Multi-performance blast pressure-duration curves of laminated glass panes

Abstract

The current design procedure for blast resistant glass panes is based on dynamic analysis of idealized SDOF models under simplified triangular impulse loads or code-specified pressure-duration (pressure-impulse) curves. In both cases, the main objective is to prevent failure of the pane with no explicit consideration of other limit states to reach higher performance levels. In this study, multi-performance pressure-duration curves of Laminated Glass (LG) panes are estimated by accurate pre-validated Finite Element (FE) models. Multiple performance criteria including initial cracking, PVB-50% (maximum polyvinyl butyral, i.e. PVB, interlayer strain of 50%), PVB-100% (maximum PVB interlayer strain of 100%), and ultimate failure of the pane are considered and pressure-duration curves are estimated for each of these performance levels. Ultimate failure of the pane can be either due to rupture of the PVB interlayer or pull-out of the pane from its frame. Multi-performance pressure-duration curves are obtained for 18 different LG panes with three different layups, two widths, and three aspect ratios. According to the obtained results, the thickness of the glass layers has more pronounced contribution to the blast resistance of the panes in all limit states compared with the PVB thickness. Moreover, the ultimate failure mode of the LG panes with thicker PVB interlayer is observed to be typically pull-out of the pane rather than PVB rupture. Therefore, these panes require frames with deeper bites to develop their full blast resistance. Finally, the blast performance of the LG panes are compared with that of Thermally Tempered Glass (TTG) panes to shed more light on the superior blast resistance of LG panes.