Makwana et al.

, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

Research Paper
GLASS THICKNESS DETERMINATION USING INDIAN DRAFT
CODE
(CODE OF PRACTICE FOR USE OF GLASS IN BUILDINGS PART-3 )
1 2
Rakesh R. Makwana Prof. M.G. Vanza
Address for Correspondence
1
M.E. CASAD student, 2Associate Professor, Applied Mechanics, L.D.College of Engineering, Ahmedabad,
Gujarat, India
ABSTRACT
For centuries, the use of glass in building was essentially restricted to functions such as windows and glazing. Over the last
decades, continuous improvements in production and refining technologies have enabled glass elements to carry more
substantial superimposed loads and therefore achieve a more structural role. Glass giving beauty, aesthetics and transparency
has become preferred choice of all architects and engineers.
Normally glass panes carry out of plane loading therefore glass panes are designed for wind load and self weight. This
paper describes the method of determination of thickness of glass for different support conditions, wind pressure and aspect
ratio using Draft code ( Code of practice for use of Glass in buildings Part-3Fire and Loading, DocNo.CED13(7885)WC.
KEY WORDS: Glass thickness, design wind pressure, boundary conditions.
1. GENERAL 2. STANDARD NOMINAL THICKNESS (SNT)
From the ancient times glass was used as a The glass sheets may have different thickness at
decorative item or in windows, doors or partition different locations. Table-1 shows acceptable
walls just as a non-structural element and it never thickness limits for different types of the glass.
contributed to any load carrying phenomenon of Table-1 (from AIS glass solutions)
the building components. But now this trend is Type of glass Nominal Thickness limits
slowly changing. The recent developments and Standard thickness Minimum Maximum
innovations in the field of architecture is Normal 3 2.8 3.2
demanding more contribution from glass mainly as Reflective & 4 3.8 4.2
a structural material. In other words, glass Tempered glass 5 4.8 5.2
6 5.8 6.2
components are also expected to contribute to the
8 7.7 8.3
overall load carrying capacity of the structure. This 10 9.7 10.3
resulted in the need for standardized design codes 12 11.7 12.3
which can be used to design glass components 15 14.5 15.5
ensuring safety and serviceability. But till now 19 18.0 20.0
there are no proper design codes available in India 25 23.5 26.5
which exclusively deals with design of glass Laminated 5.38 4.95 5.81
structural components. Recently a draft code has glass 6.38 5.95 6.81
been introduced by BIS, and according to which 8.38 7.95 8.81
10.38 9.95 10.81
the thickness of the glass to be used in window
12.38 11.95 12.81
panels is governed by the following factors: 16.38 15.75 17.01
Area to be covered by the window panel. 3. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Support conditions (supported on two sides or This article deals with the design strength of the
four sides). glass and the empirical relation to evaluate the
Aspect ratio of panel (length / width). minimum thickness or the maximum allowable
Effective wind pressure area of the glass panel for a particular glass type for
Strength of glass given set of design wind pressure, support
Type of glass. condition and aspect ratio.
A simplified procedure is described in the 3.1 Design Flexural Tensile Strength of Glass
following sections for the determination of The required thickness of the glass depends upon
appropriate thickness of glass in a window panel. the design strength obtained after applying a factor
The salient features of the procedure are as follows: of safety of 2.5. The minimum design strength of
The maximum area of glass panel is restricted normal glass for thickness 6mm is 16.7 N/mm2
to 15 m2. and for thickness > 6mm is 15.2 N/mm2.
The maximum span of window is restricted to 3.2 Empirical Relationship
4 m. Assuming that the normal glass has design strength
Aspect ratio of the glass panel should be in accordance with article 3.1, following empirical
greater than 1.5. If it is less than 1.5, next relation between the wind pressure, area of the
higher available thickness should be selected. glass panel and the required glass thickness can be
The factor of safety used is 2.5 considering the used:
variability in strength of glass. P net * A = 200.0 * Tk (T 6 mm) (1)
Applicable to normal, reflective, laminated, P net * A = 200.0 * Tk + 1900
tempered and insulating glass. (T > 6 mm) (2)
Applicable to rectangular panels properly Where,
fixed. P net = Net design wind pressure (N/m2)
The numerical examples for computation of A = area of glass panel (m2)
glass thickness for various locations and glass T = SNT of the normal glass (mm),
specifications are given in the article 3.6. k = constant as shown in table-2.

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 Makwana et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

Table-2 (from draft code) For T 6 mm

SNT and Corresponding k values b = 4.39T/
/ .(3)
T k T k For T > 6 mm
3 mm 1.683 10 mm 1.578
4 mm 1.732 12 mm 1.583
b = 4.22T/
/ ..(4)
5 mm 1.753 15 mm 1.579 Tempered glass panels supported on two opposite
6 mm 1.765 19 mm 1.569 sides can be designed using following
8 mm 1.570 25 mm 1.569 empirical relations:
3.3 Limiting Aspect Ratio (ARmax ) For T 6 mm
The design of the thickness using empirical b = 3.2688T/
/ .(5)
relation in accordance with article 3.2 will be valid For T > 6 mm
up to a limiting aspect ratio ARmax. The value of b = 2.9069T/
/ .(6)
ARmax for different SNT of glass is shown in the Where,
following table -3. b = Span in meters
Table-3 (from draft code) Pnet = Net design wind pressure in N/m2 as per
SNT and Corresponding ARmax values article 6.5
SNT ARmax SNT ARmax Pf = Pressure factor as given in Table-4.
3 mm 7.3 10 mm 4.9 T = SNT of glass (mm)
4 mm 6.8 12 mm 4.3 For laminated glass, thickness of PVB should be
5 mm 6.5 15 mm 3.8 deducted i.e. T = SNT thickness of PVB.
6 mm 6.3 19 mm 3.3 For insulating glass, thickness of only one glass
8 mm 5.9 25 mm 2.9 pane shall be considered. If the glass panes are of
3.4 Determination of Minimum Glass Thickness different thickness, the minimum of the two
The determination of minimum glass thickness of thicknesses shall be considered. Above empirical
panels of different types of glass supported on four relation may be used to calculate thickness of
sides as well as two opposite sides is discussed in different types of glass for given pressure and span.
the following sections. 3.5 Design Wind Pressure (Pnet )
3.4.1 Glass Panels Supported on all four sides Net design wind pressure (Pnet) is an important
The thickness of panels of normal glass can be parameter governing the thickness of glass to be
obtained using the empirical relation explained in used in the window panels. It depends on several
article 3.2. This relation is valid for the glass factors i.e location of building (wind zone),
having the minimum design strength of the material construction patterns around buildings (terrain
as mentioned in article 3.1 and the maximum category), topography of site, building plan and
aspect ratio limited to a value in accordance with height etc. Net design wind pressure (Pnet), may
article 3.3. However, if the aspect ratio exceeds the be defined using the following equation:
prescribed values under article 3.3, the design will Pnet = Pz x Cp . (7)
be carried out in accordance with the article 4.2 where,
applicable to glass supported on two opposite sides. Cp = Net pressure coefficient as per IS: 875
3.4.1.1 Normal (Annealed) /Reflective Glass (part. 3) 1987
The minimum thickness of normal/reflective glass Pz = Design wind pressure at height z (N/m2 )
for a particular value of net design wind pressure as per IS: 875 (part. 3) 1987.
Pnet can be evaluated as per the procedure given in 3.6 Examples to determine the appropriate
article 3.2. thickness of glass panel.
3.4.1.2 Laminated/Tempered/Insulating Glass The procedure to calculate the appropriate
To determine the thickness of laminated / tempered thickness of the glass panel has been explained
/ insulating glass, the design wind pressure Pnet is under previous articles. The wind pressure has been
modified as below: calculated using IS 875 (Part 3) 1987. In order to
Pnet = Pnet/Pf illustrate the steps, some examples are solved as
where, Pf is the pressure factor dependent on the follows:
type of glass. Example - 1:
The values of the pressure factor Pf can be taken The design of tempered glass panel of size 3.0 x
from table -4 as below: 1.5 m supported on four sides for a 60 m high
Table-4 (from draft code) office building located in Delhi in terrain category
The values of the pressure factor Pf II. The plan of building is rectangular with the size
Glass type Pf as 50 x 60 m. The permeability of building is
Normal (Annealed) 1.00 between 5% to 20%.
Laminated 0.80 Design:
Tempered 2.50 The step-by-step procedure to obtain the minimum
Insulating 1.50 thickness of the glass panel for a building with
Heat Strengthened 1.60 above mentioned parameters is explained below:
Using the modified value of Pnet as explained in Step1: Selection of Design Wind Pressure Pz
this article, the thickness of other types of glass can Select value of wind pressure for Delhi, Wind
be obtained in accordance with article 3.3. Zone-IV, terrain category - II and height of window
3.4.2 Glass Supported on two opposite sides 60 m above ground. This can be taken from I.S:
Normal and laminated glass panels supported on 875 (Part 3) and the value is 2127.25 N/m2
two opposite sides can be designed using following Step2: Selection of Net pressure coefficient Cp
empirical relations: The value of C p for permeability in the range of

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 Makwana et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

5% - 20 % and h/w = 60/50 = 1.2 being between reduction in the height of building as well as
& 6, is 1.7 as per IS 875 (Part 3) 1987. reduction in size of the window panel. Also, the
Step3: Calculation of Net wind Pressure Pnet. boundary condition and wind pressure governs the
Delhi is in wind zone IV where the basic wind design of glass for a particular case. Draft code,
speed is 47 m/s. For this wind speed, I.S: 875 also gives guidelines on deflection calculation of
(Part3) gives the value of wind pressure at various glass against wind pressure which is not covered
h eights & terrain categories. For 60 m height, here, but for more accurate design of glass for
terrain category II, the value of wind pressure is structural use, the non-linear analysis should be
2127.25 N/m2 . carried out and stresses generated in glass should
Net Pressure Pnet = Pz x Cp be checked against permissible values specified in
= 2127.25 x 1.7 Draft code.
= 3616.33 N/m2 REFERENCES
For tempered glass, modified value, 1. Draft code (Code of practice for use of glass in buildings
part-3, Doc no. CED 13(7885)WC
Pnet = Pnet/Pf
2. Australian standard- glass in buildings-selection and
= 3616.33/2.5 installation AS1288-2006.
= 1446.532 N/m2 3. BS8118, Structural use of aluminium, British standard
Step 4: Calculation of minimum thickness Institute, part 1, 1991.
4. IS 3548-1988 Code of practice for glazing in buildings.
(supported on all sides) 5. Guidelines on use of glass in buildings by CCPS
Aspect ratio = 3.0 / 1.5 = 2.00 (Confederation of construction products & services, new
Area of panel = 3.0 x 1.5 = 4.5 m2 delhi )
Using equation(1) when, 6. IS 875-1987 part3
7. ASTM E1300, standard practice for determining load
T=5mm, K=1.753, net pressure Pnet = 746.64 N/m2
resistance for glass buildings, 2002
T=6mm, K=1.765, net pressure Pnet = 1050.15
N/m2
Now, using equation(2) for 8mm thick glass,
T=8mm, K=1.570, net pressure Pnet = 1585.46
N/m2
>1446.532
N/m2
Hence, provide 8mm thick tempered glass.
Example: 2
Design of a glass panel supported on two opposite
sides with all other parameters same as on example
1.
Design:
Under such support conditions, the thickness of a
tempered glass will be calculated using equation(5)
& (6).
When T = 5mm, using equation (5),
Span b = 0.429 m < 1.5 m
When T = 6mm,
Span b = 0.515 m < 1.5 m
When T = 15mm, using equation (6),
Span b = 1.1464 m < 1.5 m
When T = 19mm
Span b = 1.4521 m < 1.5 m
When T = 25 mm,
Span b = 1.91 m > 1.5 m.
Hence, 25 mm thick tempered glass is used.
Similarly, for the same data but at different height
from ground level, the net wind pressure and
accordingly the glass thickness (four side
supported) have been calculated which is shown in
table-5.
Table-5
Height of
Glass types
window above SNT
the ground level
Height 10 m Tempered 6 mm
Height 20 m Tempered 8 mm
Height 45 m Tempered 8 mm
Height 60 m Tempered 8 mm
4. CONCLUSION
Here, method of determination of glass thickness is
introduced as per recently published Indian draft
code. From the above exercise, it is proved that
once the glass type is selected, the required
thickness of the glass panel may reduce with the
IJAET/Vol. IV/ Issue II/April-June., 2013/31-33