AN OVERVIEW OF MAIN POLYMERIC MATERIALS FOR MANUFACTURING OF MULTILAYER GLASS BUILDING STRUCTURES

Abstract

This article is aimed at reviewing of main polymeric materials that are used for manufacturing of glass laminated structures. Two or more layers of glass bonded together by polymeric interlayer is called laminated glass (triplex). The usage of laminated glass has graduated from just engineering curiosity to structural necessity. Laminated glass ensures increased breakage resistance and post-breakage safety hence there is a vast variety of their practical application in civil engineering.

In Ukraine, laminated glass building structures have not yet gained significant popularity, thus there is a gap in the regulations of designing and constructing of such objects. The most common polymers are Ionomer, Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA). Ionomer (e.g. SentryGlas) is a polymer in which part of the molecules have ionic groups. It was designed to withstand bomb blasts and hurricanes.

The main method of calculating of glass laminated structures is effective thickness method. It consists in reducing the multilayer cross-section of the structure to its monolithic single layer equivalent. In reviewed experiment 6 mm thick laminated glass plates with different interlayers were used. Tests had been carried out at different temperatures over 72 hours, the glass plates with ionomer interlayer showed the best result under different conditions.

Finite Element Method (FEM) has also been reviewed. Many of reviewed studies show that experimental and FEM result are relevant.

Also a novel Glass-Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) laminate was presented. GFRP provides higher load capacity and flexural stiffness compared to float glass and laminated glass at the cost of reduction of light transmittance.

Further studies of the behavior of adhesive layers of multilayer glass structures are necessary.