Performance Foundations for Laminated Building Glass Strength

Ray V. Foss and Ignatius Calderone

Laminated glasses have been assigned design
factors relative to wind load resistance for
annealed monolithic glass, which can discount its
distinctions. Mechanical response to stress and
breakage mode differences between laminates
and monolithic glasses are reappraised.
An appropriate design probability for pre-breakage
strength of glass plies used in laminated
building glass is postulated, based on statistics
of glass and laminate breakage.
Foundation for a performance-based laminated
glass design method is premised on a glass
breakage probability appropriate to the end-user
need for property protection. A corresponding
value for acceptable glass stress specific to
laminates is proposed as grounds for a new
design methodology.

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