Safety Performance of Laminated Glass Configurations

Impact performance of a large variety of interlayer combinations laminated with annealed plate, heat strengthened, and fully tempered glasses has been analyzed for acceleration pulses, “severity index,” and penetration. These tests, conducted at 0, 70, and 120 F, indicate that small interlayer thickness changes are most effective in upgrading performance. Severity index numbers well below 1000 were calculated for laminated safety glass with interlayer thickness as high as 0.120 in. Highly localized bending of glass panels during impact with the 22 lb headform has been recorded through high-speed photography as reflected grid board distortion. Lacerative potential of laminated safety glass is being evaluated by using a simulated tissue developed through studies of human tissue.