CE:2203 Civil Engineering Materials

GLASS

Dr. Syed K.K Hussaini

Assistant professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Patna
 INTRODUCTION
Glass is an amorphous substance having homogeneous texture. It is a hard, brittle,
transparent or translucent material. It is the most common material glazed into frames for
doors, windows and curtain walls.
The most common types used in building construction are sheet, plate, laminated,
insulating, tempered, wired and patterned glass.
Most ordinary colourless glasses are alkali-lime silicate and alkali-lead silicate with
tensile and compressive strengths of about 30–60 N/mm 2 and 700–1000 N/mm2,
respectively and modulus of elasticity in the range 0.45 × 10 5 to 0.8 × 105 N/mm2.
The strength is very much affected by internal defects, cords and foreign intrusions.

The main shortcoming of glass is its brittleness which depends on a number of factors, the
chief one being the ratio of the modulus of elasticity of the material to its tensile strength.
 CONSTITUENTS
 The raw materials used in manufacturing glass are sand, lime (chalks) and soda or potash which are fused
over 1000° C.
 The basic raw material for the manufacturing of good quality glass is silica, which in nature occurs as quartz
SiO2 the material melts at 1700° C and is cooled rapidly without allowing it to undergo recrystallization.
The functions of the various ingredients are as follows:-
 SILICA- is used in the form of pure quartz, crushed sandstone and pulverized flint; should be free from iron
contents for best quality glass. it melts at very high temperatures (1710° C) carbonates of sodium or potassium are
added to lower down the fusing temperature to about 800° C. These also make liquid silica more viscous and
workable.
 LIME - is used in the form of limestone, chalk or pure marble and sometimes marl. The addition of lime makes the
glass fluid and suitable for blowing, drawing, rolling, pressing or spinning.
 SODA - acts as an accelerator for the fusion of glass and an excess of it is harmful.
 POTASH- renders glass infusible and makes glass fire resistant.
 LEAD OXIDE - imparts colour, brightness and shine. When 15–30% of it added to substitute lime it lowers the
melting point, imparts good workability, while its transparency is lost with the glass becoming brittle and
crystalline.
 CULLETS - are broken glasses added to act as a flux to prevent loss of alkali by volatization during the process of
forming glass and also to lower the fusion temperature .
 MANUFACTURE
• Glass is manufactured in the following four steps:
blowing
 PROPERTIES OF GLASS
Transparency: This property allows visual connection with the outside world. Its transparency can be
permanently altered by adding admixtures to the initial batch mix.
U value: The U-value is the measure of how much heat is transferred through the window. The lower the
U-value the better the insulation properties of the glass– the better it is at keeping the heat or cold out. U-
value is measured in watts per square meter Kelvin (W/m2 K).
Workability: It is capable of being worked in many
ways. It can be blown, drawn or pressed. It is possible
to obtain glass with diversified properties- clear,
colorless, diffused and stained. Glass can also be welded
by fusion.
Recyclable: Glass is 100% recyclable, cullets (Scraps
of broken or waste glass gathered for re-melting) are
used as raw materials in glass manufacture, as
aggregates in concrete construction etc.
 PROPERTIES OF GLASS CNTD…
 Strength: Glass is a brittle material but with the advent of science and technology, certain laminates and
admixtures can increase its modulus of rupture( ability to resist deformation under load).

1. Annealed (Float) Glass:

• Compressive Strength: ~1000 MPa
• Tensile Strength: ~30–50 MPa
• Flexural Strength (Bending Strength): ~30–50 MPa
2. Tempered (Toughened) Glass:
• Compressive Strength: ~1000–1500 MPa
• Tensile Strength: ~120–200 MPa
• Flexural Strength: ~120–200 MPa (Tempered glass
is about 4–5 times stronger than annealed glass.)
3. Laminated Glass:
• Depends on the type of interlayer used (PVB, SGP,
etc.)
• Similar to annealed or tempered glass but holds
together upon breakage.
 TYPES OF GLASS
Float Glass: Float glass is also called soda lime glass or clear glass. This is Float glass
produced by annealing the molten glass and is clear and flat. It is available in
standard thickness ranging from 2mm to 20mm and has weight range in 6-
26kg/m2.
 It has too much transparency and can cause glare. It is used in windows,
glazing, and architectural applications etc.
Tinted Glass: Certain additions to the glass batch mix can add color to the Tinted Glass
clear glass without compromising its strength. Iron oxide is added to give glass
a green tint; sulphar in different concentrations can make the glass yellow, red
or black. Copper sulphate can turn it blue.
 Used in windows and facades to improve energy efficiency and reduce cooling
costs.
 TYPES OF GLASS CNTD…
 Toughened Glass: also known as tempered glass, is a type of safety glass that is
processed through controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its
strength compared to normal glass.
Key Features of Toughened Glass:
✔ Increased Strength – 4 to 5 times stronger than regular glass.
✔ Thermal Resistance – Can withstand higher temperatures and thermal shocks.
✔ Safety – Breaks into small, harmless pieces instead of sharp shards.
✔ Scratch & Impact Resistant – More durable than standard glass.
 Laminated Glass: Laminated glass is a type of safety glass that consists of two
or more layers of glass bonded together with an interlayer (usually Polyvinyl
Butyral (PVB) or Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA)).
 This interlayer holds the glass together upon impact, preventing it from shattering
into dangerous shards. It is tough and protects from UV radiation (99%) and
insulates sound by 50%.
 Used in facades, windows, and glass doors for safety and security.
 Soundproofing, Skylights & Glass Railings – Prevents falling glass in case of
breakage.
 TYPES OF GLASS CNTD…
Double Glazed Units: These are made by providing air gap between two glass panels
in order to reduce the heat loss and gain. Normal glass can cause immense amount of
heat gain and upto 30% of loss of heat of air conditioning energy.

Chromatic glass: This type of glass can control daylight and transparency
effectively. These glass are available in three forms- photo chromatic (light sensitive
lamination on glass), thermochromatic (heat sensitive lamination on glass) and electro
chromatic (light sensitive glass the transparency of which can be controlled by
electricity switch.)It can be used in meeting rooms and ICUs.
 Used in smart windows, doors, and facades for modern buildings.
 Used in hospital partitions for instant privacy.
 ADVANTAGES
Use of glass adds beauty to the building. It makes it more aesthetically pleasing. Adding to its natural
aesthetical qualities, glass can be manufactured in shades of various colours making it more artistic.
Installation of glass ensures ample supply of natural daylight which makes the construction more
sustainable.
Glass tends to have great weather resistance. It shows no significant loss of quality due to exposure to the
weather conditions through all the seasons.
Unlike metals, which are also used in building construction, glass does not rust by exposure to humidity
and air.
Cleaning of glass is a rather easy when compared to other building materials.
Glass is an excellent insulator against electricity.
It can be blown, drawn and pressed to any shape.
Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity.
 Disadvantages
 An expensive material. So, increase the cost of building
 Breaks easily, very rigid and brittle, when broken, the pieces may be sharp, injuries
 Less impact resistance
 It is affected by some alkalis
 It is affected by hydrofluoric acid.
 Glass is also unsafe for earthquake proven area
 Glass is poor in terms of heat preservation, leading to higher costs in the operation of
air-conditioners.
 Glass absorbs heat and hence act as a greenhouse and hence not suitable in warm and
hot climates.
 Alternatives to Glass
• Polycarbonate: This elastic is 300 times stronger than glass, is resistant to most
chemicals, is twice as lighter than class, has high abrasion and impact resistance. It can
transmit as much light as glass without many distortions. Applications include window,
green house glazing etc.
Acrylic: Acrylic is made of thermo plasticsis
weather resistant, is 5 times stronger than glass
but is prone to scratches. It has excellent optics, is
softer than glass but can accumulate a lot of dust.
This is extensively used in windows, skylights,
and greenhouses.

GRP panels: GRP is manufactured by combining

hundreds of glass strands together using a
pigmented thermosetting UV resin. Glass-
reinforced plastics are also used to produce house
building components such as roofing laminate,
canopies etc. The material is light and easy to
handle. It is used in the construction of composite
housing and insulation to reduce heat loss.