Mechanical Properties of Laminated Glass: FEM Study

About Saflex
Saflex, a unit of Solutia Inc., is the worlds largest manufacturer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayers for laminated glass. For more than 80 years, Saflex has been providing real-world solutions for every glazing challenge collaborating with architects, engineers and fabricators to meet the most demanding glazing designs.

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Saflex protective interlayers are the worlds leading brand of laminated glazing interlayers and can be found in nearly 50% of automobiles worldwide. Saflex protective interlayers are used commercially by vehicle manufacturers in windshields, side windows, rear windows and panoramic roof applications. Benefits from automotive laminated glass made with Saflex include: interior noise reduction, weight reduction, security, safety and enhanced color.

Markets - Architectural
Recognized as the worlds leading brand of PVB interlayers, Saflex interlayers are used in commercial and residential applications. Saflex interlayers can resist hurricane-force winds and wind-borne debris, plus provide additional safety, solar, security and sound control advantages. The Vanceva color system by Saflex provides limitless color possibilities for innovative glazing design.

Saflexs speakers
Grard Savineau
Architectural Application Manager for Saflex Europe/Africa Associated with Saflex for more than 30 years, and guest speaker of GPD since 1995 Mr. Savineau will be presenting:

Mechanical properties of laminated glass, FEM study

During the Glass in Architecture Use of Laminated Glass (Monday June 18th)

Mechanical Properties of Laminated Glass: FEM Study

Authors: Solutia Europe S.A./N.V. Paper prepared by Pol dHaene Presented by Grard Savineau

Outline
Introduction Rheological Model Deformation Study Results Conclusions

Introduction
Predict the deformation of laminated safety glass based on different PVB interlayers under different loads/boundary conditions and at different temperatures. Solutia FEM: ABAQUS Program Experimental data generated by TNO Comparison between the experiments (TNO) and the software simulations from Solutia & DuPont

Rheological Model
Establish a mathematical description for the mechanical properties of the interlayer Dynamic rheological experiments from 0C to 80C Definition of a mastercurve by shifting the dynamic moduli at 20C (time-temperature superposition principle)

Standard Saflex PVB Master Curve

109 Storage modulus G' Loss modulus G'' 108

G', G'' (Pa)

107

106

105 reference temperature = 20C 104 10-8 10-7 10-6 10-5 10-4 10-3 10-2 10-1 100 101 102 103 104 105 106

frequency (rad/sec)

Rheological Model
Transformation of the mastercurve into a relaxation curve (Ninomiya and Ferry) Comparison of the calculated relaxation curve with the visco-elastic model for PVB published by DuPont (S.J. Bennisons model) Solutias model slightly different from Bennisons model.

Relaxation Curve for Standard Saflex PVB Interlayer

109 experimental data bennison model fitted relaxation curve 108

G(t)

107

106

105 10-5

10-4

10-3

10-2

10-1

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

Relaxation time (s)

Shift Factor Meaningfulness

Express the degree of shifting required to correlate the dynamic moduli at any temperature to the moduli at the reference temperature Used to calculate the mechanical properties of PVB at temperatures deviating from the reference temperature

Shift Factor of Standard PVB Interlayer as a Function of Temperature

105 104 103 102 101 experimental data

shiftfactor

100 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4 10-5 10-6 10-7 10-8 0 20 40 60 80 100

Temperature (C)

Deformation Study
Experimental set-up (TNO) Solutia Model:
Element type for the viscoelastic layer: C3D8IH element Element type for the glass: C3D8I element or a continuous shell element Amount of elements per layer ~900 Temperature range: 5 to 40C

Experimental Set-up

Additional force (200 N) applied to the surface in middle of laminate

Pressure load representing the weight of laminate

1.25 m 1.25 m

44.2 Configuration

Simple 4-side support

Results
Central Laminate Deflection at 5C
2.5

Middle point deformation (mm)

2.0

1.5

1.0 Solutia model - 5C Dupont 5C lam A 5C lam B - 5C lam C - 5C

0.5

0.0

1000

2000

3000

Time (sec)
construction: 3.9 mm glass/0.76 mm PVB/ 3.9 mm glass load= during 5 first seconds deformation is due to own weight after 5 sec.: 200 N force is applied in middle of the laminate

Results
Central Laminate Deflection at 10C
3.5 3.0

Middle point deformation (mm)

2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 solutia model - temp=10C 10C Dupont model 10C lam A 10C lam B 10C lam C

1000

2000

3000

Time (sec)

Results
Central Laminate Deflection at 20C

3.5 3.0

Middle point deformation (mm)

2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 solutia model - 20C dupont model 20C lam A 20C lam B 20C lam C 20C 0 1000 2000 3000

Time (sec)

Results
Central Laminate Deflection at 40C
4.5 4.0

Middle point deformation (mm)

3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Solutia model - 40C Dupont 40C lam A - 40C lam B - 40C lam C - 40C

1000

2000

3000

Time (sec)

Tensile Stresses in the Central Cart of the Laminate as a Function of Temperature

(data after 1 hour under stress) 5C

20C

40C

Results
Mid Plane Deflection for 2-sides Supported Laminate (temperature = 20C)
8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5

Middle point deformation

6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 0 1000 2000 3000 prediction based on Solutia m odel lam A lam B lam C

Tim e (sec)
construction: 3.9 m m glass/0.76 m m PVB/ 3.9 m m glass load= during 5 first seconds deform ation is due to own weight after 5 sec.: 200 N force is applied in m iddle of the lam inate lam inate is only supported on two sides

Results
Effect of windload duration on the panel deflection

3.0

2.5

Middle point deformation

2.0

1.5 wind velocity = 120 km/h - 3 sec 120 km/h - 10 sec 120 km/h - 60 sec deform. in case of 7.8 mm glass panel deform. in case of a 8.56 mm glass panel laminate=3.9 mm glass/0.76 mm PVB/3.9 mm glass 0.0 0 20 40 60

1.0

0.5

Time (sec)

Results
Recovery of the Laminate Deflection Over Time
3.0 120 km/h - 60 sec 2.5

Middle point deformation

2.0

1.5

Recovery

1.0

0.5

0.0

100

200

300

400

500

Time (sec)

Results
Mid point deflection at 20C
30 temperature = 20C standard PVB-20C RM-20C DNG VSO-2-20C 7.8 mm glass twice 3.9 mm glass

25

Middle point deformation

20

15

10

applied pressure = 1000 Pa size of laminate = 3 m x 2 m

20

40

60

80

100

120

Time (sec)

Results
Mid point deflection at 30C.
26 24 22 standard PVB 30C RM-30C VSO2-30C 7.8 mm glass

Middle point deformation

20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 size of laminate = 3 m x 2 m 20 40 60 80

temperature = 30C

100

120

Time (sec)

Results
Mid point deflection at 40C
28 26 24 22 standard VSO2 RM

Middle point deformation

20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 size of laminate = 3 m x 2 m 20 40 60 80 100 120 temperature=40C

Time (sec)

Results
Mid point deflection at 50C
34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

Middle point deformation

standard RM VSO2 7.8 mm glass twice 3.9 mm glass

20

40

60

80

100

120

Time (sec)

Results
Glass Strength factor Difficult to define a single value because it depends on
The temperature The duration of the load (short term or long term) The viscoelastic properties of the interlayer (Tg) The relative thickness of the interlayer

The center deformation of standard laminated glass is larger than the deformation of a monolithic glass of the same thickness but always smaller than the deformation of the decoupled glass.

Conclusions
FEM (ABAQUS) was developed by Solutia to predict the deformation of laminated glass. Predicted values (FEM) fit with experimental data (TNO) Degree of correlation depends on the rheological model but in general a good match was observed Solutias FEM allows to calculate the Glass Strength Factor for laminated glass The bending stiffness of laminate remains higher than the fully decoupled glass panels

Thanks for your attention

Questions?