Types of Glass and its Engineering Properties for Use in Construction

There are various types of glass used in construction for different purposes.
Engineering properties and uses of these glass is discussed in this article.

Glass is a hard substance which may be transparent or translucent and brittle in nature.
It is manufactured by fusion process. In this process sand is fused with lime, soda and
some other admixtures and then cooled rapidly. Glass is used in construction purpose
and architectural purpose in engineering.

Engineering Properties of Glass

1. Transparency
2. Strength
3. Workability
4. Transmittance
5. U value
6. Recycle property

1. Float Glass

Float glass is made of sodium silicate and calcium silicate so, it is also called as soda
lime glass. It is clear and flat so, it causes glare. These glasses are available from 2mm
to 20mm thickness ranges. They have a weight range of 6 to 36 kg/m 2. These are used
as shop fronts, public places.

What is it?

 - High degree of light transmission.

 - Range of colours available.
 - Can be created in different opacities.

Why is it used?

 As the most basic type of glass there is, float glass is a starting material used when
processing to create laminated, toughened and coated glass.
 It is available in a variety of sizes and thicknesses and is used in the glass cutting
process so it can be cut to the exact size required for the application.
 2. Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is the combination of layers of normal glass. So, it has more weight
than normal glass. It has more thickness and is UV proof and soundproof. These are
used for aquariums, bridges etc.

What is it?

 Made from two or more layers of glass separated by a bonded interlayer of plastic.
 Any type of glass can be laminated, from painted to printed.
 Transparency of the glass isn’t altered.
 Must comply with EN ISO 12543 specifications.

Why is it used?
 Strong and durable - it is harder to break than ordinary glass.
 Energy efficiency e.g. heat insulation.
 Sound insulation.
 UV reduction.
 Grade A safety glass that does not shatter and disperse when broken.
 Easy to apply colouring.

Where is it used?: storefronts, curtain walls, front doors

Laminated glass is a common option where increased security may be needed, for
example, for front doors, store window fronts or car windscreens. Laminated glass is held
together by an interlayer, meaning that it will not shatter on impact, reducing the risk of
break-ins and any hazards caused by shards of shattered glass.
Laminated glass fact
Laminated glass was invented by accident when French chemist Edouard Benedictus
knocked over a lab flask, only to notice it did not shatter due to the residue of nitrate
cellulose left on the inside.
 3. Toughened Glass
Toughened glass is strong glass which has low visibility. It is available in all thicknesses
and when it is broken it forms small granular chunks which are dangerous. This is also
called as tempered glass. This type of glass is used for fire resistant doors, mobile screen
protectors etc.
What is it?

 - Also known as tempered glass, toughened glass is created

using the thermal tempering process.
 - Structural durability - ultimate safety glass.
 - Thermal strength.
 - During the toughening process, the colour, clarity,
composition, light transmission and hardness do not change.

Why is it used?

 Toughened glass can withstand high temperatures, making it ideal for splashbacks in the
kitchen and bathroom areas.
 Highly resistant to breakages (the panels stay together when broken) - when used for
shop front and window displays, toughened glass helps to improve the safety and security
of a property.
 It’s worth noting that this type of glass cannot be re-cut after it has been toughened; it
must be cut prior to the toughening process.

Where is it used?: shower doors, glass furniture, glass shelves

Toughened glass can be used in a range of ways; for shower doors, glass furniture,
shelves etc, and holds the advantage of being far more resistant to breaks. The cooling
process in toughened glass creates counteracting stresses meaning that if it does break,
the glass will shatter into small, square fragments rather than shards, decreasing the risk
of injury.
Blasting the surface of glass with sand gives it a translucent milky-white appearance,
making it a popular technique used for shower doors or front doors where privacy is
required, but also some light. This technique can be used against a whole sheet of glass,
or can be used to create patterns using a sand-resistant mask.
Toughened glass fact
The creation of toughened glass has been credited to French inventor, Francois
Barthelemy Alfred Royer de la Bastie, patented in 1874.
 4. Tinted Glass
Tinted glass is nothing but colored glass. A color producing ingredients is mixed to the
normal glass mix to produce colored glass which does not affect other properties of
glass. Different color producing ingredients are tabulated below:
Coloring ion Color

Iron oxide Green

Sulphur Blue
Manganese dioxide Black
Cobalt Blue
Chromium Dark green
Titanium Yellowish brown
Uranium Yellow

What is it?

 - Colour is added to the glass composition to create

a tint.
 - It is made by altering the chemical formulation of the
glass.
 - Its colour and density changes with the thickness of
the glass.

Why is it used?
 Climate control
 UV protection - it reduces glare and the amount of solar energy transmitted through the
glass.
 Aesthetics - the colour is durable and does not change over time.
 Privacy - maintains transparency from the inside, but brightness of the outward view is
reduced and the colour of the light is changed, preventing passersby from peering into
the property.

Where is it used? Windows, doors

If privacy is your priority, then tinted glass is the ideal choice for any doors or windows
in your home or business. Though tinted glass keeps out prying eyes, it still allows
plenty of natural sunlight to filter through, whilst reducing the discomfort of the sun’s
glare. Tinted glass can also lessen the amount of harmful UV filtering through, which will
have health benefits for all the family.

Tinted glass fact

Small amounts of metal oxides are added to the glass composition to give tinted glass
its characteristic darker hue.
5. Glass Blocks
Glass block or glass bricks are manufactured from two different halves and they are
pressed and annealed together while melting process of glass. These are used as
architectural purpose in the construction of walls, skylights etc. They provide aesthetic
appearance when light is passed through it.

Specialty types

- Specialist glass blocks are produced for various applications including:

- Bullet and vandal resistance
- Bullet and vandal resistant blocks are generally solid glass or have very thick side walls
similar to pavement blocks.
Fire resistant
Fire resistance of varying degrees can be achieved by several methods. Standard
production hollow wall block will offer little fire resistance; however, resistance is improved
by utilising specially produced hollow blocks with thicker sidewalls, or the inclusion of a
special layer of fire resisting material between the two halves of the block during
manufacture. Some manufacturers of glass blocks have developed a method of bonding
two glass blocks together with adhesive, producing blocks of up to 160 mm (6½") thick
with enhanced fire resistance. It is important that the block manufacturer's
recommendations are followed with regards to the installation of fire resisting glass block
walls, as without special construction techniques, the wall will not achieve the desired fire
resistance.
Gas insulated
A recent innovation in the manufacture of glass blocks is the inclusion of argon gas within
the hollow centre of glass wall blocks. This advancement in production technique has
resulted in a glass block which is able to offer significantly improved thermal insulation
properties.
Colored
Some hollow glass wall blocks are available in coloured variants. These coloured variants
fall into two categories; those that are manufactured with coloured glass which are UV
stable and can be used in the same locations as standard clear glass blocks. The other
method by which coloured glass blocks are achieved is to inject a coloured material, dye
or transparent paint into the hollow centre of the blocks to form a permanent coating. This
method of producing coloured blocks enables vibrant colours to be achieved which are
not possible with coloured glass. The downside of this production method is that the
coloured coating may not be UV stable and can fade in bright sunshine over time and
may therefore not be suitable for all locations.
6. Obscured Glass

What is it?
- Patterned or frosted glass which blurs images or prevents the glass from being clearly
- seen through.
- Used in both domestic and commercial settings.
- Often available in a textured pattern.
Why is it used?
- Offers privacy while also letting light in.
- Often used for its stylish aesthetics as a form of decoration.
- Increases security through its obscured view, while still letting light flow through.

Obscure glass, whether patterned, frosted, printed or formed glass, can be the perfect
option when privacy is the goal. Selecting the right glass for the right application is
something we specialise here at Somerville Glass. We have a huge range of obscure
glass available so we can get the perfect balance of privacy and light transmission.
Changing the glass in your bathroom or beside your front door is a simple process and
the results can be phenomenal.

Patterned Glass

Patterned glass is an obscure glass where a pattern has been imprinted onto the surface
of the glass during manufacturing; here are some great examples. Patterned glass is a
cheap, versatile option where privacy and light transmission need to be considered.

Frosted Glass

Frosted glass is where the whole surface of the glass has a white opaque frost. Frosted
glass is available in two different products. The first option is acid etched glass; this is
where the glass is treated with acid on one surface to give it a plain white frost.

Formed Glass

A fantastic looking obscure glass, formed glass is manufactured where a sheet of normal
clear glass is laid on a special pattern then heated in a kiln until the glass reaches a
temperature where the glass forms to the shape of the pattern below.
3. Shatterproof Glass
Shatterproof glass is used for windows, skylights, floors etc. Some type of plastic
polyvinyl butyral is added in its making process. So, it cannot form sharp edged pieces
when it breaks.
4. Extra Clean Glass
Extra clean glass has two special properties, photocatalytic and hydrophilic. Because of
these properties, it acts as stain proof and gives beautiful appearance. Maintenance is
also easy.

5. Chromatic Glass
Chromatic glass is used in ICU’s, meeting rooms etc. it can control the transparent
efficiency of glass and protects the interior from daylight. The chromatic glass may be
photochromic which has light sensitive lamination, thermos-chromatic which has heat
sensitive lamination and electrochromic which has electric lamination over it.
9. Glass Wool
Glass wool is made of fibers of glass and acts as good insulating filler. It is fire resistant
glass.

10. Insulated Glazed Units

Insulated glazed glass units contains a glass is separated into two or three layers by air
or vacuum. They cannot allow heat through it because of air between the layers and
acts as good insulators. These are also called as double glazed units.