BUILDING TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS VI

GLASS

Glass has been a fascinating material to humankind since it was first

made in about 500 BC.
At first thought to possess magical properties, glass has come a long way.
It is one of the most versatile and oldest materials in the building
industry.
From its humble beginnings as a window pane in luxury houses of Pompeii
to sophisticated structural members in new age buildings, its role in
architecture has evolved over the years.

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. Over the next 1,000 years glass making
spread through all of Europe and Middle East. In 7th century Anglo Saxon
glass was used in churches and cathedrals

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

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 BUILDING TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS VI

18th century. The examples of stunning patterns created by using colorful

glass are immortalized by great artists all over the [Link] Crown glass
process was used up to the mid-19th century. in the 19th century, flat /
sheet glass windows were used in making windows. These were
completely flat and did not have any optical distortions.

But 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.

HOW GLASS IS USED IN CONSTRUCTION

From the beginning of 20th century modern architecture has been

instrumental in mass production of concrete, glass and steel buildings in
the factories we call cities. This ideology helped accommodate housing
needs of the burgeoning middle class. Glass and steel construction have
become the symbol of development in many countries, where people tend
to see these buildings as symbols of affluence and luxury.

PRODUCTION OF GLASS

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 BUILDING TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS VI

Making glass is a very ancient process, with archaeological evidence of

glass making dating back to before 2500 BC. Once a rare and prized art,
manufacturing glass has become a common industry thanks to the
Pilkington process.

Traditionally glass was made by blowing liquid glass derived by melting

sand calcium oxide and sodium carbonate to extremely high temperatures
and the cooling the liquid to the desired shape. Since a few thousand
years the recipe to make glass has been the same. It’s just that its
properties can be enhanced by adding certain admixtures to the raw
materials or by providing suitable coating to meet different needs.

Pilkington process:

Large quantities of raw materials (clear sand, calcium oxide and sodium
carbonate)are brought to the glass production plant. They are then
weighed and mixed in the right proportion. Certain admixtures are added
to the batch to give the glass appropriate proprieties or color.

The mixture is then heated in a gas fired furnace or electric smelter, pot
furnace or kiln. Quartz sand without additives becomes glass at a
temperature of 2,300 degrees Celsius Adding sodium carbonate (soda)
reduces the temperature needed to make glass to 1,500 degrees Celsius.

A homogeneous mixture of molten glass is then formed. This mixture is

then floated on molten tin to form glass of desired thickness. After the hot
end of the process is over, the glass is set to cool. The way in which the
glass is cooled determines its strength. It has to be cooled after
maintaining a suitable temperature i.e. it has to be annealed. If it cooled
over an extremely short duration of time the glass can become too brittle
to handle. Annealing glass is critical to its durability

Glass making is an energy extensive process. One tonne of glass

production requires 4 gigajoules of energy. That is as much energy as a
wind mill produces in a day! This much energy can also be used to light
over 200 homes. (Albeit they are not constructed with glass)

PROPERTIES OF GLASS
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

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 BUILDING TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS VI

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.

Energy efficiency and acoustic control: Energy-efficient glazing is the term

used to describe the double glazing or triple glazing use in modern
windows in homes. Unlike the original single glazing or old double glazing,
energy-efficient glazing incorporates coated (low-emissivity) glass to
prevent heat escaping through the windows. The air barrier also enhances
acoustic control.

TYPES OF GLASS
Float Glass: Float glass is also called soda lime glass or clear glass. This is
produced by annealing the molten glass and is clear and flat. Its modulus
of rupture is 5000-6000 psi. Stronger than Rocky Balboa taking punches
from 2000 psi punches man Ivan Drago. It is available in standard
thickness ranging from 2mm to 20mm. and has weight range in 6-
26kg/m2. It has too much transparency and can cause glare. It is used in
making canopies, shop fronts, glass blocks, railing partitions, etc.

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.

Toughened Glass This type of glass is tempered, may have distortions and
low visibility but it breaks into small dice-like pieces at modulus of rupture
of 3600 psi. Hence it is used in making fire resistant doors etc. They are
available in same weight and thickness range as float glass.

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 BUILDING TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS VI

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.

Shatterproof 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

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.

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. Green, energy efficient glass can reduce this impact.

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

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.

Glass blocks: Hollow glass wall blocks are manufactured as two separate
halves and, while the glass is still molten, the two pieces are pressed
together and annealed. The resulting glass blocks will have a partial
vacuum at the hollow center. Glass bricks provide visual obscuration while
admitting light

PROPERTIES OF GLASS
Polycarbonate: This elastic is 300 times stronger than glass, is resistant to
most chemicals, is twice as lighter than class, 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 etc.

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 BUILDING TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS VI

GRP 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.

The versatility of glass keeps on increasing as scientists find new

applications to this wonder material. Glass is now being used in the
building industry as insulation material, structural component, external
glazing material, cladding material; it is used to make delicate looking
fenestrations on facades as well as conventional windows. With the
advent of green technology in construction, glass is constantly undergoing
transformation. Solar power glass, switchable glass projection screens are
a few of the newer uses. This is one material to look out for!

SKNCOA AR. KALYANI NILESH JUNANKAR