MSE Graduate Seminar: The Mechanical and Failure Properties of Wired Glass

Supervisors: Prof. D. Perovic, Prof. T. Coyle, Prof. J. Howe

ABSTRACT: Wired glass is a common construction material consisting of conventional annealed glass with an embedded steel mesh, used in buildings as a fire safety glass. When the glass fractures under the thermal stresses caused by a fire, the wire mesh holds the glass fragments in place, keeping the pane intact and minimizing the spread of the fire. However, this same property of wired glass has caused numerous injuries. In cases where glass fracture is due to human impact, the fragments held in place have resulted in severe lacerations to the victim, leading to life changing injuries and even death in some cases. Despite industry agreement that wired glass should not be used in areas where human impact is a concern, the material continues to be used in building construction. Nevertheless, there have been limited studies performed to characterize the fundamental properties of wired glass, such as its mechanical strength and failure properties. This study aims to fill in this gap by determining the modulus of rupture (MOR) values of wired glass through four-point bend testing of glass samples in accordance with ASTM C158 Standard Test Methods for Strength of Glass by Flexure. Fracture surfaces from the samples were studied to determine how the wire mesh affects the fracture of the glass. Further testing in this study will involve determination of intrinsic MOR values and failure mechanisms using wired glass samples with carefully prepared surfaces to mitigate edge fracture initiation.