Experimental study on crack of float glass with different thicknesses exposed to radiant heating

Abstract

A series of experiments have been performed to study the breakage behavior of float glass. Time and temperature difference at the 1st breakage are the most important parameters to character the glazing behaviors. The temperature differences between the center of fire-exposing side and ambient side are calculated, the temperature differences between the center of fire-exposing side and the shaded region of ambient side are obtained too. The time at 1st crack is also recorded by the camera. It is indicated that the locations of the first crack by the radiation from heat radiating sources are different with the locations heated by the fire which generates the black smoke in the upper of the compartment. The 1st breakage time at thickness of 19mm could be longer than the other four thicknesses, while the time of glass at the 1st breakage with the thicknesses of 6mm, 10mm and 12mm are basically the same. The temperature differences could increase as increasing the thickness of glass. The results of the critical time and temperature difference are given as a reference value to predict the first fracture in engineering application. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.