Thermal Deformation of Polycarbonate Glazing Panels: Role of Connecting Mechanisms

Polycarbonate (PC) panels undergo large deformations when subjected to thermal cycling. Mechanisms that connect PC glazing panels to the Body-In-White (BIW) either completely restrain such motions or allow the panel to partially expand or contract. The effect of different connecting mechanisms on panel deformations was numerically studied. It is seen that the use of adhesives is preferable to rigid and even semi-rigid connections. Furthermore, a detailed parametric study establishes the importance of a proper design for the adhesive configuration. This ensures appropriate flexibility of the support thereby resulting in minimal thermal deformations of the panel.