GPD Sessions Explore Secure and Sustainable Glass Applications

Knowledge and innovation are staples of Glass Performance Days (GPD). This year’s program featured experts discussing trends, changes, research, and the developments impacting the glass and glazing industry. The biennial event is underway this week at the Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.

Safety and Security

Laminated glass was one of the focuses of this year’s event. In her session, Julia Schimmelpenningh with Eastman examined ballistic and security laminated glazing standards and performance. Her presentation covered the “what and why” associated with the need for these products. She noted that inherent risks are associated with ordinary glass, natural disasters, and other events, accelerating demand for protective glazing.

“The glass industry has products that can be used,” she said, pointing to the range of glazing products, from basic security to enhanced forced entry and bullet resistance.

However, she added that what’s needed is to “bring the cost of products down and the adoption up.”

Schimmelpenningh also talked about two necessary standards for these products: ASTM F3561 Standard Test Method for Forced-Entry-Resistance of Fenestration Systems After Simulated Active Shooter Attack and ASTM F3279 Standard Test Method for Ballistic-Resistant Security Glazing Materials. Schimmelpenningh stressed that F3561 is a forced-entry standard, not a ballistic standard, while ASTM F3279 is intended to stop penetration of bullets. It now includes a ballistic test identification.

Hydrostatic Design

Vaughn Schauss with Kuraray continued the discussion on laminated glass. His presentation focused on designing laminated glass for swimming pools and aquarium applications.

Schauss said aquarium and swimming pool designers aim to incorporate more transparency into projects, necessitating a hydrostatic load standard. This led to the adoption of ASTM E3401-24 Standard Practice Design and Performance of Laminated Glass Subject to Hydrostatic Loads. Schauss said determining load conditions was an essential first step in developing the standard. As part of this, the standard developers also included load conditions for horizontal and vertical glass.

The standard addresses some design considerations, including compatibility with sealants, grouts, and cements, avoiding glass-to-metal contact, exposed edges/water contact, coloring of the glass or interlayer and the protocol for addressing what happens in the event of a breakage. Schauss said passive flood barriers are another application type to consider. These can be on the ground floor of buildings and in balustrades along rivers and flood zones.