalent to that of monolithic window glass of
the same type and nominal thickness. This paper
discusses mechanisms in US design methodology
that lead to conservatism in window glass design,
reviews failure strength data for laminated glass,
and presents new failure strength data for
laminated glass. Consideration of the extensive
test data coupled with a design methodology that
results in glass with design strength in excess of
design wind loading leads to the conclusion that
the strength factor for laminated glass should be
1.0.

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