Building Materials and Construction V Prepared by Ar.FEMIL.

M Assistant Professor NRMSA

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3

DEFINITION 5

HISTORY – TIMELINE 7

GLASS USED IN CONSTRUCTION 15

PROPERTIES OF GLASS 16

COMPOSITION 25

MANUFACTURE 27

GLASS CUTTING TYPES 43

TYPES OF GLASS 47

MARKET DEALERS 112

CONTENTS

GLASS – GREEN BUILDING 113

ENERGY MANAGEMENT 115

GLASS IN FACADE 117

STRUCTURAL GLAZING 121

SURFACE COATINGS 123

USES 132

ADVANTAGES 135

DISADVANTAGE 138

ALTERNATIVES OF GLASS 141

GLASSES IN WINDOWS 146

INTRODUCTION
Glass is an item of luxury.

 The word glass is derived from a Latin term glaseum means a

lustrous and transparent material. Glasses is one of three basic
types of ceramics.

The transparent and colouration have made the glasses best

suitable for decorative and illumination purposes in early days.
Introduction
There is a special relationship between glass and buildings.

Glass is a magical material which has so many different

properties and uses, that it has presented Architects with many
new possibilities and designs.

Architectural glass is glass that is used as a building

material. It is most typically used as transparent glazing material
in the building envelope, including windows in the external
walls.
Glass is also used for internal partitions and as an
architectural feature. When used in buildings, glass is often of
a safety type, which include reinforced, toughened and laminated
glasses.
DEFINITION
Glass is an amorphous, hard, brittle, transparent or
translucent super cooled liquid of infinite viscosity,
having no definite melting point obtained by fusing a
mixture of a number of metallic silicates or borates of
Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, and Lead.

Or

The term Glass signifies an amorphous solid substance that

has been formed by super cooling; a liquid solution
containing chiefly silica and some other selected
components.
 In General usage glasses are defined as super cooled
liquid.
Or
An inorganic product of fusion that has cooled to a rigid
codition without crystallizing.

When glass is cooled from the hot molten state, it

gradually increases in viscosity without crystallization over
a wide temperature range,untill it assumes its charcteristic
hard,brittle form.cooling is prevent crystallization or high
strain.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GLASS IN THE
BUILDING INDUSTRY
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GLASS

Flat glass has been used as an enclosing element for

approximately 2,000 years and is thus one of the oldest man–
made building materials.
 Before industrialization, flat glass was produced, e.g., by
means of manual methods such as casting or cylinder
technology.
 These were replaced by sheet glass and plate glass
manufacturing methods, which were used up until the 1960s.
Machine methods had the disadvantage of distortion and
waviness.
 In the early 1950s, the English company Pilkington brothers
developed an industrial solution for producing high quantities
of large glass panes of a consistent high quality and at a
relatively moderate cost, which was an almost entirely
automated float glass manufacturing process.
As a result of the oil crisis in the late 1970s, the glass architecture
at that time was subject to increasing criticism. uncoated flat glass
was considered a waste of energy.

Interpane was one of the first companies to successfully market

neutral heat protection coatings. one example is "iplus neutral"
(since 1982): it is considered to be the first color neutral thermal
insulating glass in glass history.

The key to success was a special silver coating. this technology

is now the basis for the manufacturing of high-quality thermal
insulating glass.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GLASS IN THE
BUILDING INDUSTRY

In prehistoric times, Obsidian (Naturally occurring glass found

near volcanic regions) and fulgurite (glass formed naturally
after lightning strikes sand) were used to make weapons.
Manmade glass was used as a luxury material was used in
decorations, jewelry, vessels and crockery.

Glass blowing was discovered in the 1st century in Europe, this

revolutionized the glass making industry. The technique spread
throughout the Roman Empire.

Production of Clear glass, by introduction of manganese

dioxide, saw glass being used for architectural purposes. Cast
glass windows began to appear in the most important buildings
and villas in Rome and Pompeii.
•By 11th century sheet glass was made by the crown glass process.
In this process, the glassblower would spin molten glass at the end
of a rod until it flattened into a disk. The disk would then be cut into
panes.

• By 13th century, this technique was perfected in Venice. Stain

glass windows were used in gothic renaissance and baroque
architecture from the 11th to the 18th century.

•Glass was still an item of luxury as it took large resources, brilliant

skill and immense energy to be produced. In 1958 Pilkington and
Bickerstaff introduced the revolutionary float glass process to the
world. This method gave the sheet uniform thickness and very flat
surfaces. Modern windows are made from float glass.
INDIAN HISTORY OF GLASS

•Indigenous development of glass technology in South Asia may

have begun in 1730 BC. Evidence of this culture includes a red-
brown glass bead along with a hoard of beads dating to that
period, making it the earliest attested glass from the Indus
Valley locations.

•Chalcolithic evidence of glass has been found

in Hastinapur, India.[ Some of the texts which mention glass in
India are the Shatapatha Brahmana and Vinaya Pitaka.[However,
the first unmistakable evidence in large quantities, dating from the
3rd century BC, has been uncovered from the archaeological
site in Takshashila, ancient India.
•By the 1st century AD, glass was being used for ornaments
and casing in South Asia.[Contact with the Greco-Roman
world added newer techniques, and Indians artisans mastered
several techniques of glass molding, decorating and coloring
by the succeeding centuries.[ The Satavahana period of India
also produced short cylinders of composite glass, including
those displaying a lemon yellow matrix covered with green
glass.
--------------------------------------
HOW GLASS IS USED IN CONSTRUCTION
Properties Of Glass

 It is solid and hard material.

 It has disordered and amorphous structure.

 It is fragile and easily breakable into sharp pieces.

 It is transparent to visible light.

 When light falls on glass, part of it

is reflected at the surface, part of it is
absorbed in the glass and part of it is
transmitted.
 It is an biologically inactive material.

 It is recyclable.
 It has low thermal conductivity.

 It is fire resistant.
  It has dimensional stability.

Transparency: This property allows visual connection with

the outside world. Its transparency can be permanently
altered by adding admixtures to the initial batch mix. By the
advent of technology clear glass panels used in buildings can
be made opaque. (Electro chromatic glazing)
 U value: The U-value is the
measure of how much heat is
transferred through the window.
The lower the U-value the better
the insulation properties of
the glass– the better it is at
keeping the heat or cold out.
Strength: Glass is a brittle
material but with the advent of
science and technology, certain
laminates and admixtures can
increase its modulus of rupture
( ability to resist deformation
under load).
 Greenhouse effect: The
greenhouse effect refers to
circumstances where the
short wavelengths of visible
light from the sun pass
through glass and are
absorbed, but the longer
infrared re-radiation from the
heated objects are unable to
pass through the glass. This
trapping leads to more
heating and a higher resultant
temperature.
Workability: It is capable of being worked in many ways. It can
be blown, drawn or pressed. It is possible to obtain glass with
diversified properties- clear, colorless, diffused and stained. Glass
can also bewelded by fusion.

Recyclable: Glass is 100% recyclable, cullets (Scraps of broken or

waste glass gathered for re-melting) are used as raw materials in
glass manufacture, as aggregates in concrete construction etc.
Solar heat gain coefficient: It is the fraction of incident solar
radiation that actually enters a building through the entire window
assembly as heat gain.

Visible transmittance: Visible transmittance

is the fraction of visible light that comes
through the glass.
COMPOSITION
Raw Materials
• Sodium as Na2Co3 (used in soft
glass).
• Potassium as K2Co3 (used in Hard
Glass).
• Calcium as lime stone, chalk and
lime.
• Lead as litharge, red lead (flint
glass).
• Silica arc quartz, white sand and
ignited flint.
• Zinc is zinc oxide (Heat and shock
proof glass).
• Borates are borax, Boric acid (Heat
and shock proof glass).
• Cullets or pieces of broken glass to
increase fusibility.
GLASS COMPONENTS
•Formers – Glass Forming Oxides
SiO2 , B2O3 , P2O5 , GeO2 , V2O5 , As2O3 , Sb2O5
• Fluxes – Softeners
Na2O, K2O, LiO, Al2O3 , B2O3 , Cs2O
• Stabilizers – Provide Chemical Resistance
CaO, MgO, Al2O3 , PbO, SrO, BaO, ZnO, ZrO
•Colorants: oxides with 3d, 4f electron structures; minor
additives.
•Fining agents: minor additives (<1 wt%) to help
promote bubble removal
•As-, Sb-oxides, KNO3 , NaNO3
NaCl, fluorides, sulfates
MANUFACTURING GLASS
The manufacturing for glass
consists of the following stages :
• Melting and refining of the raw materials
• Float bath
• Coating (for making reflective glass)
• Annealing
• Inspection
BATCHING OF RAW MATERIALS
Soda lime glass, silica sand (73%),
Calcium oxide (9%),

25% - 30%
Soda (13%)
and Magnesium (4%) Recycled glass
Batching of raw materials:

The main components, namely, soda lime glass, silica sand

(73%), calcium oxide (9%), soda (13%) and magnesium (4%),
are weighed and mixed into batches to which recycled glass
(cullet) is added. The use of ‘cullet’ reduces the consumption
of natural gas. The materials are tested and stored for later
mixing under computerised control.
STAGE 1 : MELTING AND REFINING

• Raw materials in proper proportions are mixed with cullets. It is finely

powdered and intimate mixture called batch is fused in furnace at high
temperature of 1800°C this charge melts and fuses into a viscous fluid.

CaCO3 + SiO2 CaSiO3 + CO2

Na2CO3 + SiO2 Na2SiO3 + CO2

After removal of CO2 decolorizes like MnO2 are added to remove traces
of ferrous compounds and Carbon.Heating is continued till clear molten
mass is free from bubbles is obtained and it is then cooled to about
800°C.
The flux in a batch helps in reducing the melting point of the batch thus
reducing the energy consumed to carry out the process.
 These raw materials primarily mixed in batch helps to make
clear glass. If certain metal oxides are mixed to this batch
they impart colors to the glass giving it a body tint.
For e.g.
• NiO & CoO – to give grey tinted glasses (Oxides of Nickel
& Cobalt)
• SeO – to give Bronze tinted glasses (oxide of Selenium)
• Fe2O3 – To give Green tinted glasses (oxides of iron which
at times is also present as impurity in Silica Sand)
• CoO – To give blue tinted glass (oxides of Cobalt)
Stage 2 : Float bath

• Glass from the furnace gently flows over the refractory

spout on to the mirror-like surface of molten tin, starting at
1100 deg Celsius and leaving the float bath as solid ribbon
at 600 deg Celsius.
Stage 3 - Coating (for making
reflective glasses):
• Coatings that make profound changes in optical
properties can be applied by advanced high temperature
technology to the cooling ribbon of glass. Online
Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) is the most
significant advance in the float process since it was
invented. CVD can be used to lay down a variety of
coatings, a few microns thick, for reflect visible and infra-
red radiance for instance. Multiple coatings can be
deposited in the few seconds available as the glass
flows beneath the coater (e.g. Sunergy)
Stage 4 - Annealing:
Despite the tranquillity with which the glass is
formed, considerable stresses are developed in the ribbon as
the glass cools. The glass is made to move through the
annealing lehr where such internal stresses are removed, as
the glass is cooled gradually, to make the glass more prone
to cutting.
Finishing is the last step in glass manufacturing. It involves
following steps.

• Cleaning

• Grinding

• Polishing

• Cutting

• Sand Blasting
Stage 5 - Inspection:

• To ensure the highest quality inspection takes place at every

stage.
• Automated online inspection does two things.
i)It reveals process faults upstream that can be
corrected.
ii) And it enables computers downstream to steer
round the flaws.
• Inspection technology now allows 100 million inspections
per second to be made across the ribbon, locating flaws the
unaided eye would be unable to see.
Stage 6 - Cutting to Order:
Diamond steels trim off selvedge – stressed edges- and cut ribbon to
size dictated by the computer. Glass is finally sold only in square
meters.
CUTTING TYPES
How Can We Cut The Glass:

•In the Middle Ages glass was cut with a

heated and sharply pointed rod of iron.
The Diamond is also a material which can
cut the glass.

• Now days we used different methods to

cut the glass.

There are several methods to cut the glass:-

TYPES OF GLASS
FLAT GLASS
 FLOAT GLASS
• Float glass is a sheet of glass made by
floating molten glass on a bed of
molten metal, typically tin,
although lead and various low melting
point alloys were used in the past.
• Modern windows are made from float
glass.
• The float glass process is also known
as the Pilkington process, named
after the British glass manufacturer
Pilkington.
• Float glass is used in many
architectural buildings, one of them
being the crystal palace railway
station, London.
Obscured /Patterned glass
• Patterned glass is a kind of decorative translucent glass
with embossed patterns on one or both surfaces. Pattern
Glass or Decorative Glass or Rolled Glass is generally
used where privacy or obscurity is desired but light
transmission is still important. With the special property of
decoration, patterned glass can allow light to pass through,
at the same time, it can also prevent clear view. Usually it
transmits only slightly less light than clear glass.
SAFETY GLASS
•Toughened Safety (Tempered) Glass (TS)
• Toughened Float Safety Glass (TF)
• Laminated Safety Glass (LS)
• Laminated Float Safety Glass (LF)

TEMPERED GLASS

LAMINATED GLASS
TEMPERED GLASS
• Toughened glass is typically four
to six times the strength of
annealed glass.
• When broken, tempered glass
fragments are usually relatively
small and less likely to cause
serious injury.
• It is used when strength, thermal
resistance and safety are important
considerations.
• In commercial structures it is used
in unframed assemblies such as
frameless doors, structurally
loaded applications and door lites
and vision lites adjacent to doors.
HOW TO ENSURE - SAFETY GLASS

• Procure from certified manufacturer.

• Either a label that cannot be removed and reused or a

permanent mark on the glass surface shall mark all the panels of
safety glass according to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

• Each label must contain the ISI mark as prescribed by the BIS,
manufacturers name, registered trademark or code of the
manufacturer or supplier and type of safety
glass .
CRITICAL LOCATIONS

• Any glazing 1.5 metre above the floor level of a building is

considered likely to be subjected to human impact.

• Safety glazing material should also be used where there

is danger of falling infill glass materials from overhead
glazing, danger of falling due to a change in floor level,
and in case of balustrades, stairs and floors.

• In -and-around doors, low windows.

• Panels mistaken for a doorway or opening.
• Panels at low levels in walls and partitions.
• Bathrooms.
• Buildings associated with special activities, e.g. gymnasia,
enclosed swimming pools etc.,
• Schools and child care facilities.
• Nursing homes and aged care facilities.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST GLASS FALLING ON PEOPLE

• Broken annealed glass falling on people can cause grievous or even

fatal injuries; hence it is recommended to use safety glass in locations
other than defined in case 1 where the risk of people getting hurt by
falling glass is high.

• Toughened (tempered) glass due to safe breakage pattern breaks and

disintegrates into small and relatively harmless particles. However
thick toughened glass particles may stay interlocked and fall as lumps
of these multiple particles and can cause a minor or medium injury
mainly due to the weight of the cluster.

• Laminated safety glass will generally not fall out of fixing.

However, where laminated glass with both glasses toughened, is used
for horizontal or sloped glazing, in case of failure of both toughened
glasses, it may crumple as a blanket and fall out of fixing in the
event of failure of both toughened glasse.
Therefore, Strength of the glazing system should be such that it has
the ability to hold glass in place and prevent it from falling out as a
whole.
If Insulating Glass Unit (IGU) is used in situations mentioned
above, then criterion will be followed if IGU is installed in areas
subjected to human impact on either side then both the panes of
the unit shall be provided with safety glass and in situations
where access is restricted to one side of the unit, then only the
accessible side should be provided with safety glass .
PRECAUTIONS FOR USE OF GLASS FOR FIRE SAFETY

• Fire rating of the glass needs to be considered as per the codal

requirements from fire safety as well as from evacuation
considerations.

• Sufficient side hung openings/windows need to be provided for

fireman to evacuate trapped people .These openable portions have
to be left at regular distances for firefighting and smoke exhaust.

• Alternatively, knock-out panels are to be provided with tempered

glass to allow fracturing of the glass into small pieces, identified
by a non-removable reflective dot (typically 5 cms in diameter)
located in the lower corner of the glass to be visible from the
ground by the fire fighters.
 Space between the slab and façade to be provided with fire
stops and fire rated GI backup panel to stop fire traveling
from one floor to another.

• Glass proposed to be used for internal fire compartmentation

should either be low radiation (Class EW) or insulated fire
rated glass (Class EI) conforming to National Building Code
of India 2005.
FIRE PROTECTIVE
AND FIRE
RESISTIVE GLASS
LAMINATED GLASS

This type of glass is made by sandwiching glass panels within

a protective layer. It is heavier than normal glass and may
cause optical distortions as well. It is tough and protects from
UV radiation (99%) and insulates sound by 50%. Used in glass
facades, aquariums, bridges, staircases, floor slabs, etc.
ASPHALT/
RUBBER/
RESIN`
LAMINATED GLASS
•Laminated glass is made of two or more layers of glass with one or
more "interlayers" of polymeric material bonded between the glass
layers.

•The sheets of glass fiber or glass wool are soaked in a solution of

thermosetting plastic like phenol formaldehyde resin and placed one
above the other and then cured under heat or pressure. It is strong as
steel.

•Non flammable and insulating. In bullet resistant

glass vinyl resins are added inalternate layers.

•Rather than shattering on impact,laminated glass

is held together by the interlayer giving more
safety as well as, to some degree, reducing the
security risks associated with easy penetration.
LAMINATED GLASS
LAMINATED GLASS

•It can also be called bulletproof glass. Several layers of safety

glass are bound together with a transparent adhesive.

•The larger the number of layers used the greater is the strength
of the glass.

•It is stronger than safety glass.

•It is used in aeroplanes and windshields of cars.

Laminated Glass can be characterized as :

• Shattering Resistance
• Its pieces do not fly away in all the direction on it broken
suddenly under impact. This makes the laminated Glass an
ideal material for use as a safety glass in automobile and air
craft.

• Shock Resistance
• It can bear safely sudden impacts up to desired value. This
property also plays in laminated glass being Used as a safety
Glass.
Shatterproof / safety glass

By adding a polyvinyl butyral layer, shatter proof glass is

made. This type of glass does not from sharp edged pieces
even when broken. Used in skylight, window, flooring, etc.
Bullet Resistant Glass
• This is specially useful in vehicles and other automobiles used
for security reasons. It is in fact a variety of laminated glass
which is made by pressing to-geather several layers of glass and
vinyl resins in alternate manner.

Thickness of such Glass varies from 12 mm to 75 mm or more.

COMPARISION
CROWN GLASS

• Crown glass was an early type of

window glass in this process, glass
was blown into a "crown" or hollow
globe.
• The process was first perfected by
French glassmakers in the 1320s,
notably around Rouen, and was a
trade secret.
• His method for manufacturing flat
glass panels was very expensive and
could not be used to make large
panes.
It was replaced in the 19th
century by the cylinder, sheet,
and rolled plate processes, but it
is still used in traditional
construction and restoration.
ANNEALED GLASS
• Annealed glass is the most
common glass used in windows and
is also known as a standard sheet of
float glass.
• Annealed glass is slowly cooled to
relieve internal stresses after it is
formed, thus making it strong.
• Annealed glass has the surface
strength that provides the wind-load
performance and thermal-stress
resistance needed in most
architectural applications
• Care should be taken when choosing
locations to install annealed glass
since there is a high risk of breakage
and injury.
•It is common glass that tends to break into large, jagged
shards.
• It is used in some end products and often in double-glazed
windows.
• It is also the starting material used to produce more
advanced products through further processing such as
laminating, toughening, coating, etc.
SODA LIME (OR) SOFT GLASS

•Soda - lime glass also called soda - lime - silica - glass, most
popular type of glass.

•It is the most common variety of glass.

•It is prepared by heating sodium carbonate and silica.

75% of silica, along with Na2CO3, Na20, Ca0, CaC03, Mg0.

•Over 90% of all glass is sodalime.

•They are low cost, resistant to water but not to acids.

• They can melt easily and hence can be hot worked.

 Soda lime glass

USES

•It is used for making windowpanes, tableware,

bottles,jars,test tube, window glasses and bulbs.
Fused silica glass
• Fused quartz or fused silica is glass consisting
of silica in amorphous (non-crystalline) form.

• It differs from traditional glasses in containing no other

ingredients, which are typically added to glass to lower the
melt temperature.
It is mainly used wherebthe temperature resistance is required.

They can used at temperatures upto 900c.

They have a very low co-efficient of thermal expansion and have

a high resistance to thermal shock.

Silica glass is also named as quartz glass.

Borosilicate glass

• Borosilicate glass is a type of glass with 81% silicon

dioxide and13% boron trioxide as the main glass-forming
constituents.

• Borosilicate glasses are known for having very low

coefficients of thermal expansion (how much the materials
expands at 1c rise in temperature), making them resistant to
thermal shock, more so than any other common glass.
It has some part of silica replaced by boron oxide.

Borosilicate glass have not workability with high strength, high

chemical stability (chemical substances is stable if it is not
reactive in the environment or normal use and retains its
properties), high electrical resistance (low conductivity) and low
thermal expansion.

It is used in high tension insulators ( eg. In case of high

voltage overhead transmission and distribution the transmission
towers and poles supports the lines and insulators are used to
insulate the live conductor from the transmission towers) ,
kitchenware(baking at higher temperatures),telescopic
mirror,laboratory glassware,industrial instrument glass.

One type of trade name is PYREX.

TWO PRIMARY METHODS OF STRENGTHENING
GLASS ARE:

•CHEMICAL STRENGTHENING
•THERMAL TEMPERING
HEAT- STRENGTHENED GLASS
• With heat-strengthened glass, the
cooling process is slower, which
means the compression strength
is lower.
• This glass is approximately
twice as strong as annealed, or
untreated, glass.
• when broken, the glass Semi temperd glass and
fragments are more similar in retains the properties of
size and shape to annealed glass float glass
fragments and thus tend to stay in
the openings.
• It is used to resist wind pressure,
thermal stress or both
• This glass is used in most
architectural buildings.
CHEMICALLY STRENGTHENED GLASS

• Chemically strengthened glass is typically six to eight times

the strength of annealed glass.
• The glass is chemically strengthened by submerging the glass
in a bath containing a potassium salt in which the sodium ion
already exixt in glass.
• when the surface of chemically strengthened glass is deeply
scratched, this area loses its additional strength.
• Chemically strengthened glass was used on some fighter
aircraft canopies
COMPARISION
HEATABLE GLASS

• Heatable glass based on low-emissive

coatings was first produced in high volume
in the early 1980s.
• The idea of heating glass is based on the
use of energy-efficient low-emissive glass,
which is generally simple silicate glass with
a special metallic oxides coating.
• Heating glass is used in the construction of
many kinds of buildings and in mass
production of vehicles, ships and trains.
• Such combination helps reduce the total
rate of heat loss of the building, thereby
lowering heating expenses. Hence it is
mostly used in cold regions.
PRISM GLASS
• Prism glass is architectural glass
used around the turn of the century
to provide lighting to underground
spaces and areas that would
otherwise be too difficult to light.
• Prism glass uses a unique convex
lens design to help illuminate more
than ordinary glass.
• Prism glass can sometimes be
found on sidewalks and in this
form is known as vault lighting.
• It is similar to deck prisms that
were used to light spaces below
deck on sailing ships.
WIRE MESH GLASS
• Wire mesh glass has a grid or mesh of
thin metal wire embedded within the
glass. The presence of the wire mesh
appears to be a strengthening component.
• Wired glass often may cause heightened
injury in comparison to unwired glass.

• The wire prevents the glass from falling

out of the frame even if it cracks
under thermal stress, and is far more
heat-resistant than a laminating material.

• Wired glass is still utilized in the U.S. for

its fire-resistant abilities, and is well-
Fire rated glass or
rated to withstand both heat and hose
fire proof glass
streams.
Chromatic glass
This type of glass can control daylight and transparency effectively.
These glass are available in three forms- photochromatic (light
sensitive lamination on glass), thermochromatic (heat sensitive
lamination on glass) and electrochromatic (light sensitive glass the
transparency of which can be controlled by electricity switch.) It
can be used in meeting rooms and ICUs.
SPECIAL GLASS TYPES

With the technological advance in the creation of micro

layers, several special types of glasses have come up.

• Actually, theses glasses have layers of diverse type of

materials, these layers of microscopic dimension that offer
several differentiated characteristics to the glass.

• Sun protection glass

• Self-cleaning glass
• Low reflection glass TYPES OF SPECIAL GLASS
• Low-emissivity glass
Double Glazed Units
These are made by providing air gap between two glass panes
in order to reduce the heat loss and gain. Normal glass can
cause immense amount of heat gain and upto 30%of loss of
heat of air conditioning energy.
SOLAR CONTROL GLASS

• Solar control glass units are typically

double glazed, which means they also
insulate well.
• Solar control glass is a hi-tech product
developed by the glass industry to
allow sunlight to pass through a
window or façade while radiating and
reflecting away a large degree of the
sun’s heat.
• The indoor space stays bright and
much cooler than would be the case if
normal glass were used.
Extra clean glass

This type of glass is hydrophilic i.e. The water moves over them
without leaving any marks and photocatylitic i.e. they are
covered with Nanoparticles that attack and break dirt making
it easier to clean and maintain.
•It is an extremely transparent
glass, that is, without the green
shade common to the colourless
glasses.
• This happens because in its
composition there is one less
concentration of iron oxide.
• Used in civil construction,
decoration and household
appliances.
MIRROR GLASS
REFLECTIVE GLASS
LOW - EMISSIVITY GLASS
LEADED GLASS:
This glass has a high reflective Index. This property is Induced
into the Glass by adding lead Oxide with Silica during the
manufacturing Stage. A usual Composition of lead glass is SiO2 ,
PbO, K2O, Na2O.

This Lead glass has special application such as;

• In Making shields for protection against

gamma radiations.
• In the manufacturing of optical Instruments
• For Making Neon Signs.
Industrial Forms of Glasses
PRESSED GLASS
• This is prepared by molding the fused glass into sheets and other
shapes under pressure. These sheets are starting
material for making Glasswares and Structural Blocks.
Glass Building Blocks
• These are manufactured from pressed glass by fusing two
or more sheets in such a way that partial vacuum is caused
in the interior of the blocks. These blocks are used in
masonry construction for permitting transmission of Light
without being transparent and without bearing any load.
GLASS BLOCK

• Glass brick, also known as glass

block, is an architectural element
made from glass.
• Glass bricks provide visual
obscuration while admitting light.
• The glass block was originally
developed in the early 1900s to
provide natural light
in manufacturing plants.
• Glass bricks are produced for both
wall and floor applications.
• It is used in many architectural
building , one of them being
Hermes Store in Tokyo, Japan
by Renzo Piano
 GLASS FIBRES
• It has been found that very thin fibres of Glass possess very
high tensile strength. The thinner the fibre the higher the
strength. The fibres are produced from
molten glass by drawing the material
through dies giving fibre of 2 to 10
micron in diameter.
•The molten glass is forced out through
numerous minute openings in the form
of thin streams upon these stream is
impinged a blast of air or stream under
a pre-calculated pressure. The
stream solidifies into thin fibres.
The Glass-reinforced plastic is
commonly known as FIBRE GLASS
and has acquired a place of its own
as a composite engineering
Material.
 MELTING
FIBERISING

FORMING

BATCHING

CUTTING

PACKING

GLASS WOOL
Glass wool
Glass wool is a thermal insulation that consists of
intertwined and flexible glass fibers, which causes it to
"package" air, and consequently make good insulating
materials. Glass wool can be used as filler or insulators in
buildings, also for soundproofing.
Tinted Glass

Certain additions to the glass batch mix can add color to the clear
glass without compromising its strength. Iron oxide is added to
give glass a green tint; sulphar in different concentrations can make
the glass yellow, red or black. Copper sulphate can turn it blue. Etc
Anti–bacterial glass–The Latest in
Healthcare Architecture
AGC Flat Glass Europe, formerly Glaverbel recently launched
its new Antibacterial Glass TM in a world premiere. The glass
kills 99.9% of bacteria and also stops the spread of fungi. Given
the instances of visitors and patients catching infections while in
hospital, this is a milestone.

This glass eliminates micro-organisms as soon as they come in

contact with the surface of the glass.

The glass has been tested by university laboratories, with results

validated based on European and Japanese standards.
Accelerated age testing demonstrates that the functionality of the
glass does not diminish over time. The glass can be used for all
kinds of surfaces, from glazing to wall coverings and mirrors.
Major Dealers in the Market
On the global arena, Ace Clear Inc, Glass Security, LLC, Custom
Glass Corporation and Armour Glass are some of the major
players. In India there are number of dealers such as Aakruti glass
Crafts, Asahi Safety glass, Ace Indo Canada and Auto Glass
Security.

The challenge ahead for architects working on Government

buildings is to seamlessly integrate the life-safety and security
measures with aesthetic building design. Security need not be
incompatible with good design but the use of prudent
precautionary measures may save countless lives and millions of
dollars in damages.
Role of Glass in Green Buildings

•Glass plays a unique and important role in building design and

the environment. It affects design, appearance, thermal
performance and occupant comfort.

•India being a tropical country, we need to be careful while

selecting a glass. Selection of glass has become more complex
since a variety of glasses are available to choose from, ranging
from performance to aesthetics.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT

•Key factors which play an important role in designing the

building envelope with glass are as follows.
•Solar Factor (SF) / Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient (SHGC)
•U-Value
•Relative Heat Gain (RHG)
•Visual Comfort
GLASS IN FACADE
GLASS IN FACADE
• Glass plays an essential role in the facade. A facade is a special
type of wall. It separates inside from outside. By its property of
transparency it opens up our buildings to the outside world.

The glass used in today's window and facades does more things
than many people perhaps realise. From prime concerns like
safety, security, and environmental protection to convenient
functions like self cleaning or practical qualities like scratch
resistance or design aspects, the choices are many and varied.
Thermal insulation

Thermally insulating glass can be one of several desirable

properties such as maintenance, solar control, noise reduction,
decorative glass and enhanced safety and security.
Solar control
Solar control glass is glass designed to reduce or
prevent solar heating of buildings. There are
two approaches that can be used: the glass is either
tinted (coloured) throughout the
material (called a "body tint"), or else it has a
microscopically thin and transparent coating on
one side.It can be combined with many other
features for multifunctional glazing, such as
thermal insulation, self cleaning, noise reduction,
decorative glass and enhanced
safety and security.
Safety and security
To improve its resistance to impact and breakage,
glass can be either toughened or laminated,
depending on where and how it is being used.
Fire resistance
A range of fire-resistant glass types is available that offers increasing
levels of protection, which is measured in defined time periods (30,
60, 90, 120, 180 minutes). Fire-resistant glass must meet strict levels
of integrity and insulation, or integrity only which are set down by
European CE standards.

Noise control Decorative: interior design

Acoustically insulating Glass can transform living spaces
glazing can be a major and work environments. A wide
contributor to comfort levels range of effects, patterns and
in buildings and houses. Its colours allows interior designers
benefits are greatest for endless possibilities in look and
people living or working near atmosphere. Glass can be
busy high streets, urban combined with stone, wood or
traffic, motorways, railway metal for a strong visual and tactile
lines and airports, or on a effect
flight path
STRUCTURAL GLAZING
Surface Coatings On Glass
1. Off Line Coatings
• Off-line coatings are those which are applied to
individual panes of glass once the glass has been
manufactured and cut.
• The application of coatings, by dipping panes into
chemical solutions, drying and firing, or by evaporation
of metals on to glass surfaces under conditions of
vacuum, has been known for many years.
• This process is capable of giving a wide range of coatings
of different colours, reflectivities and thermal
properties.

• In magnetron sputtering, High speed coating process the

material to be sputtered is made the cathode of an electrical
circuit at 500 volts.
• Light transmission depends on the nature and thickness of
coating.
2. On Line Coatings
• On-line modifications are made while the glass is hot and
still in the annealing lehr.
• They may still be considered as basic products, and size and
tolerance constraints are similar to those for clear float
glass.
• They involve the thermal decomposition of gases, liquids or
powders sprayed on to the glass to form a metal oxide layer
which fuses to the surface.
• On-line coatings have advantages of hardness and durability
over off-line coatings and are suitable for bending and
toughening.
3. Dielectric Coatings

• These are composed of multi-layered coatings which

exhibit different colours by reflection and transmission as a
function of viewing angle.
4. Mirror Silvering
• Mirror silvering is a chemical process depositing a coating
of metal, mostly silver, on to the surface of clear glass.

• This deposit is usually protected by a layer of copper which

in turn is protected by a paint backing.

• The controlled use of stannic solution can produce

decorative 'oil-stain' patterns which can be painted with a
coloured transparent varnish.
USES OF GLASS
• Glass has a very wide field of Industrial
Applications;

For an Architect ;
• Glass is an indispensible architectural material.
In all the modern building including the high-rise
buildings, Glass curtain walls make the skyline.

For an Civil Engineer;

• It is one of the most important material for
construction which cannot be avoided.

For An Electrical Engineer;

• Glass is a useful insulating material in many situations,
and is also an essential material for making
tubes and valves.
For a Mechanical Engineer;
• Glass alone or in a composite material is an integral part
in automobiles and other locomotives including
Railway Wagons

To a Chemical Engineer;
• It is packaging material without any easy alternative.

• Glass finds its application from the kitchen of poor man

to most advanced scientific devices and in palatial building
and Cabinet Rooms. It can be made in varietiespossessing
a combination of mechanical, electrical, optical, and
chemical resistant properties that make
them ideal industrial Material for variety
of Applications.
Glass &
architecture

Advantages and disadvantages

advantages
• Use of glass adds beauty to the building. It makes it more
aesthetically pleasing.
• Installation of glass ensures ample supply of natural daylight
which makes the construction more sustainable Glass tends to have
great weather resistance. It shows no significant loss of quality due
to exposure to the weather conditions through all the seasons.
• Unlike metals, which are also used in building construction, glass
does not rust by exposure to humidity and air.
• Cleaning of glass is a rather easy when compared to other building
materials
• usage of glass ensures passage of natural light even when the
doors and windows are closed
• Glass is an excellent insulator against electricity.
• Adding to its natural aesthetical qualities, glass can be
manufactured in shades of various colours making it more
artistic
• It can be blown, drawn and pressed to any shape.
• It provides an ideal way to showcase a product due to its
100% transparency.
• Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly
without loss in quality or purity
• It has got no problem with UV degradation
• Glass has got Excellent abrasion resistance.(Borosilicate
glass –is chemically and mechanically durable)

• Glass shows high stability over a wide range of temperature

• It is unaffected by air, water and most of the acids.

• Its use fulfils the architectural view for external decoration

• By using glass in interior, it saves the space inside the

building

• Conserves heat and protects against outside barriers.

Disadvantages
• An expensive Material. So, increase the cost of building
• Breaks Easily, Very Rigid and Brittle
• When broken, the pieces may be sharp, injuries
• Less impact resistance
• It is affected by hydrofluoric acid.
• Use of glass also enhances the cost of security

• Glass is also unsafe for earthquake proven area

• Glass is poor in terms of heat preservation, leading to

higher costs in the operation of air-conditioners

• Glass absorbs heat and hence act as a greenhouse and

hence not suitable in warm and hot climates. It will increase
A\C load and more energy consideration for air
conditioning.
• Though many feel that once you provide glass in a building
façade, you are free from painting expenses for ever but this
is not fine. You may have to spend equally for cleaning of
glass. Sometimes it is as costly as external painting. Again,
you may paint building once in a 5 years but for glass you
have to clean every year

• Glare is a major problem in glass façade building

Alternatives to Glass

• Polycarbonate: This elastic is 300 times stronger than

glass, is resistant to most chemicals, is twice as lighter
than glass, has high abrasion and impact resistance. It
can transmit as much light as glass without many
distortions. Applications include window, green house
glazing etc.
Acrylic: Acrylic is made of thermo plasticsis weather resistant,
is 5 times stronger than glass but is prone to scratches. It has
excellent optics, is softer than glass but can accumulate a lot of
dust. This is extensively used in to make playhouses, green
house ,signages, gates,shelves etc.
• GRP (fibre glass panels) panels: GRP is manufactured by
combining hundreds of glass strands together using a
pigmented thermosetting UV resin.Glass-reinforced plastics
are also used to produce house building components such as
roofing laminate, canopies etc. The material is light and easy
to handle. It is used in the construction of composite housing
and insulation to reduce heat loss.
ETFE: Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene is a plastic with high
strength and corrosion resistance. It has high energy
radiation resistance properties, it is strong, self cleaning and
recyclable.
Glass in windows
There are nine types of Glasses used in windows:
• Obscure Glass
• Tinted Glass
• Tempered Glass
• Laminated Glass
• Stained Glass
• Reflective Glass
• Low E Glass Window
• Insulating glass
• Colored glass
Indian glass buildings
Glass house :lal bagh bangalore
Cybertecture egg , Mumbai
Infosys multiplex, Mysore
Software development
block,infosys
Infinity towers , Kolkata
Kohinoor Square,Mumbai
ONGC,mumbai