Diss Piscitelli LorenzoRuggero

Serviceability and post-failure behaviour
of laminated glass structural elements
Dissertation
submitted to the
Department of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences

University of Braunschweig – Institute of Technology
and the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

University of Florence
in candidacy for the degree of a

Doktor-Ingenieur (Dr.-Ing.) /
Dottore di Ricerca Civil and Environmental Engineering *)
by
Lorenzo Ruggero Piscitelli
born 8 March 1986
from Bagno a Ripoli, Italy
2018
*) Either the German or the Italian form of the title may be used.
Dottorato di ricerca in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Ciclo XXX, novembre 2014 - Ottobre 2017
Settore Scientifico Disciplinare ICAR/09
Dott. Lorenzo Ruggero Piscitelli
Tutor:
Prof. Maurizio Orlando
Prof. Harald Kloft
Prof. Giovanna Ranocchiai
Coordinatore del dottorato:
Prof. Fabio Castelli
Acknowledgements:
These pages are the result of a long time combined effort of many individuals.
Perhaps, some of them are unaware of the significance and impact of their
contributions on my work and education as a whole; it is now a privilege for me to
release my feelings of profound gratitude to all of them.
To Prof. Orlando, “Maurizio”, as you invited me to call you since day one, for the
abiding support, advices and guidance. You’ve been the driver of my academic
experience since 2009, I could never have wished for a better mentor.
To Prof. Giovanna Ranocchiai, for all the essential contributions to this work, for
the time you always found to help me when I needed the most and for your
unfailing assistance.
To Prof. Harald Kloft for the interest you showed immediately on this topic and
your support during the many months spent at the ITE in Braunschweig.
To Marco Casucci for being the best co-worker a Ph. D student could ever dream
for: curious, proactive, exceptionally resourceful and totally dedicated. I hope our
paths may cross again very soon.
To Saverio Giordano, for sharing a lifetime of experience over the last… many
years! I will try to treasure and put to good use everything that you left me.
To Enzo Barlacchi and Franco Bruni, for always going the extra mile for me; I look
forward to working again side by side with the both of you.
To the research team in Milano: Prof. Luigi Biolzi for your precious guidance; to
Prof. Sara Cattaneo for having me constantly involved in absolutely anything
exciting taking place and for going above and beyond in supporting my work; to
Gabriele D’Incertopadre and Luca Marini, for the precious help throughout many
months of tests and data analysis; to Nicola Piazzolla and Daniele Spinelli for the
joyful moments and their priceless assistance in the everyday life of the laboratory.
Also, my work would not have been possible without the precious contributions
and support of many colleagues: Antonino “Ninni” Marra, Tommaso Massai,
Andrea Giachetti, Enzo Marino, Luca Salvatori, Alessandro Giusti and Luca
Pigolotti. There is an inestimable value in knowing that you can always find the
right answer at the right time, I am grateful for all your help and suggestions.
Thank you my dearest friends, you know who you are, I’m blessed to count you on
both hands. Thank you to my family, thank you “Nonna”, for teaching me the
respect for other people’s work, the value of collaboration over competition, the
importance of taking the time for a break when things get tense, for sitting together
to share a meal… and five more minutes for a coffee.
i
ii
“What do we mean by “understanding” something?
We can imagine that this complicated array of moving
things which constitutes “the world” is something like a
great chess game being played by the gods, and we are
observers of the game. We do not know what the rules of the
game are; all we are allowed to do is to watch the playing.
Of course, if we watch long enough, we may eventually
catch on to a few of the rules. The rules of the game are
what we mean by fundamental physics. Even if we knew
every rule, however, we might not be able to understand
why a particular move is made in the game, merely because
it is too complicated and our minds are limited. If you play
chess you must know that it is easy to learn all the rules,
and yet it is often very hard to select the best move or to
understand why a player moves as he does.
So it is in nature, only much more so.” 1
Richard Phillips Feynman 2
1
Basic Physics, volume I; lecture 2, Introduction published by Jeffrey Robbins
in "The Value of Science", part of the National Academy of Sciences.
2
Richard Phillips Feynman, New York on the 11 May 1918, Los Angeles 15
February 1988, American physicist, Nobel prize in physics 1965. To the
exceptional skills in many physics and science fields, he combined a sense of
humour out of the ordinary, the passion for music and arts. He defined himself
as a “Nobelist Physicist, teacher, storyteller, bongo player".
iii
INDEX
Index iv
Abstract vi
Workflow of the thesis vii
List of Acronyms ix
1 Structural glass introduction 1

1.1 Materials 5
1.1.1 Glass 6
1.1.2 Interlayer materials 10
1.1.3 Adhesion between glass and interlayers 17
2 State-of-the-art and aim of the research 19

2.1 Shortcomings in the regulatory framework 20
2.2 Scientific literature overview 23
2.2.1 Properties of interlayers used for LG 23
2.2.2 LG models and full-scale experimental analyses 30
2.2.3 Reinforced LG 33
2.2.4 Pre-stressed LG 36
2.2.5 Post-failure LG performance 39
2.3 Aim of the research 41
3 Mechanics 43
3.1 Elasticity 43
3.1.1 Linear elasticity 44
3.1.2 Non-linear elasticity (hyperelasticity) 44
3.1.3 Time-dependent linear elasticity (linear viscoelasticity) 50
3.2 Plasticity 58
3.2.1 Viscoplasticity 59
3.3 Adhesive bonds 60
4 Experimental tests 63
4.1 Short-term tensile properties of interlayers 63
4.1.1 Design and aim of tensile tests 64
4.1.2 Experimental results 65
4.2 Long-term viscoelastic properties of interlayers 72
4.2.1 Aim and design of tests 72
4.2.2 Preliminary tests and highlights 76
4.2.3 Performed tests 84
4.2.4 Experimental results and first data analysis 86
4.3 Progressive damage in Laminated Glass beams 93
4.3.1 Purpose of tests 94
4.3.2 Design and setup 95
4.3.3 Experimental results 103
4.3.4 Uniaxial tests on fully damaged LG specimens 113
iv
5 Critical analysis and discussion 117
5.1 Interlayer properties 117
5.1.1 Short-term properties of interlayers 117
5.1.2 Viscoelastic properties of interlayers in LG 131
5.1.3 Temperature-depentent adhesive properties 151
5.2 Post-failure properties of LG 154
5.2.1 Analysis of the tension-stiffening effect 154
5.2.2 Dynamic tests 155
5.2.3 Equivalent thermal expansion model 158
5.2.4 Fully damaged LG models 162
5.2.5 Delamination and TS effect 166
5.2.6 Synthesis of post failure LG properties 167
6 Applications 169
6.1 Cold-bent glazing 169
6.1.1 Design hypotheses and material properties 170
6.1.2 Design procedure and verifications 172
6.1.3 Results, design options and interlayers comparison 175
6.2 Post-failure analysis of a LG element 177
6.2.1 Data, constraints and parameters 178
6.2.2 Validation of the numerical model 180
6.2.3 Verifications and design 181
7 Thesis and developments 185

7.1 Conclusions of the research 185
7.2 Open topics for future investigations 188
Appendix A 195
Appendix B 199
Appendix C 202
Appendix D 206
Appendix E 207
Appendix F 208
Appendix G 209
Appendix H 214
Appendix I 215
Index of figures 217

Index of tables 221
References 222
v
ABSTRACT
Structural laminated glass elements are being used ever more frequently in the
construction industry, following a growing architectural trend that looks for light and
transparency. Nevertheless, an analysis of both regulatory and scientific state-of-the-art
reveals several fields of inquiry which could benefit from deeper investigations. Namely,
properties of plastics used as interlayer materials within the glass plies are scarcely
investigated, professionals being far from unanimous on reliable techniques for
comparing different materials on the same grounds. Yet, such knowledge is needed for
reliable designs, especially in structural applications.
This manuscript presents the results of a multi-scale experimental research on the
mechanical response of three interlayers: PVB, SG and DG41. The former has been the
standard in glass lamination industry, while the latter two are more recent and
supposedly more performing from a mechanical point of view. The hyperelastic
behaviour is studied with simple tensile tests on interlayer specimens; in the end, a novel
generalized response model is proposed, which can be tuned to replicate the complex
short-term and finite-strain response of any thermoplastic using few coefficients. Also,
viscoelastic parameters of interlayers play an essential role in the global long-term
laminated glass elements response. The temperature-dependent viscoelastic problem is
investigated on a larger scale, using double-lap laminated glass joints under compressive
loadings. Tests were performed on specimens made of three glass plies under long-term
imposed actions in a temperature range between and . An existing procedure
was further developed, to provide insight on both creep and relaxation properties.
Finally, calibrated Prony series for viscoelastic models are provided together with
Williams Landel Ferry coefficients for time-temperature superposition, allowing to model
the viscoelastic responses of the three interlayer materials at arbitrary temperatures.
Limits and reliability of such models are discussed; simplified and ready-to use tables are
provided. An analysis on the correlation between mechanical actions and loss of
adhesion is performed.
The third-level of the experimental analyses investigates the mechanical behaviour of
progressively damaged, full-scale laminated glass beams. Risk analyses followed by fail-
safe designs are often mentioned by standards and technical documents, but few studies
have been carried out on the post-failure performance and effects of laminated beams
made with tempered glass plies. After partial failure, the load-bearing capacity depends
on the interlayers ability to generate coupling effects among fractured and undamaged
glass elements through adhesion and its own mechanical properties. Results from
dynamic and static tests are compared and the tension stiffening effect of interlayers in
partially damaged elements is investigated. An equivalent thermal expansion is proposed
to model the mutual effects which are generated among broken and intact plies in the
event of partial failure. Further tests have been carried out in fully damaged conditions,
to evaluate the residual load-bearing capacity and the effects of ageing such conditions.
Uniaxial tensile and compressive test on fully damaged laminated glass specimens are
performed. Results are used to model the response of fully damaged beams.
In the last part of the manuscript, examples of application of newly found results are
used in possible laminated glass structural designs: applications are provided for cold-
bending techniques and post-failure safety assessments.
vi
WORKFLOW OF THE THESIS
CHAPTER · I CHAPTER · II
Structural LG Introduction State-Of-The-Art
Discussion on fields of applications Regulatory and scientific review regarding
for LG with an introduction to properties of interlayers, models and
main components and features theories used for LG design and
advancements on assessing post-failure
performance
Aim Of The Research

problem statement and methodology used
for the research
CHAPTER · IV
Experimental Tests
Short-term tensile properties of
1. interlayers and strain rate influence.
Investigation on long-term viscous effects

CHAPTER · III 2. developing at constant shear stress/strain
Mechanics within LG.
A mathematical review of parts of
theories of elasticity, plasticity and Post-failure response of LG beams and
adhesion that are useful for the 3. emergence of the “tension stiffening”
analyses effect from adherent glass fragments.
CHAPTER · V
Critical Analysis And Discussion
Results gathered with experimental tests are discussed in light of existing
mathematical formulations. The scope of empirical evidence is extended
with new or adapted models for interlayer materials and study is provided
on post-failure effects and performance of damaged LG elements.
CHAPTER · VI CHAPTER · VII

Applications Conclusions
New findings are used in two practical A synthesis of the main findings of this
LG design situations, to highlight the work, contextualized to the existing
scope of the results within the existing scientific landscape.
regulatory framework.
Developments
Proposals for future investigations and
open questions in this field of research.
vii
viii
LIST OF ACRONYMS
DEM Discrete Element Model

DG41 DG structural PVB interlayer®, Saflex (Eastman Chemical Co. subsidiary)
DH damp heat
DOI domain of influence (method) (cfr. §5.1.2.4 and Appendix I)
EET enhanced effective thickness (model)
EPP elastic perfectly plastic
ESM equivalent stiffness model (cfr. §5.2.1)
ETEM equivalent thermal expansion model (cfr. §5.2.3)
EVA ethylene vinyl acetate
FDLG fully damaged laminated glass
FE finite elements
FFT fast Fourier transform
GFRP glass fibre reinforced polymers
GR generalized response (model) (cfr. §5.1.1.2)
HE hyperelastic / hyperelasticity (i.e. non-linear elastic theory)
HEVP hardening elastic viscoplastic
HT R. N. Haward and G. Thackray
IP ionoplast polymer
LE linear elastic / linear elasticity
LEFM linear elastic fracture mechanics
LG laminated glass
LVE linear viscoelastic / linear viscoelasticity
MOR modulus of resistance
MR Mooney-Rivlin
NH neo-Hookean
NLVE non-linear viscoelastic / non- linear viscoelasticity
PDLG partially damaged laminated glass
PV photovoltaic
PVB polyvinyl butyral
PVP perfectly viscoplastic / perfect viscoplasticity
RH relative humidity
SED strain energy density
SG SentryGlas® (previously known as SGP “SentryGlas® Plus”), Kuraray Ltd.
SLS serviceability limit state
TCT through crack tensile (test)
TS tension stiffening
TSSA transparent structural silicon adhesive
ULG undamaged laminated glass
ULS ultimate limit state
WLF Williams Landel Ferry (equation)
ix
x
A mio padre,
per il significato che ha dato

all’impegno, al sacrificio e all’onestà.
xi
Chapter 1 – Structural Glass Introduction
1 STRUCTURAL GLASS INTRODUCTION
The use of glass in the construction industry has been a part of human
culture from centuries. Nonetheless, despite numerous advantages, glass and
architecture inherently have to deal with compromises. While glass is stiff, it
is brittle, although beautiful, it is costly. This first chapter introduces to the
topic of architectural glass and issues related to glass design, contextualizing
the aim of this manuscript and purpose of the presented researches.
“Don't build a glass house if you're worried about saving money on heating.”
~Philip Johnson
Throughout history of building and construction, glass has always been a material
fascinating both designers and the collective imagination. The research of light and
transparency seems to be inborn in human kind and is often associated to healthy
environments and high quality of life [1–3]. In fact, transparent or translucent
elements in buildings are key for connecting interiors to natural lighting, allowing
for natural environments heating through infrared radiation [4,5].
While in past centuries glass has been used in relatively small portions of buildings
facades, gradual technical evolutions have allowed transparent elements to
dominate most of the outer “skin” of buildings. This continuing transformation
eventually redefined our very perception of many recent large structures with a
feeling lightness, harmoniousness and environmental compatibility (Figure 1.1).
Even so, while detailed properties of glass will be discussed in §1.1.1, it is well-
known that brittleness and unpredictable failure are inherent features in the nature
of this material. To allow for a safe use of glass in buildings (that has to do both
with the perception of safety and structural safety itself), committing it to
increasingly more demanding structural tasks, designers have to deal this
fundamental Achilles' heel.
Figure 1.1 - a) North Rose of Notre Dame (Paris), 1270, still considered one of the largest
windows in the world with its 13.1 m diameter b) The Crystal Palace (London), 1850,
largest a cast-iron and plate-glass structure ever built c) International Forum glass canopy
(Tokyo), 1997, among the first structural applications of laminated glass.
The invention of Laminated Glass (LG) by the beginning of the last century, with a
French Patent filed in France in 1902 1 , was an essential milestone in glass
1
Patent 321.651, filed in May the 31st 1902 by the “société anonyme Le Carbone”, describing the
process of applying a layer of celluloid on a glass object, through immersion and drying, to reduce
the fragility of glass and shattering of fragments uprising from failure.
1/237
architecture: a turning point in shifting the role of glass elements from carried to
self-sustained and eventually to structural ones [6]. In a nutshell, the lamination
process consists in coupling glass plies to polymers which are generally –but not
always- required transparency and must have prominent adhesive properties with
the surface of glass. The main task of the polymer is to secure glass fragments in
case of glass breakage, avoiding the scattering of potentially harmful shards.
Beyond to this original intent of mere fragments-retaining property, the concept
appeared to provide containing capacity to a glazing element, preventing to some
extent the perforation of colliding bodies [7]. Moreover, assembling many glass
plies in such arrays soon highlighted the structural coupling ability of interlayers,
namely that the resistance and stiffness of LG elements is greater than the sum of
the resistance and stiffness of the glass plies comprising this composite material.
While these features were observed ever since the invention of LG, nowadays,
more than a century later, the fundamental understanding and modelling of these
effects is still an ongoing research field.
Architectural LG usage has progressively extended from secondary elements (e.g.
windows and curtain walls) to structural elements with significant load-bearing
capacity. Nowadays applications of structural LG include floors, stairs, balconies,
canopies, point glazing systems, curtain walls, beams, pillars, sloped and overhead
glazing and essentially any glazing application in which glass is required to be safe
in case of failure and to be able to bear a substantial amount of load.
The architectural research for transparency has historically set the high road for
external glazing and see-through façades, focusing on connecting the interior to the
external environment. Figure 1.2 shows the evolution of the concept of seamless
transparent façades and environmental connection in twenty years, interpreted by
the design engineering firm Rice Francis Ritchie (RFR). In many recent buildings,
with increasingly higher knowledge and confidence on LG resources, planar glass
surfaces are progressively losing ground to curved, sinuous, shapes, aiming to
impart a sense of delicateness and harmony.
Figure 1.2 - a) & b) Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie greenhouses and reception, Parc de
la Villette, Paris, RFR 1986 c) new TGV railway station in Strasburg, RFR-SNCF 2007
This increasing awareness and reliance on LG properties is helping architects and
engineers to bridge the gap from viewing glass merely as an external interface, to a
proper construction material. Numerous examples of practical LG applications can
nowadays be found in staircases, internal walls, balustrades and walkable areas.
Taking to extremes this general tendency are concepts like the one shown in Figure
1.3 from santambrogiomilano architects, where all traditional structural elements
have been replaced with LG counterparts, designed allow the occupant to be
entirely immersed in the natural scenery. Nonetheless, apart from these
architectural virtuosity exercises and touristic niches, arguably the housing market
not nearly close enough to wild transitions like the ones showcased in such
concepts. Besides, offices and public buildings often chose to actively rely on
2/237
transparent architectures to instil in the general public or potential customers the

analogous sensation of transparency in relation to their conduct and behaviour. An
architectural choice that was overtly guided by that philosophy was the design of
the renovated Reichstag (seat of German parliament) by N. Foster in 1999:
“Some come to see democracy in action, but most come to wander up through the
lofty glass and metal dome that crowns it. […] The glass dome above the assembly
symbolizes a transparent government and that the republic’s people are above it.”2
Figure 1.3 - “The Snow House” concept by Santambrogio & Arosio a) exterior b) interior
Over the past decades, an increase in the demand of structural load bearing glass
elements has occurred [8], stimulating the formation of an organic institutional and
regulatory framework. Transparent glass structures are required serviceability
conditions, granting that the failure of any glass element does not turn out into an
unexpected collapse of the structure and that sufficient load bearing capacity is
available until substitution or evacuation (fail-safe response). From a
standardization point of view, Europe is long time awaiting the approval of a
dedicated Eurocode 3 on glass products and design, which is expected to be a
cornerstone in glass industry. Aiming to fill this regulations void, provisional
norms have been issued, namely prEN13474 4 and later prEN16613 5 , ultimately
dividing the LG market in two macro-sectors: laminated glass and laminated
2
2015, Michael Abrams, Photographer and journalist for Stars and Stripes (www.stripes.com).
3
A series of 10 Standards on different topics, providing a common approach for the design of
buildings and other civil engineering works and construction products. For issues that are
contained within its regulatory framework, Eurocodes are the recommended means of giving a
presumption of conformity with the basic requirements of the Construction Products Regulation
for construction works and products that bear the CE Marking, as well as the preferred reference
for technical specifications in public contracts.
4
prEN13474 “Glass in buildings, Design of glass panes” was the first European attempt to supply
the glass professional and designers with general principles on the design of structural glass
elements. The document was divided in three parts:
 prEN13474-1 “Basis of design for glass”, January 1999,
 prEN13474-2 “Design for uniformly distributed loads”, February 2000,
 prEN13474-3 “Calculation of strength and load resistance of glass”, 2005, updated 2009.
While the general philosophy of the document was in accordance with the Eurocodes, the norm
never saw a final approval and was ultimately replaced by prEN16612.
5
prEN16612 “Glass in buildings” resumed the earlier regulatory attempt of prEN13474 in recent
years, with the final aim to issue a dedicated Eurocode for glass design. The document is divided
in two sections:
 prEN16612-2013 “Determination of the strength of glass panes by calculation and testing”,
 prEN16613-2013 “Laminated glass and laminated safety glass”.
To this day, this document has not yet received final approval.
3/237
safety glass: the first, doesn’t require safety properties and can be used for acoustic
isolation or decorative purposes, while the latter is required safety with respect of
the adhesion of glass fragments to the interlayers and the ability to withstand the
impact of colliding bodies according to standardized procedures. Lacking a strong
central coordination, the regulatory framework on glass production and design has
followed different - sometimes divergent - paths among European countries. Some
have interpreted and reused part of the provisions of American6 and Australian7
standards, which arguably are some of the most organic attempts to a
comprehensive regulation body. A list of applicable country-based regulations and
technical documents follows:
 AS 1288-2006, Australia (2006),
 DIN 18008, Germany (parts 1/2/3/4 2010-2013, parts 5/6/7 in preparation),
 CSTB 3574, France (2011),
 CNR-DT210/2013, Italy (2013),
 ÖNORM B 3716, Austria (2016),
 ASTM E 1300, US (2016).
Alongside those and other documents, which are openly attempting a wide-
ranging approach to issues related to glass design and production, lives a crowded
universe of standards (ISO, EN, VDA, DIN, ETSI, etc.), regulating different aspects
related to glazing. An extensive description of these norms, along with their Italian
UNI EN counterparts, was made in a recent work by M. Blascone [9].
An outlook on the LG market can be obtained using Google Trends8 for the query
“laminated glass” (Figure 1.4). Results show a decreasing trend which has been
stable for almost a decade, with higher peaks around 2004-2006. Small and rich
emerging countries are leading the sector interest along with developed markets 9.
100
80
60
40
20
Figure 1.4 – worldwide interest in time for the query “laminated glass”
6
ASTM E 1300 “Standard Practice for Determining Load Resistance of Glass in Buildings” for
the US, currently used throughout the United States and parts of Canada.
7
AS1288-2006 “Glass in buildings” prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New
Zealand Committee BD-007, Glazing and Fixing of Glass, to supersede AS 1288—1994.
8
A web facility of Google Inc., based on Google Search, that shows how often a particular search-
term is entered relative to the total search-volume across various regions of the world.
9
On a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 indicates the location with the highest frequency of search in
proportion to the total number of searches in that location: Singapore (100), Australia (63), Hong
Kong (63), U.A.E. (57), New Zeland (52), Malaysia (45), U.K. (42), South Africa (37), Philippines
(24), U.S. (20), Canada (19), India (17), etc. [updated November 2017]
4/237
1.1 MATERIALS
LG products are assemblies of several glass plies, two at the very least, bound
together with adhesive polymers. These plastic sheets are usually one order of
magnitude thinner than the glass plies, and for their inner position among the
composite material are usually referred to as “interlayers” 10.
Lamination was introduced in the automotive and aeronautical industries for the
assembly of forward windshields, to prevent the scattering of sharp shards upon
glass failure from inducing likely lethal injuries to pilots and drivers. As the first
safety glass with cellulose interlayer turned yellow in a few years of light exposure,
the bonding layer was replaced in 1933 by cellulose acetate, made from the
reaction of cotton with acetic acid [10]. By 1939 this was again replaced by the
cheaper polyvinyl butyral (PVB), which has then dominated the marked up to this
day. Almost one century later, despite major improvements in manufacturing
processes and increasingly more options for polymers to be used as interlayers, the
basic concept of glass lamination has not yet been revolutionized: New LG
products now conquering the construction industry are conceptually comparable
to the earliest elements in cars and other means of transport.
Polymer/glass laminates are employed when safety and security preclude the use
of monolithic glass [11]. Contrary to monolithic glass elements, these composite
materials gain some level of impact resistance and ability to dissipate energy [12–
16], along with post failure load bearing capacity. These and other properties, most
of which are yet to be adequately modelled and understood, are always
accompanied by the ability to hold glass fragments: a property connected to the
adhesive properties of the glass/interlayers interface which is the first unalienable
requisite of LG products.
Intuitively, the properties of LG composites derive from the properties of the
comprising materials11. In the following paragraphs, a general overview of the key
features and properties of the individual materials is presented. Bearing in mind
the scope of this work, which is aimed primarily towards the use of transparent
glass elements in construction industry from a civil engineering point of view, the
reader should not be surprised not to find adequate mention of some among the
known and important properties of the materials. For instance, optical or thermal
transmittance properties of glass and interlayers will not be mentioned at all, while
only a general overview of the fracture mechanics is discussed. Should the reader
require more insight on those topics, references are provided to exhaustive
scientific literature works.
Modelling the mechanical properties of LG from a structural engineering point of
view is no easy task. To showcase some of the most relevant phenomena, the
following scheme provides a broad overview of models and key properties that
need to be mastered to perform a reliable and cost-effective LG design, divided for
the three key fields of inquiry:
10
from latin intĕr : in the middle, in the midst. As in: “situated between layers”.
11
In most applications, two materials are used: one type of glass and one of interlayer.
Nevertheless, specific designs may require or suggest the adoption of several glass types, diverse
interlayers or the embedding of instruments and various devices [309–311].
5/237
Glass Interface Interlayer

 Hookean elasticity  delamination$  viscoleasticity†‡
 toughness‡$  chemical bonds strength†  hyperelasticity†
 fracture mechanics  boundary stress distribution  viscoplastic flow†‡
 cross-linking effect†
 tension stiffening*†‡
While dependable models are known to understand and predict the response of
glass elements, much work has yet to be done to improve knowledge on the
mechanics of most interlayer materials and properties of the interface.
1.1.1 GLASS
Glass is a non-crystalline solid which is often transparent. As a material category,
glass is often described as a supercooled liquid: amorphous solid whose formation
depends upon the kinetics in the cooling from its liquid form. As a result, glass do
not have a sharp melting point: gradually softening from a solid state to a state
which can be described as a viscous liquid [17].
At ambient temperature ( ) silicate glass 12 used in architectural
applications [18,19] have properties typical of the solid state. Glass is a resourceful
building material: it is permeable to light but impermeable to fluids and solids, it is
recyclable [20,21], made of some of the most abundant substances on earth’s crust
[22] and has a reasonably low thermal conductivity 13 [23].
Optical properties of glass 14 are linked to the interactions of electromagnetic
radiations [24]. Glass absorbs about 4% of the radiation in the visible spectrum 15
(but molecules may be tuned with metal oxides to absorb specific frequencies,
resulting in coloured glass [25]). Glass is mostly impermeable to ultraviolet and far
infrared radiation, for the presence of ions and groups - respectively.
Glass is a liquid around and a solid near .; in-between, it behaves like
a viscous fluid. Being a poor thermal conductor, a rapid cooling of the outer
surface does not transfer instantly to the inner core. This temperature differential,
coupled with the thermal expansion properties, may result in a peculiar stress
pattern, discovered in the early 17th century 16 [26]. This phenomenon can be
* only for post-failure, † temperature-dependent, ‡ time-dependent $ climatic-conditions dependent.

12
Where silicon dioxide is the principal component ( ), principal others and usual
concentrations being sodium oxide ( ), calcium oxide ( ),
magnesium oxide ( ) and aluminium oxide ( ) [28]. To follow up on
the chemical composition of glass cfr. [5,6,24,63,268].
13
Compared to metals, stone, masonry and regular concrete (i.e. non-lightweight).
14
Reflection, refraction, absorption, scatter, etc.
15 Even the purest of silicate glass is not perfectly transparent and colourless. It is not enough to
choose materials produced with synthetic techniques or the purest natural ones: some elements,
like iron and chromium, can slightly colour the material even in trivial quantities. To obtain a fully
colourless element, specific bleach substances must be added to the blend, correcting the tonality
either with a complementary colour superposition principle or chemical oxidation-reduction of the
original colouring element (e.g. iron has a much higher colouring power if it belongs to a reduced
state than in an oxidised one).
16
Prince Rupert's drops, also known as Batavian tears, are made of a silicate glass of a high
thermal expansion coefficient and have the shape of a tadpole [312].
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harnessed to improve the mechanical properties of many glass products through a

process called “thermal tempering”.
Glass sheets are nowadays produced through an industrial process developed by
A. Pilkington and K. Bickerstaff in the 1950s17, resulting in seamless “float glass”
elements that is later cut to pieces. During the cooling process, strong eigenstresses
may remain within the glass plies; for this reason, an annealing process 18 is carried
out in special furnaces at controlled temperatures to relieve internal stresses. “Float
glass” sold on the market are always annealed according to standard procedures
(for simplicity and to avoid redundant terminology, the term “annealed” will not
be mentioned here on after). Standard glass thicknesses range from to
(Table 1.1) [27,28] (although most manufacturer are able to produce only up to 19
mm thick elements, and exceptions can be found with thickness up to ). The
maximum size of the plies depends on manufacturing and transportation
capability of the manufacturers, the largest elements produced are usually
[29] (the latter being the width of the float bath).
Table 1.1 - standard glass plies sizes and thicknesses in construction indstry
float (annealed) strengthened tempered
†
thicknesses[mm] 2-25 4-12 4-19*
‡
maximum size [m m] 3.21 6.0 2.8 6.0 2.8 6.0
†
standards for most manufacturers are 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 19 mm
‡
often referred to as the “Jumbo” size.
*
most manufacturers recommend 6-19 mm thickness for tempering.
Chemical bonds comprising glass elements are extremely strong, in a way,

comparable to the bonds found in the strongest metal alloys [19] (over , but
by estimates of the theoretical strength of flawless glass are as much as
[30]). Glass is a stiff and perfectly elastic material up to the ultimate failure, with a
Young modulus around (about 30% the stiffness of steel used in the
construction industry). Alas, contrary to metals for which plastic deformations
precede the ultimate failure, the structure of glass is unable to rearrange its atomic
dislocations in a ductile manner, thus the intrinsic brittleness [31]. Mechanical
properties of glass, namely its tensile strength, are dependent on microscopical
scratches and imperfections on the surface 19. At the tip of those imperfections,
stresses concentrate and can easily initiate the propagation of cracks [32]. To
enhance this tensile strength, several approaches can be attempted [33]:
 reduce the severity of surface flaws,
 controlled environment near the crack tip,
 polymeric coatings to reduce surface abrasion,
 induced surface compression.
17
Sir Alastair Pilkington and Kenneth Bickerstaff, pioneered the technique in St Helens,
Merseyside in 1952. In this “float glass production process” (also known as the “Pilkington
process”), molten glass rests on top a bed of molten metal, entering as a liquid around 1000°C and
exits as a solid, at about 600°C. The cooling must be carefully controlled up to 450°C and can be
sped up successively. This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and very flat surfaces. Due to
this technique, glass plies have a “tin” side (because tin is often used as molten metal, but other
metals can be chosen) and an “air” side, with slightly different properties.
18
Process of slowly cooling hot glass after they have been formed.
19
Often named ‘‘Griffith flaws’’, in the order of a few micrometers, produced during handling by
the manufacturer as well as the user in ordinary ambient conditions.
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While the first three approaches aim to reduce the various coefficients in fracture
mechanics models [34–36], the introduction of surface compression remains the
easiest, more reliable and cost-effective method for glass strengthening. Tempering
and toughening processes were developed to induce compressive actions in the
outer surface of glass, with an equilibrating tensile stresses in the inner part of the
material, which is not affected by the same vulnerability to superficial defects
[32,37]. This has beneficial effects in the overall tensile resistance, as it is mainly a
function of stress concentrations around the imperfections. Tempering can be
obtained either with a thermal process or a chemical one20: while thermal tempered
products can be “fully tempered” or “thermally toughened”(essentially, a lighter
form of thermal tempering), building codes only contemplate one type of
chemically tempered product (Table 1.2). Other properties of interest for glass
design are collected in Table 1.3.
Table 1.2 - characteristic tensile strength for glass (min. required [38])
float (annealed) MPa
thermally toughened MPa
thermally tempered MPa
chemically tempered MPa
The release of the eigenstresses, induced to enhance the performance of glass
elements with toughening or tempering, influences crack patterns and distribution
upon failure. Figure 1.6 shows how the relief of internal stress distributions may
result in widespread shattering patterns upon glass failure.
Figure 1.5 - stress distribution in chemically or thermal tempered (or toughened) glass
Cracks propagate in glass at the about speed of sound in the material21. From a
20
The French Francois Barthelemy Alfred Royer de la Bastie is credited with first developing a
method of thermal glass tempering in 1874 [313]. Nonetheless, inadvertent effects of glass
tempering had been already observed in the past (cfr. footnote 16 p.6). Thermal tempering consists
in re-heating the glass above its softening point (620-675°C) and following rapid cooling via
compressed air jets. Because of the fast cooling the outer surface contracts while the core remains
partially molten. When the core finally cools down, it must deal with a rigid outer surface that is
therefore pulled toward the center and becomes tightly compressed.
In the chemical strengthening process, alkali-containing glass are immersed in an electrically
heated bath of alkali salt . During the bath, an ion exchange occurs between the host alkali
ions of glass and invading ions from the salt. Because the invading ions are larger in size than the
original ones, the resultant stuffing in the near-rigid atomic network of glass leads to the
development of high surface compression and balancing by interior tension, whose distribution
depends on the diffusion depth and glass thickness [33].
21
The assumption in fracture mechanics is that the propagation of cracks occurs when the rate of
energy return from fracture is greater than the energy necessary to create new surfaces. Once this
happens, the incremental fracture energy grows while the incremental surface energy stays the
same, and the system is unstable. Crack will then propagate "as fast as possible", which for an ideal
continuous media is the speed of sound. Other works [35] used high-speed photography to reveals
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safety-perspective, large fragments produced by failure of float annealed elements

have sharper edges and greater mass. On the other hand, small tempered glass
shards can rely upon a very limited surface for to adhering to an eventual
substrate. Moreover, experimental evidence showed that a significant number of
small glass fragments are expelled at high speed upon bending -induced failure of
partially damaged glass elements.
Table 1.3 – list of the main properties of glass useful for LG design
property unit value
density
tensile resistance
compressive resistance
Young modulus
Poisson coefficient
Hardness
Toughness
Thermal conductivity
coefficient of thermal expansion
maximum working temperature 280
Figure 1.6 – typical failure patterns for a) annealed, b) heat-strenghtened and c) fully
tempered glass (Overend, 2007 [39])
Figure 1.7 - tempered glass fragments expelled upon bending-induced failure (Laboratorio
Strutture, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy 2017)
that cracks can spread through glass at speeds of hundreds of meters per second, or roughly half the
speed of sound in glass.
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As tempered glass products can be installed on very high buildings, it is useful to

estimate of the terminal velocity and energy of free-falling fragments. Evidence
showed that the size of tempered glass fragments is about the thickness of the ply.
For a free-falling glass cube, the terminal velocity 22 in air is
carrying a kinetic energy around , which is hardly harmful, let alone deadly.
1.1.2 INTERLAYER MATERIALS
Interlayers used in glass lamination are a class of synthetic resin material, able to
form strong and reliable chemical bonds with the surface of glass 23. The formation
of these chemical bonds is generally made possible in an autoclave 24, under set
conditions of pressure and temperature. The interlayers used in safety laminates
are typically made from relatively thick polymer sheets, including complex, multi-
component compositions based on poly(vinyl butyral), poly(urethane), and
ethylene vinyl acetate or ionomer copolymers [40].
Since 1939, in the early days of glass lamination, PVB has undisputedly dominated
the interlayer market for almost eighty years [11,41–44]. Nonetheless, the
increasing demand for high-performance architectural LG and specific applications
has pushed the breakthrough of new products [45–48]. Thus, the present
interlayers panorama is much more diverse than it used to be no more than ten
years ago. While ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and other vinyl-ester polymers seem
to dominate the market of photovoltaic (PV) laminates25, polycarbonates [49–51]
and ionoplast polymers (IP) and modified-PVB blends [52–55] all share a
significant part of the architectural LG market, along with the more traditional
PVB.
Interlayers are usually prepared in sheets with rough surfaces, required to prevent
blocking (i.e., the tendency of the interlayer to stick to itself prior to lamination
during transportation and handling). Rough surfaces are also beneficial for
preventing premature adhesion to other components of the laminate (glass), and
facilitating the expulsion of air bubbles during lamination [56]. The term “sheet” or
“monolithic sheet” or “monolithic interlayer” refers to a single layer of material
formed from the thermoplastic composition. Some interlayer sheets are produced
22
Terminal velocity where is the mass of the object, is gravity,
air density, is the external surface and the drag coefficient.
23
While most LG products assembled for architectural purposes have the interlayers positioned
within the glass plies (i.e. most of the external surface is glass), laminates may comprise a single
sheet of glass included among synthetic resin sheets. In this latter type of laminated safety glass
products, which constitutes a niche product and will not be further referenced or studied in this
manuscript, the surface of the synthetic resin sheet which is not laminated to the glass may
optionally be coated with or laminated to another synthetic polymeric material [56].
24
In most production lines, pre-assembled components are heated in a chamber filled with oil or
air to about and pressure of to to soften and fluidize the interlayer
sheets and cause them to adhere intimately to the glass panes. Nevertheless, vacuum-enhanced
[314] and non-autoclave [315] techniques have also been developed.
25
“Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) is still the market leader and standard encapsulation material for
solar cells […]. For a long time there have been no alternatives on the horizon, as finished
modules produced since the Nineties have a service life of at least 20 years and all series products
have to be certified. It is therefore difficult for other plastics to gain a foothold on the market if the
points in their favour are rarely measurable.” (Kuraray, 2009). Nevertheless, the research in PV
laminates has literally boomed in the last decade [316] and numerous researchers are dedicated
now more than ever to finding cheaper and more efficient products [101,317–319].
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by extrusion, which is a cost-effective procedure but requires low viscosity in the

melt state (see below). Stiffer interlayers are generally produced with casting
procedures, thus resulting in much more expensive final products. Most interlayer
sheets are supplied in thicknesses which are multiples of , which is often
the thickness of the product extruded from the melted compound. Single sheets
can be folded multiple times yielding the four traditional interlayer thicknesses
found on the market26: , , and . Except for some
niche products or resins used for decorative purposes, all of the most widespread
interlayers in architectural LG products materials are synthetic polymers.
Polymers (and copolymers) are a class of materials characterized by long chains of
covalently bonded macromolecules with a carbon atoms backbone [57,58]. While
Ceramic materials are comprised with ionic molecular bonds (i.e. the strongest
molecular interaction) and metal alloys mostly rely on bonds between
electropositive elements, polymers are made of long chains with weak chemical
interactions among one another [7]. Nonetheless, the long structure of each
molecule and its ability to branch and tie with neighbouring chains (Figure 1.8.a),
may yields tough mechanical properties under certain conditions [59]. As
schematized in Figure 1.8.b, some polymers are able to cross-link one another (i.e.
to form strong chemical intermolecular bonds among different chains), provided
enough time and right conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.). Mechanical
properties of cross-linked polymers depend on density and spatial distribution of
chemical bonds; a traditional classification has been established accordingly:
heavily cross-linked materials called thermosets, thermoplastics, with long chains
and low to null cross-link density and finally elastomers, which are also scarcely
cross-linked but able to deform elastically and do not have the tendency to flow
when heated [59,60].
Most interlayer materials used in LG industry belong to the thermoplastic group;
but, to some extent, can exhibit rubber-like behaviour comparable to elastomers in
specific circumstances. For instance, all interlayers studied in Chapter 4 and
Chapter 5, further described in the following paragraphs, are strictly speaking
thermoplastics. Nonetheless, tensile tests alike those performed for elastomeric
materials can be performed, yielding useful insight on the materials properties. On
the distinction regarding material properties, and the indomitable desire of
scientists to divide and classify different phenomena according to human-scale
observations, I believe it is worthy quoting an inspiring extract from the work of G.
K. Gilbert (1892) [61] as a reminder of our limitations:
“To my mind, it appears that the difficulty is only imaginary and not real.
Rigidity and plasticity are not absolute terms but relative, […] the apparent
contrast between the two properties belongs to the laboratory and to those
phenomena of nature involving small masses and small forces. When great
masses and great forces are involved […], the distinction loses value.”
Polymers used in glass lamination are sometimes referred to through a variety of
fancy names originating from commercial decisions, rather than a descriptive
26
some manufacturers, resellers and professionals are used to call those “single thickness”,
“double thickness”, “safety thickness” and “heavy-duty thickness” respectively. Intermediate
thicknesses that multiples of are not the product of simple multiple folds are also found
in the market, but less frequently.
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approach on molecular properties 27 . Moreover, when used as interlayers, pure

polymeric matrixes are usually mixed with countless plasticizers, fillers and
additives, in proportions that are well-guarded industrial secrets or patented
trademarks. Any commercial blend is therefore prone to major changes with
technological evolutions and chemical discoveries: if a new mixture or plasticizer
proves to be more performing or cheaper than any previous one, it is very likely to
overrun the market while still maintaining the former commercial name.
Moreover, while some innovative interlayer materials are currently produced only
by a specific company (e.g. on June 1, 2014, Kuraray Co., Ltd. became the exclusive
licensee for the technology and trademark of SentryGlas® interlayer), more
traditional ones like EVA or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) are manufactured in different
– and undisclosed – blends by several companies28. Therefore, when talking about
any interlayer material, one should often rather refer to families of products, each
likely susceptible to a large spectrum of slightly different mechanical properties.
Figure 1.8 - a) entanglement and b) intermolecular cross-links (Delincé, 2014 [7])
Key properties for understanding the mechanical response of interlayer materials

in LG are viscoelasticity, hyperelasticity and viscoplastic flow [15,47,53,62–65].
Details on these mechanics will be shown, analysed and discussed throughout this
manuscript. As a general idea, for sake of introducing the materials that will be
studied hereon after, it is important to underline the profound differences with
27
The most widely used polymeric films for glass lamination are: Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB)
[168,320], Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) [321] Polycarbonate (PC, often used in combination
with other interlayers for its limited adhesive properties) [84], SentryGlas® (SG) [54] and DG41
(enhanced PVB). Examples of other interlayers and brands, sometimes with dedicated decorative
or insulation properties, are StormGuard® (enhanced PVB interlayer alleges improved
performance for hurricane-resistant applications), Vanceva® Color (decorative), Saflex®
SilentGlass (acoustic), S-LEC™ (used mostly in the automotive sector as an UV shield with
acoustic/thermal insulating properties). A fairly recent review on the research status, developments
and applications of different polymers in LG was performed by M. Teotia and R. Soni [48].
28
Just to name a few worldwide: 1. DuPont Co., Ltd (US). 2. Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Japan) 3. Solutia
Inc. (US) 4. Huakai Plastic Co., Ltd. (China).
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traditional building materials: experimentally-derived constitutive equations have

been shown to be highly dependent on factors such as temperature, the rate of
application of stress and strain, load and strain history, etc [66].
Two temperatures define transitions among different states for polymers: the glass
transition temperature and the melt temperature (Figure 1.9) [7]. At low
temperatures, polymers behave mostly like solids, with higher stiffness and
sometimes major brittleness (it is not uncommon in everyday life to experience the
sudden failure of some frozen plastic materials), a “glassy” state where the relative
movements of molecules are blocked for the most part29. Corresponding to the
glass transition temperature is a transitory “leathery” phase, in which the
molecules are allowed increasingly more freedom of movement, usually ending in
a “rubbery” plateau, where materials properties are fairly consistent. Closer and
above the melt temperature, polymers behave like high-viscosity fluids.
Figure 1.9 - thermo-mechanical curves for a) elastic modulus [67] and b) strain rate [68]
Working conditions of interlayers used in LG should never involve temperatures
close or higher than the melt temperature, which corresponds to the states of the
lamination process, one that should never be reached again during the lifetime of
architectural LG elements. Operational temperatures for interlayers commonly
correspond to the glassy, leathery and rubbery phases (I,II&III in Figure 1.9). For
this reason, the glass transition temperature is usually an important and insightful
parameter for LG design and is provided by manufacturers (Table 1.4), stressing
the difference between very different responses of the material above and below.
Note that, while SG and DG41 are patents from specific manufacturers, PVB and
EVA are a classes of materials produced by many companies; as a consequence,
results for those materials should be looked at as averages or likely ranges.
Table 1.4 – glass transition and (melt) temperature for some interlayer materials
SG DG41 PVB EVA
55.0a (94.0)a 46.0b (n/d) 19.5c (113.0)c -43.0d/-33.1e (65.0f/80.0e)
a b c
2014, Kuraray (www.kuraray.com); 2014, Saflex (www.saflex.com) and [69]; 2016, Kuraray, confirmed by
d e
some researches [70–72], values may vary for other manufacturers; 1983, Cuddihy et. al. [73]; 2012, Agroui
f
et. al. [74]; 2006, Chen et. al. [75].
Traditional methods and models used in civil engineering are scarcely able
accurately predict the mechanical behaviour of most plastic materials; besides, a
complete mathematical formulation able to describe such response is currently
missing. For most design purposes, a phenomenological methodology appears to
be the most reliable approach, with different empirical models which can be used
to solve specific problems, under well-specified boundary conditions.
29
Below the glass transition temperature, a reduced molecular mobility doesn’t allow the polymer
to reach a state of thermodynamic equilibrium [291].
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Haward and Thackray in 1968 [76] (HT in the following) proposed that the
response of thermoplastic polymers could be divided is the sum of two terms,
in turn describing different physical mechanisms. While cross-links among the
molecules, along with and other weaker chemical actions, are accountable of the
response for short-range deformations , those tend to be less relevant for
higher strains, where the response is driven from the tethering and entanglement
of the long and branched polymeric chains30.
Figure 1.10 - classical stress decomposition (Haward and Thackray, 1968 [76])
Viscoplasticity is the theory that describes the rate-dependent inelastic behaviour

of solids. The bulk of the viscoplastic flow in thermoplastic materials (cfr. §3.2.1) is
believed to be associated to the rupture of the intermolecular bonds, mostly after
the measured load peak in the intrinsic curve (Figure 1.10) [77,78]. From that point
on, a quota of accumulated strain is non-reversible. Besides, viscoelastic effects are
believed to be correlated to the rearrangement of dislocations within the polymers
network: the initial – unstressed -conformation of the network is the state of lower
entropy, the one to which stretched thermoplastics have the tendency to return
over time, in a behaviour also known as entropic elasticity31 [59]. More details are
given in §5.1.1.2.
1.1.2.1 PVB
For its excellent optical clarity and good adhesion with glass, polyvinyl butyral
(PVB) is arguably the most common interlayer in safety glass laminates in the
automotive, aerospace and architectural sectors [16,71]. Worldwide, 65% of PVB is
used in automotive applications [11,41,42].
PVB is a polyacetal produced by the condensation of polyvinyl alcohol with
butyraldehyde [10]. Plasticizers are major components polymer-containing
products. For instance, PVB used in safety glass is typically composed mainly of
30While this model was issued for true stress-strain diagrams, an analogous decomposition can be
made in an engineering-stress over engineering-strain diagram, neglecting the cross-sectional
reduction due to Poisson effect [164]. In fact, multiple transitions between the two will be used for
the analysis of tensile tests in §5.1. While the substance of this decomposition, its original idea, will
be used within the upcoming analyses, the graphical interpretation brought by Haward and
Thackray in Figure 1.10 is believed to have been originally flawed, having considered the presence
of a strain softening region within true stress-strain diagrams. In the following §5.1.1.2, a
discussion is brought regarding the fact that softening may only be visible in engineering diagrams.
31The key element that has been considered for the design of the viscoelastic investigation
campaign (cfr. §3.3.7 and §4.1).
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poly-(vinyl butyral) and about 30% plasticizers and softeners to enhance plasticity
and toughness. Condensation leaves some free hydroxyl groups, which are then
able to tie to similar groups originating from the Silicon atoms of glass [79]; these
bonds are at the origin the origin of the good adhesive properties of PVB.
PVB is a recyclable material. In fact, no incompatibilities were observed in
blending various grades of commercial and recycled PVB, suggesting that blends
and recycled polymers themselves could be used as substitute materials in glass
lamination [71].
PVB has been either described as an amorphous [80,81] or semi-crystalline [82,83]
thermoplastic. The mechanical behaviour of PVB has been proven to be highly
nonlinear, time- and temperature-dependent and capable of major extension. The
scientific literature includes several experimental results on PVB, which will be
referenced and compared throughout this manuscript to the newly presented
results.
1.1.2.2 SG
SentryGlas® ionoplast Architectural safety glass interlayer (in short, SG) is the
commercial brand of a Ionoplast Polymer (IP) produced by Kuraray Inc. 32 ,
primarily composed of ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymers, with small amounts
of metal salts. Compared with PVB, SG allegedly has higher stiffness and strength,
so much that in an early announcing of the material in 1997 the company stated:
“SentryGlas® [Plus] interlayers are the building block for a new generation of
structural laminated glass: a high-strength polymer used for glass laminators and
window companies to make advanced safety glass for automobiles and buildings”.
Pioneering the present historic phase, witnessing a boom in interlayer material
development, the genesis of this material was arguably due to the growing
awareness among LG designers and architects that PVB had very limited
mechanical properties, especially concerning long actions at higher temperatures.
SG belongs to the IPs family. Ionoplast polymers and copolymers have been
proven useful in safety laminates intended for structures requiring a high degree
of penetration resistance. Examples include hurricane-resistant glazing and
structural elements such as glass staircases and glass balustrades. In particularly
demanding applications, the use of IP interlayers such as SG in safety laminates
have shown ballistic resistance [84]
In literature, SG has been described as a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material
[45,81]. Ionic polymers like SG are synthesized by connecting ionic groups to a
carbon chain backbone. If the ionic content within the non-polar polymer is at most
10%, the ionic polymer is defined as a ionomer [85,86]. While the production of SG
is a patented and preserved secret, we known that IPs are synthesized by
neutralizing the carboxylic acid groups of acid copolymers. Incomplete details on
those chemical procedures are available in patents and scientific papers [40,87].
The final fabrication processes of SG incorporate an extrusion blow molding,
resulting in a monolayer product of the desired thickness.
Arguably few details on the mechanical properties of SG are known, apart from
those willingly disclosed by the manufacturer. Preliminary independent analyses
32
This product was patented as SGP® by DuPont Glass Laminating Solutions/Vinyl, a segment of
the DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers company acquired by Japanese chemical
manufacturer Kuraray in 2014.
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with tensile tests on material specimens have shown that this material has an
elasto-plastic behaviour at room temperature (about ), with a noteworthy
initial modulus ( to ) [54,88,89] (cfr. Appendix D). From a thermo-
mechanical point of view, this polymer appears to have major advantages over
PVB for a large range of temperatures ( to 60°C) [54]. Analyses within this
manuscript aim to share more light on the properties of this material: as a material
itself and most of all as component of LG elements.
1.1.2.3 DG41
Saflex® DG, also known as “DG41”, is the most recent interlayer material among
those studied in this manuscript. It is produced from plasticized PVB, so much that
some [90], along with the manufacturer itself, have been referring to this new
material as “structural PVB”; which is arguably a poor choice of words, given that
PVB has been rightfully considered a structural material itself for over half a
century. DG41 was announced by Solutia Inc. in 2012, allegedly suited for:
“applications in which increased interlayer rigidity and high glass adhesion are
required relative to standard glazing interlayers” 33.
Where the part “standard glazing interlayers” should be intended referred to the
overwhelmingly popular use of PVB. DG41 is supposed to combine:
“the benefits of a rigid interlayer with the features of glass containment, UV
screening, edge stability and clarity” 33.
Upon release of this new product, J. Schimmelpenningh, manager for Solutia said:
“[…] Saflex DG interlayer tends to keep glass intact at high and low
temperatures, even after impact and under load. Saflex DG is unique in that
it combines the meaningful performance and processing characteristics of
standard PVB interlayers while allowing for balanced engineering practices,
which can lead to more efficient whole building design.”33
Such bold claims have not yet been adequately backed up by experimental
evidence, hence the need for unbiased analyses and studies (cfr. Appendix D).
DG41 is comprised by long and heavy molecules ( ) [69] and is
already difficult to process in extrusion, compared to other more highly plasticized
polymers (plasticizer level is about 20 parts of per hundred parts resin [91]). This
low plasticizer level in increases the melt state viscosity, resulting in a difficult
extrusion process. For the current state-of-the-art production lines, attempting to
increase further the glass transition temperature of DG41 interlayer by dropping
the amount of plasticizer will result in an unacceptably low flowability for
extrusion, therefore necessitating a casting procedure which is not cost-effective.
Being a PVB-modified material, the good chemical adhesion of DG41 to the glass
surface essentially relies on the same chemical bonds described in §1.1.2.1.
1.1.2.4 OTHER INTERLAYER MATERIALS AND MULTILAYER INTERLAYERS

For reasons that will be discussed in Chapter 2, this manuscript will focus on the
three interlayer materials described in the previous paragraphs. Nonetheless, it is
worth mentioning that along with PVB, SG and DG41, other resins have been and
continue to be adopted in vast portions of the glass lamination industry.
Polycarbonates [49,92], polyurethanes [93], vinyl resins and other polymers or
33
Solutia® press conference, St. Louis (US-MO), 9 February 2012.
16/237
copolymers include a wide range of applications; also, extensive efforts are being
made to replace PVB films with alternate films.
Some polymers are not included in this treatise have found thriving and wide
success in specific applications. Namely, because of its UV-screening and ageing
properties [73], EVA is leader in the PV sector. EVA is a polymer which fluctuates
from partial crystalline and thermoplastic to amorphous and rubber-like, but an
amplified amount of vinyl acetate increases strength and ultimate elongation.
A fairly recent and extensive review of most interlayers used for glass lamination,
most of whom will not be dealt with in this manuscript, can be found in the work
of M. Teotia, R. K. Soni [48].
Lastly, as this topic will be present in part of the following discussion, it is worth
mentioning the existence of so-called “multilayer interlayers” [69], interlayers
comprising several coextruded or pre-laminated polymeric layers. Most
applications of this technique aim to include within the whole interlayer thickness
polymers with prominent mechanical properties but poor adhesion with glass. In
doing so, the adhesion is dealt with traditional and reliable materials such as PVB,
while the bulk of the mechanical resistance is assigned to the core layers (e.g.
polycarbonate).
1.1.3 ADHESION BETWEEN GLASS AND INTERLAYERS
Adhesion is the macroscopic measure of the chemical attraction molecules of one
kind exert on molecules of a different kind on an atomic level. According to the
properties of the surfaces, adhesion can rely upon several mechanisms [94–96]:
mechanical interlocking, chemical bonding, physical adsorption and electrostatic
effects [96,97].
Within LG elements, adhesion between glass and polyvinyl-based interlayers is
primarily due to the chemical bonds that form between alcohol groups comprised
within the polymeric chains and the silanol groups on the surface of the glass
(Figure 1.11). These combine to form a reversible but dense network of weak
hydrogen bonds and beyond this point to some extent true chemical bonds [79,98].
Figure 1.11 - PVB-glass chemical bonding mechanisms (Keller and Mortelmans, 1999 [79])
A first discussion on non-mechanical factors influencing adhesion has been carried

out by Keller and Mortelmans in 1999 [79] and further developed by Froli and Lani
[98] for the influence of moisture during interlayer storage prior to lamination. A
first glance on mechanical effects on PVB, after degradation in damp heat (DH)
conditions34, was given by Chapuis et al. [99] showing that ultimate failure in those
conditions is always of adhesive nature rather than cohesive. While numerous
34
85°C and 85% R.H.
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techniques have been employed to measure the strength of the adhesive bond, no
single test has proved to be superior, more general or reliable than the others. In
the last decade, effective non-destructive adhesion monitoring techniques (NDT)
have been developed [100].
CST tests have been used to investigate the strength of the adhesion bond for PVB
and EVA blends [99], showing that the layers of EVA exhibit a hyperelastic
deformation until catastrophic delamination of the interface takes place and that
hydrogen bonds among glass and PVB are easily degraded by moisture leading to
a large decrease in adhesion after DH.
While the research on EVA and PVB (and DG41, as its adhesion is owed to the
same molecular interactions than PVB) allowed to draw guidelines for degradation
conditions, details on the chemical adhesion mechanisms of ionoplast interlayers
have not been disclosed by the manufacturer nor yet seem to have been sufficiently
investigated. Comparative observations on post-breakage effects of weathering on
LG elements with PVB and SG showed that the strength of the adhesion bond for
ionoplast-laminates is weaker than for polyvinyl-based polymers. Moreover,
experimental analyses at high temperatures ( ) showed that the strength
of the adhesion bond for ionoplast-laminates is weaker than the internal cohesion.
As adhesion is an essential requirement for LG (it is the reason for which glass
lamination was invented in the first place), Even though the analyses within this
work were not directly focused in investigating the causes of delamination nor
modelling its final effects, a description of the observations was deemed to be both
useful and necessary (cfr. §4.2.4.5, §5.1.3 and Appendix C).
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Chapter 2 – State-of-the-art and Aim of the Research
2 STATE-OF-THE-ART
AND AIM OF THE RESEARCH
The expansion of the LG market in the construction industry, together with
the development of an ever-growing number of interlayer materials, comes
with new problems and questions. Most of these open topics are related to the
contribution of interlayers to the performance on laminates. The scientific
community and the standardization bodies are working to find reliable
methods for safety assessment, characterizing materials properties and
devising cost-effective production technique. In this Chapter, the scope of the
manuscript is put into perspective after an overview on these efforts and a
review of the state-of-the-art.
At point in time, most of the architectural LG is being manufactured by using PVB

interlayers [8]. Since several researchers and companies are making efforts in
developing alternative interlayers [69,101,102], more efforts should also be made
for conceiving techniques for assessing these material properties in a consistent
and reliable way. The specifics of these test methods should be designed according
to the general principles of the Eurocode (Basis of structural design) [103] and to
the design function within the final structural system 1 [7].
Glass being a brittle material, prone to sudden failure sometimes in the event of
minor collisions, the partial- and complete-failure scenarios ought to be considered
in a thorough and reliable LG design process. Few studies have been made on this
topic; and while predictive post-failure models supported by experimental
analyses have been asked for by some researchers [104,105], still few works have
produced dependable results [13,88,106]. Further work should be made for
developing models for LG fracture analysis and post-failure behaviour [48].
The following two paragraphs summarize the state-of-the-art in this field: first
dealing with this topic from the perspective of standards and regulations, then
from the perspective of the scientific research2. Finally, put into perspective within
both these frameworks, the aim of the research and proposed methodologies are
presented.
1
For instance, the performance of interlayers to be used in glass lamination should rather not be
evaluated for compressive or flexural actions nor for direct impact, as those properties are not
primarily tied to the role of the material within the sandwich structure of LG. On the other hand,
tensile or shear tests could yield useful results for practical applications.
2
In the LG field, it appears that the standardization bodies are guiding behind the scenes the
scientific research the toward increasing levels of detail. Namely, standards are providing
researchers with a framework of basic assumptions, ways of thinking and methodologies that can
be accepted by the housing market. A similar scientific evolution path is described by T. Kuhn in
[322] in terms of shifting paradigms: “the paradigm determines the kinds of experiments scientists
perform, the types of questions they ask, and the problems they consider important. A shift in the
paradigm alters the fundamental concepts underlying research and inspires new standards of
evidence, research techniques and pathways for theory and experiment.” Such paradigm-shifting
revolutions produce “a shift in the standards by which the profession determined what should
count as an admissible problem or as a legitimate problem-solution.”
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While the topic of structural elements made with glass can be wide and
multifaceted, according to the intended purpose of this work, the discussion will
exclusively address issues related to LG and specific aspects connected to
interlayer mechanics. Therefore, the reader should not be surprised if other topics,
which are also debatably needing improvement or refinement, will not be
mentioned or thoroughly analysed (e.g. general design principles, properties of
glass as a structural component, issues related to sealants and other adhesives,
insulated glazing, etc).
2.1 SHORTCOMINGS IN THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
A brief but wide-ranging review of regulations on architectural LG has been
discussed when introducing the topic in Chapter 1. Nonetheless, it appears that
providing a complete overview on the regulatory framework is a complicated task
for at least three reasons: first, numerous European standards or guidelines live
side-by-side with former regulation, some active and others outdated or
withdrawn (but still used in practice) [7]; second, while the glass industry can rely
upon internationally acknowledged manufacturing standards, regulating the LG
industry involves the necessity to standardize an emerging interlayer market,
populated by a multitude of new products along with traditional ones; third, while
several simplified models exist3, a fundamental approach for LG design, one that
should be based on strong theoretical bases, is still missing.
While some standards do not officially attribute to interlayers any structural
capacity within LG elements4, even those who do are not providing nearly enough
information for actual model implementation. Italian technical document CNR-
DT210 [38] is arguably among of the latest and most complete attempts for
standardization of LG design. Nonetheless, the document states:
“Mechanical properties of the elastomers [used as interlayers] are strongly
dependent from time and temperature; in any case the stiffness of these polymeric
materials is much lower compared to glass, so even provided the adhesion is
effective, polymers are subject to high angular sliding.” 5
And,
“[…] the viscoelastic behaviour of polymeric interlayers is modelled as linear
elastic materials. In particular, the shear modulus G, which generally varies
according to the operating temperature, loads duration and aging, is considered
constant.” 5
Statements like these, considering the outcomes of the experimental campaigns
presented within this manuscript, will likely be seen as oversimplifying the
response of a diverse and complicated panorama of interlayer materials.
3
Examples of standard-adopted models for LG response are: Épaisseur équivalente des vitrages
feuilletés (CSTB 3488, 2011), Interlayer stiffness family model (prEN16612, 2013), Wölfel-
Bennison (sandwich model [323], 1987, also adopted by ASTM E1300), Effective Laminate
Thickness (2009, [89]), Enhanced Effective Thickness (EET, 2012 [113], adopted and integrated by
CNR-DT210).
4
On the other hand, such standards may propose an increase in the maximum design stress for
glass plies in LG elements, which means they are indirectly accounting for the collaboration
between glass slabs, due to the coupling effect provided by the interlayers (e.g. TRLV ,2006,
“Technische Regeln für die Verwendung von linienförmig gelagerten Verglasungen”).
5
Translated from Italian.
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Throughout the past two decades, with a remarkable acceleration in the last five
years, the scientific community has been progressively moving towards a more
rigorous approach in dealing with LG load bearing capacity. This new paradigm is
based on first principles for laminates mechanics and on proper, time-dependent,
constitutive equations for the interlayers [64,107,108]. While this approach seems
promising, it also appears at this time excessively complicated and lengthy for
most practical LG structural applications, inevitably requiring complex numerical
models (provided the materials properties have been established in a reliable way).
Standards and technical documents on occasion mention to these numerical
analyses as level-2 and level-3 models, with 2-D shells and three-dimensional solid
elements respectively. Comments and examples come with a few prescriptions, but
mostly relate on geometric or numerical issues. So far, for instance, requirements
and suggestions have not included specific details on the constitutive equation to
be used for defining the interlayer elements response6, which is understandably
one of the key issues at stake.
For the sake of presenting features and voids in the existing regulatory framework,
along with perhaps some misleading instructions, the aforesaid Italian standard is
taken as case-study. From the point of view of a structural engineer attempting a
design over LG, it appears that two choices may be source of decisive dilemmas:
 choice of the model for LG response among the many available,
 selection of the most appropriate constitutive equations for interlayers: linear
elastic (LE), linear viscoelastic7 (LVE), non-linear elastic (hyperelastic HE), non-
linear viscoelastic7,8 (NLVE).
An often-underestimated aspect to bear in mind, is the general lack of
understanding of polymers and adhesives peculiarities by structural engineers and
architects. Training in material science guided those professions toward arguably
simpler – or at least different - materials, that are only marginally influenced from
variables like time and temperature. With that in mind, it is of paramount
importance that standards and guidelines help them in choosing the most
appropriate design path. Besides, the awareness is growing that polymer
particularities might require adapted assessment methods of corresponding
building products and applications, specifically regarding time-dependant
behaviour and ageing phenomena [109]. For instance, scientific evidence has
shown that viscoelastic models are capable to describe the evolution of interlayer
properties over time [37,64,110–112], while hyperelastic models may be more
suited for the interpretation of brief effects [14–16]. Simple distinctions and
directions like this one seem to be missing in the existing standards framework.
6
More precisely, there are references to elastic approaches à la Newmark (Newmark et al. [160]),
but no mention is made relatively to constitutive equation other than LE.
7
For linear viscoelastic materials, the isochronous response is linear, but the effective modulus
decreases with time, so that the stress-strain curves at different times are separated from one
another. When a viscoelastic material behaves nonlinearly, the isochronous stress-strain curves
begin to deviate from linearity at a certain stress level [324].
8
Non-linear viscoelastic models for interlayer materials have already been adopted in LG studies,
so it made sense to include them in this list, as they appears to be the frontier of the research in this
field [108,325]. Nonetheless, such models are not mentioned in standard and guidelines (e.g. CNR-
DT210), as neither are mentioned some more complex models such as the visco-elasto-plastic ones
(linear and non linear, that to my understanding have not yet been successfully adopted).
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In dealing with time and temperature effects for the polymeric interlayers
response, standardization bodies seem to have at least partially acknowledged the
inherent difficulty of designers to deal with those matters with a rigorous
approach. Therefore, as previously hinted in the quote from the Italian standard,
linear elastic simplified models (e.g. EET model by L. Galuppi & G. F. Royer [113])
are being provided, which can account for constant values of the interlayer shear
modulus . To deal with a diminishing modulus over time and as a function of
temperature (due to the viscous deformations of the polymers), a designer ought to
perform multiple analyses for varying values of the shear modulus.
Provided a reliable formulation to calculate the effective thickness of laminated
glass can be identified, a significant obstacle arises when attempting to find reliable
values of for given time and temperature.
While standards take on the linear viscoelastic approach and time-temperature

superposition principles [68,114,115] (cfr. §3.1.3.1 and §3.1.3.5), few mentions are
made on techniques for assessing interlayer properties from experimental analyses,
in a way which is compliant with practical LG applications 9 . In theory, the
Eurocode Annex D (design assisted by testing) is always valid for testing of new
materials or obtain specific material properties using specified testing procedures.
Nonetheless, this document does neither includes procedures for load-bearing
polymers nor deals with dependency upon time and temperature. A general
framework on the planning of tests is given in terms of (among others):
specifications of specimens and sampling, testing arrangement, evaluation and
reporting. Alas, some have complained [7,105] that the provided instructions are
not specific enough to set up for standardized, relevant and economically-viable
experimental programs for definite polymer components and LG systems.
Various documents suggest the use of dynamic tests to characterize the long-term
properties of interlayer materials [38,116,117]. Such procedures, taking advantage
from a correlation among dynamic tests and viscoelastic parameters (cfr. §3.1.3.4)
[114,118], are well-established among plastic material industry standards, but
fundamental questions remain on whether or not it is always justifiable to
extrapolate very short- and very-long term properties from cyclic tests. Besides,
some authors and technical documents suggest that the most appropriate way to
deal with interlayer mechanics is to test them under conditions which are as
related as possible to those encountered in practical applications [7,109,119].
Naturally, (full scale10) bending tests are also deemed to be good performance
indicators for LG units [38]. Sadly, prescriptions seem to fall short once again:
while in the absence of accurate data there is mention of temperatures of and
, no instruction on parameters like strain and strain rate can be found.
9
At an international level, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has issued the draft
standard prEN-16613 “Glass in building - Laminated glass and laminated safety glass -
Determination of interlayer mechanical properties” (first issued in 2013, updated in April 2017),
proposing a classification of polymers in “interlayer stiffness families”. This ranking system has
been said by many to be taken with great caution, because while being very simple and easy-to-
use, it is deemed to be excessively inaccurate and flawed [326] (for instance, it neglects the
influence of known important factors such as the loading conditions, typology and size of the LG
element, cross-sectional details on the laminated assembly, etc).
10
The term “full-scale” is not explicitly adopted in [38], but it seem implied by the context.
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2.2 SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE OVERVIEW

Aside from patents filed in the first half of the 20 th century, few researches can be
found regarding dedicated scientific works on LG. Among the first, at least two
start to deal with this topic on a performance-based level: one by J. Widman in
1965 [120] and one by R. Reiser and J. Chabal in 1967 [121]. Nevertheless, both
documents were openly dedicated to the automotive sector, focusing on the
correlation between interlayer thickness and penetration of impacting objects.
At that time, few examples of architectural LG applications could be found [122];
only by the end of the 60’s and the beginning of the 70’s works on architectural LG
start to show up. Namely, M. Barakat and J. Hetherington in 1970 are the first to
mention “laminated glass” among architectural building materials [123], while the
first performance-assessing study in that field is due to the work of J. Hooper in
1973 [43] with a paper titled “On the bending of architectural laminated glass”.
From this point on, scientific works on LG start to proliferate. To provide a
comprehensive but non-dispersive handling of the issue, I believe it makes sense to
divide the pertinent scientific body in five macro-categories, depending on the
approach on laminated architectural glass and corresponding research goals:
 interlayer chemical and mechanic properties,
 sandwich models for LG,
 reinforced LG,
 pre-stressed LG,
 safety and post-failure LG performance.
For all these topics, evidence has emerged of a major increase in the interest of the
scientific community and volume of published researches in the last 10-15 years.
2.2.1 PROPERTIES OF INTERLAYERS USED FOR LG
Research on interlayer properties for LG, oriented towards structural - construction
industry - applications, has only really started to show up in the last two decades.
Experimental works within the last century were typically more oriented towards
transportation and safety with respect glass fragments expulsion, with little
interest in assessing other mechanical properties. Nevertheless, significant works
(mostly published in books rather than research papers) laid the ground for all
recent studies on the complex mechanical properties of both interlayers and LG.
Mathematical models have been proposed throughout the last century, to
understand the polymer response to small and large deformations, along with the
viscoelastic and hyperelastic effects and the dependency of those upon
temperature. Details on these theories will be recalled and discussed throughout
this manuscript when needed, and it feels redundant to reference them here one by
one.
Regarding the study of plastics used as interlayers in LG, the acknowledgement of
the importance of modelling mechanic effects other than simple adhesion was first
acknowledged in 1980 by K. Katsuki et al. in a pioneering work “Laminated sheet
composed of thin glass and plastic sheets” [124]. The research underlined the central
role of glass in such composites from the point of view of functional properties
such as transparency, hardness and chemical durability. From there, the authors
tried to use thin glass plies ( ) as protecting interfaces for a thicker core of
polycarbonate (up to ), bonded to glass using EVA or PVB. In the
conclusions, the authors inevitably admitted that much had yet to be done for the
correct use understanding of thermoplastic materials within LG elements.
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Even though the fundamental origin of all properties of interlayer materials could
be - in principle - reunited with a unified theory, this has so far proven to be out of
the reach for the current scientific understanding. Far from such research of a
fundamental truth, investigations on interlayer properties for architectural
purposes have mostly shifted towards a phenomenological level of understanding,
splitting up different properties (i.e. interface and bulk responses, chemical and
optical properties, etc). To introduce to the aspects which are most relevant for this
work, a breakdown in two categories seems useful:
 investigations on the interface strength and effects of weathering and ageing,
 works oriented towards assessing bulk properties of interlayers.
While a traditional classification system exists, dividing plastics in thermoplastics,
thermosets and elastomers according to the type and density of the cross-links [10]
(cfr. §1.1.2), such division will not be used for this treatise of the scientific research
state-of-the-art for three reasons: first, it is not always obvious which category a
product belongs, as pointed out by other researchers [7,59], therefore the
classification might emerge as equivocal or inconsistent, second, most of the
scientific research has been made on PVB, with far less investigations on other
materials, and third, this classification is rarely mentioned by the scientific works
which will be mentioned in the following.
As a general idea, good practice would be to design and perform experimental
analyses which are a good representation of the final design, rather than trying to
extrapolate mechanical properties from different – although standardized – testing
techniques. Joined to a cautious indication of safety factors, a comprehensive
overview of meaningful properties for well-defined applications is the most
reliable approach when designing an experimental campaign on thermoplastics.
“The necessity is stressed to converge to as limited a number of test methods as

possible that are also adequately simple and can therefore be applied in most
research laboratories.” (Ranocchiai et al., 2017 [118])
The structural contribution of interlayers within a LG element essentially sets upon
balancing two properties: the inner cohesion/response and the strength of the
adhesive bond with glass. Neglecting either one of those aspects may lead to
dangerously overestimate the performance of the LG layered structure.
adhesion, ageing and weathering effects
The durability of LG being a relevant problem in all sectors of the industry,
observations, patents and researches have always paid attention to factors affecting
the properties of the materials over time. Since the dawn of glass lamination for
automotive and aeronautical purposes, it has been known that weathering and
radiation are parameters which can facilitate the loss of adhesion. In recent years,
researchers have accepted the challenge to tackle several different aspects related
to delamination: temperature, humidity, UV radiation, boundary conditions,
mechanical actions and combinations of these. While all seem to be co-factors, it is
fairly accepted that humidity plays a greater role in undermining the strength and
reliability of the chemical bonds11, that UV radiation is primarily responsible for
chromatic changes but can also affect mechanical properties of interlayers (along
11
Mainly during the lamination process, but also throughout the whole life span of the LG
elements, due to infiltration of water and moisture along the outer borders.
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with the chemical ones) and that a mechanical action is ultimately needed to
detach the materials, even with a severely jeopardized adhesion.
The great influence of storage humidity for interlayers, prior to the lamination with
glass, which appears to be vastly exceeding the effect of moisture and weathering
for laminated elements [65]. An almost dedicated research in that direction was
performed by M. Froli and L. Lani from University of Pisa in 2011 [98], concluding
that the most important parameter in the lamination process is the humidity
storage of the PVB.
Among the latest researches on investigating adhesion in LG in 2012, Y. Sha et al.
[125] studied the correlation between the peak load and the mechanism of
debonding for PVB, resulting in a relationship which could be fed to FE models.
Using peel tests, and a different approach, a study on glass-PVB interface
properties was performed a few years after by J. Pelfrene et al. [126], highlighting
that there seems to be no clear relationship between the peeling force and the
Mode I activation of fracture for characterization of the interface strength [34–36].
Moreover, this work underlined that no certain correlation could be established
among the presented experimental results and other publications in this field,
because the large-strain behaviour of PVB interlayer is yet to be satisfactorily
documented and understood. Adhesive resilience of specimens with initial
delamination at different regions and ratios was recently carried out by E. Dural in
2016 [127]. Using a high-resolution camera and a numerical morphological
analysis, Dural was able to obtain a relationship between delamination ratio and
the residual strength of delaminated glass units. The analysis concluded that the
behaviour of LG units is highly nonlinear, and that the strength of laminated glass
is influenced by the location and extent of the delaminated surface.
Figure 2.1 - specimens used in the tensile tests (Santarsiero, 2017 [128])
C. Louter and other researchers have also shown interest in the topic of adhesive
properties of interlayers in a series of recent works between 2014 and 2017. First,
effects of environmental impacts on durability of laminated glass plates with
interlayers were investigated for three types of interlayers: SG, EVA and PVB [129].
This initial research opened to two relevant “twin” publications for shear [130] and
tensile [128] strain rate correlations with temperature for laminated connections
between glass and metallic connectors. In these two researches, the authors
investigated both properties of a Transparent Structural Silicon Adhesive (TSSA)
and SG interlayer, observing two interesting phenomena with the loss of adhesion:
the whitening in TSSA and the development of bubble within the SG adhesive,
hinting to the hypothesis of a dominant hydrostatic component of the stress tensor
as the consequence of the large confinement state of the adhesive. The
experimental investigations also showed that temperature and strain rate
variations have important effects on the mechanical response of the connections;
namely, that resistance is proportional to the logarithm of the strain rate, and
decreases at high temperature. More specifically, a logarithmic law was proposed
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for the strain rate effects for both TSSA and SG connections, while linear and
inverse hyperbolic-tangent-based laws were instead proposed for the TSSA and SG
temperature effects, respectively.
Results of the last experimental analyses suggest that much has yet to be done for
understanding and reliably anticipate the adhesive properties of interlayers used
for LG. Besides, while the research on PVB can boast many researches, those are
admittedly not yet fully relatable for the numerous aspects of interlayer rheology
which come into play. Conversely, research on new interlayer and adhesives is not
yes sufficiently developed to yield wide-ranging conclusions.
Led by L. Andreozzi, within 2013 and 2015 a team of researchers from Universities
of Pisa and Firenze also delved into the mechanics of interlayer adhesion and
correlations to environmental effects [131–133]. In their project, the authors
presented studies on thermo-viscoelastic properties of PVB, for varying weathering
actions (humidity, thermal cycles and UV radiation). The analysis highlighted
distinct damage mechanisms, promoted in different extents by the different
exposure to environmental effects. Results proved for the first time that RH can
influence both the adhesive and bulk properties PVB, calling for further
investigations to separately analyse these features. The authors concluded that
degradation related to solar radiation can produce major changes to mechanical
properties of PVB interlayers, to an extent that originally reliable numerical
evaluations on the response of LG structures may become incorrect over time.
bulk properties
Among the first works to show interest in bulk properties of interlayers, a research
issued in 1981 by J. R. Huntsberger included a study of mechanical performance of
PVB [134]. As usual, boosted by the needs of the automotive department rather
than the architectural one, a model for windshield fracture event was described in
terms of interactions among mechanical responses of interlayers and fracture
characteristics of glass. Anyhow, this pioneering research still seems very much
oriented towards taking steps for increasing safety with respect of the expulsion of
glass fragments in the event of colliding bodies.
The first work to openly mention PVB properties for architectural glazing is
possibly the paper from C Vallabhan et al. published in the Journal of Materials in
Civil Engineering in 1992 [135]. Shear force-deformation characteristics of PVB were
studied via direct-shear tests (Figure 2.2), similarly to those performed by
geotechnical engineers for determining soil characteristics in a specified plane.
While failing to emphasize temperature effects and openly reference to viscoelastic
properties, the major conclusion of the research was that the shear modulus of PVB
interlayer is “very dependent on the amount shear strain, and not on its thickness”.
Figure 2.2 – scheme of a setup used for direct shear tests (Vallabhan, 1992 [135])
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Thermal properties and the dependency on those of the mechanic response of PVB
were investigated a few years later by Egyptians N. M. S. El-Din and M. W. Sabaa
[136]. While the research was certainty more oriented towards a chemical and
optical analysis of degradation rather than dependency of mechanical properties,
the conclusions discussed how the intrinsic viscosity decreases with increasing
temperatures. According to the authors, this indicates that the thermal degradation
is mostly accompanied by a main-chain scission, rather than splitting of the cross-
links (cfr. §1.1.2).
Apart from similar trailblazing works, of which other examples can also be found,
as indicated in the first part on this paragraph, the largest part of the research on
interlayers properties is found within the last two decades. A detailed comparative
study, complete with a state-of-the-art of researches and methods used for
assessing of the mechanical interlayers, was recently issued from the same Italian
team from Pisa and Firenze mentioned for their analyses on adhesive and
durability properties of interlayers (see above). As the panorama of techniques and
hypotheses is admittedly extremely variegated, the authors took a first effort for
classifying test methods used for the characterization of interlayers, according to
the time load history. The convenient scheme proposed within the work of G.
Ranocchiai et al. [118] is re-proposed in Figure 2.3 with some integrations.
Figure 2.3 - schematic representation of the interlayer studies proposed by Ranocchiai et al.
in 2017 [118], integrated with a few additional and relevant works.
References for studies cited in Figure 2.3: a[43], b[137], c[11], d[138], e[139], f[140],
g[141], h[142], i[143], j[54], k[144], l[83], m[145], n[146], o[147], p[148], q[65], r[149], s[150].
The article provides a detailed discussion on methods used to determine the

viscoelastic behaviour of interlayer polymers in all those studies, to a point that
reporting those once again within this work would be undoubtedly redundant.
Individual researches will be mentioned again in the following when appropriate,
to support the both the design and results of experimental investigations carried
out throughout Chapters 4 and 5.
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Form a conclusive analysis, having looked at most of the researches on the

mechanical characterization of interlayers, the following emerges:
 almost all the researches on bulk properties focus either on hyperelastic
response or viscoelastic properties,
 while the linear thermo-viscoelastic correlation is widely accepted, no studies
are found for effectively correlating temperature and hyperelastic response,
 most of mechanical characterizations deal exclusively with PVB, while other
interlayers are rarely dealt with,
 researchers agree on the necessity to converge on a limited number of accepted
test methods for the characterization of different aspects of interlayers response;
such envisaged unification could help in the process of comparing properties of
different materials on a similar scale, which would be advisable considering
that these materials have ultimately identical roles in LG elements, therefore
need be chosen knowing to pros and cons of each one of them.
Regarding the emerging macroscopic properties of interlayers, studies have
attempted to derive the engineering properties from the microscopical interactions.
Still, several open questions remain to this day for fully understanding how the
microscopical interactions work to govern the measured macroscopic effects. One
of those, is the proportion to the overall response between intermolecular and
network effects (cfr. §1.1.2), which is directly concern the interpretation of many
experimental tests. Namely, the standard tensile ones.
“The distinction between the viscoelastic or viscoplastic nature of the
deformations is however difficult to establish univocally and depends on the
conditions of measurement”12 ~ Sharpe 2008 [57]
Figure 2.4 - intermolecular and network interaction scenarios (Vegt, 2002 [59])
12
Visser in 2009 seems to address the same question with regard to the distinction between
reversible and irreversible deformations. [7,270]
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Figure 2.4 shows a few qualitative examples of plausible decompositions for some
hypothetical thermoplastic materials on both engineering and true stress-strain
correlations (indeed, for a given material and testing conditions, there only is one
correct decomposition).
As an empirical rule, studies have confirmed that intermolecular effects, are
dominant for small and very small strain, while network effects, when present and
significant, govern the response for large deformations [72,151–154]. Likewise, the
emerging viscous properties of thermoplastics are believed to be related to these
two microscopic mechanisms [57,155]:
 viscoelasticity due to the uncoiling of the molecules network,
 viscoplasticity ascribable to breaking of intermolecular cross-links.
An attempt for a combined description of intermolecular and network response
was proposed by Klompen in 2005 [156] and recently re-discussed by Delincé in
2014 [7] (in the following, KD approach/decomposition). This analysis incorporates
both the thermo-mechanical history (represented by the parameter [157]) and
softening kinetics, attempting to decompose the total response into different terms,
each dependent only on some of the known influential parameters. The proposed
constitutive model was then used to study polycarbonate response [50,156],
distinguishing the contribution of secondary interactions due to molecular
interactions from the network effect 13. In turn, a further decomposition was
proposed for the driving stress in a strain-rate dependent rejuvenated yield stress
and a yield-drop , function of the thermomechanical history (Figure 2.5).
This decomposition assumes that both the yield-drop14 and “rejuvenated” stress-
hardening functions are independent from the strain rate 15.
Figure 2.5 - stress decomposition (Klompen, 2005 [156])
13
This method is consistent with the original 1968 Haward and Thackray (HT) approach [76]
14
The softening part of the curves in Figure 4.4, well recognizable in the experimental analyses for
SG and to some extent also for DG41.
15
Both hypotheses that doesn’t seem to be accurate in our analyses (cfr. Figure 5.2 123 with
comments in §5.1.1.2). Moreover, the yield-drop function would be required to output initial
negative values to correctly describe the material response for very small strains, something that
doesn’t seem to have an intuitive physical meaning, if any.
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2.2.2 LG MODELS AND FULL-SCALE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSES

The field of modelling the mechanical response of laminated elements is, by itself,
a very complicated challenge, let alone having to deal with complicated materials
such as thermoplastic interlayers. Structural response of LG elements stands amid
two limiting cases: a layered limit, where all glass plies are allowed to slip freely
one over the other and the interlayer contribution in entirely neglected, and
monolithic limit, where the plane sections conservation hypothesis stands and the
interlayer is assigned the same properties of glass [11,41,158,159]. Since the middle
of the 20th century, two approaches have been carried out and progressively
refined, to provide accurate and/or simple tools for predicting where the actual LG
stands between these two limit cases: a numerical approach and an analytical one
(exact or simplified), both supported by experimental analyses. To overview the
path of the research leading to the current state-of-the-art, the two approaches –
which are nevertheless deeply interconnected – will be examined separately.
Analytical approach
Equations for modelling three-layered sandwich structures, with a thick and soft
inner core, were developed in the early 1950s by N. M. Newmark [160], E. Reissner
[161] and C. Wang [162]. While the first was conceived of for steel-concrete
structures, and could hardly be applied to LG elements, the latter two models
accounted for transverse deformation and compressibility of the central layer, but
they neglected the bending stiffness external plates and were thus also of little use
for practical LG design. At the end of the decade, K. S. Pister and S. B. Dong [163]
developed a set of equations for large deflection in laminated plates, but - like the
Newmark model - used the hypothesis that plane sections remain plane [164]. As
hinted in Chapter 1 and further discussed in the following, this hypothesis can
hardly be applied to LG structures for out-of-plane bending scenarios.
A kick-start to the investigations in this field, specifically thinking about LG and
practical applications, was brought more than 20 years after by American
researchers R. A. Behr, J. E. Minor and C. V. G. Vallabhan between 1985 and 1993.
In collaboration with others, this group issued many pioneering works for
characterizing the response of architectural LG under lateral pressure [165]. By the
end of their investigations, a mathematical model was developed using an
energetic approach. The comparison between the mathematical model (which
could only be used for uniformly distributed loads) and the experimental analyses
proved to be good, but still needed large improvements to cater a variable shear
modulus of the interlayer and different boundary conditions. Experimental and
theoretical investigations within this decade-long project took stock of a 20-year
period by several other investigators, to ultimately provide a predicting model for
architectural LG under lateral pressures, validated for practical engineering
purposes16. Notable works of this research group are:
 1985, Laminated Glass Units Under Uniform Lateral Pressure [41]
(Behr, Minor, Linden & Vallabhan)
 1986, Load Duration and Interlayer Thickness Effects on Laminated Glass [166]
(Behr, Minor, Linden & Magnus)
 1987, Stresses in Layered Glass Units and Monolithic Glass Plates [167]
16
Using these results, the effect of different interlayers and temperatures have been studied in
recent years by El-Shami et al. [327], comparing them with FE models and new experimental data.
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(Vallabhan, Minor & Nagalla)

 1990, Failure Strengths of Laminated Glass [159]
(Minor & Reznik)
 1993, Structural Behaviour of Architectural Laminated Glass [158]
(Behr, Minor & Norville)
 1993, Analysis of Laminated Glass Units [168]
(Vallabhan, Das, Magdi, Aşik & Bailey)
After those contributions, the investigations seem to have stalled for a few years
and no major advancements is to be found. With the turn of the century and the
decisive growth of the architectural LG market, the volume of research in the field
of glass lamination has certainly moved up a gear, as already observed in the
previous paragraph when talking about properties of interlayers. An analytical
approach to determining the impact strength of laminated glass was proposed by
A. I. Shutow et al. [169], while S. J. Bennison et al. were the first to publish a
research about LG with a “stiff” interlayer (SG17), which was explicitly indented to
enhance properties of architectural LG [102]. Based on experimental analyses, the
first correlations between bending stiffness and temperature were provided by S.
H. Pang et al. [170], for ambient temperatures close to usual indoor environments
(18 to 35 ).
LG plates and beams (where the sandwich structure is loaded in its own plane)
laminated with several interlayer materials, were investigated by C. Louter et al. at
Delft University of Technology. The researchers studied both reinforced and non-
reinforced LG elements at different temperatures with four-points bending tests
[47,171]. Among other results, the investigations showed that SG-laminated
elements had the lowest midspan deflection, volatile displacements and
longitudinal strains under different temperature conditions. Similar tests were also
proposed by L. Briccoli Bati et al. [145], comparing experimental results to the
Hooper18 [43] and numerical models.
Figure 2.6 - scheme of four-point bending tests used by Louter [171] and Briccoli Bati [145]
By means of similar tests, K. Pankhardt and G. L. Balázs investigated the effects of

temperature and fracture pattern on the residual load bearing capacity of partially
damaged LG using EVA and PVB [172]. The researchers observed that if one glass
ply fails within an -glass plies LG element, the residual load-bearing capacity is
higher than that of laminated glass consisting of glass plies, suggesting that
the interlayer on the top of the fractured glass layer may function as a kind of
strengthening element19.
17
At that time known with the commercial name of SGP, where the “P” stands for “Plus”.
18
By the means of which an approximate solution to the elastic problem of the composite glass
beam subjected to four-point bending test was proposed.
19
Even if the authors never mentioned this term, the effect observed called “tension stiffening” by
other researchers in succeeding works.
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The state-of-the-art of analytical models for LG sandwich structures is set by two

approaches, both issued by Italian researchers in 2012: an analytical, exact and
explicit model developed by P. Foraboschi [173], and the effective thickness 20 , 21
approach by L. Galuppi and G. F. Royer-Carfagni [113], embracing classical
formulations as particular cases but allowing any constraint- and load-condition.
Among others, both models accept the same assumptions, namely:
 glass and interlayers are LE materials,
 perfect adhesion between the layers (i.e. no delamination occurs).
Both models can certainly coexist, having two different goals and fields of
application. The Foraboschi model provides a full description of the mechanical
phenomena of bending in sandwich structures, and despite its arguable complexity
it can be used to validate both numerical and approximate models (such as the
Galuppi-Royer one). Conversely, as P. Foraboschi alleged, among all approximated
solutions, an effective thickness (EET) approach can provide the best approximation.
Moreover, it has been shown that results from the EET method are close to results
from the exact model (with a guaranteed maximum relative error limited to 10%),
but it is also typically conservative, providing overestimations of both deflections
and stresses. While practical expressions [174], a time-dependent load analysis
[112] and applications to viscoelastic interlayers [64] have been provided by the
same authors of the EET, a fairly recent and successful validation of the model has
been provided by F. Pelayo et al. [112] for buckling of LG beams.
Numerical approach
Unsurprisingly, because of the difficulty in dealing with the problem in a rigorous
way, studies of sandwich structures have embraced numerical models since the
early days of FE applications. Reports can be found dating back to the late 1960s,
with the FE method extended to LE analyses of multilayer beams and shells.
Contributions on numerical models are countless22, and the prospect of giving a
comprehensive review of all researches is out of the reach of this work; besides,
numerical models will only be dealt with marginally. Also, differently from
analytical approaches to the theory of sandwich structures, numerical models have
hardly been developed especially for LG applications. Often, numerical models are
developed for multi-purpose applications, to be later used, validated and
commented on differently in all engineering fields. Concerning LG applications,
numerical models have been used for the study many of the aspects which are not
yet covered with reliable analytical solutions. Among these:
 glazing resistance to blast-loads,
 buckling of compressed columns and beams,
 point-supported structures,
 concentrated actions,
 colliding bodies (impulsive effects),
20
Possibly for its user-friendly characteristics and adaptability to numerous practical design
situations, this is the approach is proposed in the Italian technical document CNR-DT210 [38].
21
The “effective laminate thickness” idea draws from the intuition of Bennison et al. [89], in turn
elaborating on the work of E. Wolfel n 1987 [323], to introduce an equivalent moment of inertia
for the LG cross section. Once the effective stiffness is established, deflection and curvature can be
calculated and, consequently, the maximum stress in the single glass plies.
22
[14,98,211,220,328–331,104,106,108,139,141,145,158,171], only to reference a few.
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 visco-elastic decay due to interlayers mechanics,

 non-linear analyses,
 crack initiation and post-breakage behaviour,
 reinforced elements,
 delamination,
 complicated or varying boundary conditions.
Just to mention some researchers that have openly dedicated much of their
attention to the application of numerical models to LG structures, M. Z. Aşik, a
computational mechanics specialist from Middle East TU (who also had been
involved with C. V. G. Vallabhan at Texas TU in the early 1990s) presented several
relevant studies between 2003 and 2009 [175–178]. In more recent years, C. Bedon
and C. Amadio have studied several LG properties using FE models with Abaqus23
and occasionally previous experimental analyses (Figure 2.7) [179–185].
Figure 2.7 - 3D FE model by C. Bedon, 2017 [184], for the numerical interpretation of
2014 tests by C. Louter et al. on pre-stressed LG beams [186] (cfr §2.2.3)
2.2.3 REINFORCED LG
In literature, with the term “reinforced laminated glass” scientists and engineers are
generally referring to composite elements based on a LG core, with the addition of
stronger and/or more ductile materials which are either able to enhance the SLS or
ULS performance. The knowledge about synergistic features of LG reinforced
composites relates varies depending on materials and techniques used. Numerous
examples of such performance-enhanced LG can be found across the body of
international researches, once again with a decisive increase in the last decade.
The interest in reinforcements for LG structures start to come up by the end of the
last century. A concept for a steel-glass-polycarbonate beam presented in 1997 by
F. A. Veer et al. in the bi-annual Glass Performance Days conference was later on
updated in 2001 and once again in 2003 [187]: a three-ply LG with polycarbonate
interlayers and a stainless steel profile in the tension zone. In later years, more
examples and similar ideas have been proposed and tested; namely: plain or
perforated metallic plates and flanges (2003-2008) [188–190], steel-reinforced
concrete (2004) [191], plain or hollow steel bars (2005-2012) [45,192], stainless steel-
wire meshes, thin perforated metal sheets and fabrics of high strength fibres (2008)
[193], carbon fibre (2009-2016) [5,194], glass fibres [195], pultruded Glass Fibre
Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) [196,197] or timber (2010-2016) [198–200]. Some of
those concepts are presented in Figure 2.8.
23
Abaqus Unified FEA - SIMULIA™ by Dassault Systèmes®
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Figure 2.8 - a) & b) embedded hollow/plain steel c) steel or GFRP profiles d) carbon-fibre
e) embedded perforated metal plate f) steel flanges g) timber h) reinforced concrete 24
For most of those studies, the whole purpose of the reinforcements was to enhance
the post-failure performance of LG elements, by avoiding sudden collapses.
Therefore, such reinforcements had been charged with minor – if any - structural
responsibilities for serviceability conditions.
Figure 2.9 – tenting the “Zappi1” beam specimen25 in 4-points bending (Veer, 1997 [201])
Among the first to methodically take on the challenge of glass reinforcements,

within the years 1992-2003 the Zappi research group of the faculty of architecture in
Delft26 developed a research where the design philosophy progressively evolved in
24
All of the examples proposed are shown in a vertically symmetric configuration. Nonetheless, it
is not uncommon in LG beams to find reinforcements only on the lower part of the cross-section,
which is affected by tensile actions in most SLS and whose post-failure behaviour can hardly
account any structural contribution from glass. On the other hand, it is known and it will be shown
again within this manuscript, that fractured glass is still able to withstand substantial compressive
actions (cfr. §4.3.4 and §5.2.4). For each of the presented solutions, the number of glass plies is
indicative and may in fact vary for different studies and applications.
25
A special method of laminating glass plates in an overlapping pattern, with the advantages that
failure is concentrated in the individual segments and specimens of any size can be made by
manufacturing them out of smaller components. While this techniques didn’t use steel
reinforcements, the same concept of segmented LG beams was used with stainless steel
reinforcements in later researches from the same team (Delft, 2003) [187], concluding that
reinforced LG is a safer structural material.
26
The origin of this group is ascribable to Prof. D. Dicke (1924 - 2003) in 1989, who asked to
describe “the ideal transparent structural material”. He proposed to design a structure with an
imaginary material having a motley set of characteristics, derived from those of well-known
structural materials. The quest for Zappi, this still unknown transparent wonder material, was
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using glass as a sort of transparent concrete using steel reinforcements 27 . This

decade-long research concluded that it is possible to design and manufacture
transparent composite materials with metal-like properties (i.e. ductile failure)
using steel-reinforced LG. The authors went as far as stating that such structural
elements will be used to replace metallic beams in load bearing constructions; and
that the research would eventually result in a family of reliable transparent
building components which are structurally safe, with a long lifespan [201,202].
Regarding other reinforcement materials, while researches on strategies using
timber and concrete seem not to have led to major follow-ups, significant advances
in the domain of embedded steel-reinforcements in LG can be ascribed to the work
of C. Louter and J. Belis, who took part of the conclusions of the Zappi research;
since 2009, sporadically joined by others, the two researchers have been
collaborating on this topic. The conceptual development of the research over the
years emerges from the vast amount of papers published. The first analyses were
made for metal-to-glass bonding properties using acrylate adhesives or SG at a
range of temperatures [96], showing that the bonding strength of both plastics is
dependent on temperature and that the residual strength after bond failure which
is ascribable to friction is still significant. Analyses on SG-laminated and steel
reinforced beams followed right away, studying the effects of glass type,
reinforcement percentage and beam size [203]. Successive investigations on the
effects of temperature, thermal cycling, humidity and load-duration, showed that
temperatures in the range of to do not endanger the safety performance
of such elements, and that a significant post-breakage strength is reached at all
tested temperatures [45]. Both fragile and ductile structural aspects of reinforced
glass beams were analysed [204], before extending the study to statically
indeterminate reinforced glass beams (Figure 2.10) [205] and FE analyses [184]. The
last papers showed that the static determination status of the LG system is not
influential towards the determination of the load-carrying capacity nor the failure
mechanisms, and that the mechanical properties of glass can be exploited using
tendons to pre-stress LG beams. However, these researches also highlighted that, if
the ratio between reinforcement and glass surface exceeds a given threshold, the
reinforcement benefits can vanish, ultimately concluding that further
investigations are still to be expected for optimizing such concepts.
Figure 2.10 – five-points bending tests for SG-laminated beams reinforced with a) solid-
and b) hollow-steel profiles (martens, 2017 [205]; cfr. Figure 2.8)
Promising results in terms of ductility were obtained by E. Speranzini and S

Agnetti using pultruded GFRP elements in combination with LG [197]. Thick
combinations of reinforced six-layers LG made with tempered or float glass plies
were tested (Figure 2.11).
officially announced in the inaugural speech in 1992.

27
Initially, the goal was to find a material with the mechanical properties of steel and the
transparency of glass.
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Figure 2.11 - cross section of the GFRP-reinforced FL tested (Speranzini, 2015 [197])
Figure 2.12 - four-point bending results on P-FG (left) and P-TFG specimens (right)
For both solutions, the structural behaviour is similar; however, the mode of failure
is different: for P-FG the load increases after the first failure and diminishes
progressively with increasing number of cracks, until the final collapse, for of P-
TFG specimens, the initial failure is reached because of fragmentation of the whole
array of tempered glass plies. Overall, this solution proved that some kind of
ductile and hardening structural response can be obtained for reinforced LG
beams, with load-displacement curves which are similar to the desired load-
carrying behaviour described by K. Martens et al. [206] for pre-stressed LG (see
below).
2.2.4 PRE-STRESSED LG
The term “pre-stressed laminated glass” can be used to refer to LG elements whose
glass is subject by design to a – significant - tensile state prior to the application of
external loads. Two macro-categories of elements can be identified:
 elements with axial self-balancing loads, designed to induce a compressive state
in the glass plies (“pre-stressed” or “post-tensioned” LG28),
 out-of-plane “cold-bent” LG structures, whose internal stress distribution is
proportional to the extent of the curvature, thickness of the sandwich structure
and coupling abilities of the interlayer.
28
The term post-tensioned has been extensively used in scientific literature referring to such LG
elements. Anyhow, in my opinion this choice ay be slightly confusing and the term pre-stressed
should be always preferred. As a matter of fact, “post-tensioning” refers to the act of applying a
tensile force to some tensile-resistant component of a composite LG material after (i.e. post-) the
lamination process is concluded. Arguably, because the goal of the whole procedure is not to tear
those accessory elements, but rather to put the glass - or part of the glass - in a compressive state
before (i.e. pre-) the application of the design live loads, the term pre-stressed (or pre-compressed)
is more suited and less prone to misunderstandings.
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While the study of pre-stressed LG is inherently connected to reinforced LG (cfr.

§2.2.3), cold-bent LG is usually comprising only glass and interlayers. In fact,
mention of a study concerning pre-stressed LG has already been made within the
overlook on reinforced LG works: the research on FE numerical models carried out
by C. Bedon and C. Louter [184], used results of a previous investigation on pre-
stressed LG beams with steel tendons [186] to numerically explore the effects of the
pre-stressing action, as well as the overall performance steel-reinforced LG beams.
The concept of pre-stressed glass beams has currently been explored in only a
limited number of researchers projects within the last decade [207]. The main goals
of pre-stressed LG structures are: first, to improve the ultimate flexural strength,
second, to yield considerable post-fracture load-bearing capacity. Many
researchers have issued methods and techniques to improve LG elements in
general - and specifically LG beams - using materials with prominent tensile-
resistant properties, like steel bars [208] or FRP bars [194,209,210]. Using epoxy
resins to secure the reinforcements, these techniques yielded promising results,
underlining that the strength and reliability of the reinforcements-resins and glass-
resins adhesion are critical parameters for assessing the response of such elements
[211]. Despite investigations are still in a preliminary phase and despite their
limited number, such researches have shown the potential of post-tensioned LG.
Figure 2.13 - a) cross-section and lateral view of LG reinforced and pre-stressed using FRP
pultruded bars (Cagnacci, 2009 [211])
Limits of adhesive reinforcements bonding have been pointed out in 2014 with the
research of Louter et al., showing that pre-stress can be achieved by means of
mechanically anchored or adhesively bonded tendons. Due to the actions of the
tendons, initial fracture loads of pre-stressed LG elements can be increased up to
compared to reference beams. Also, with the bridging of the glass cracks, a
post-fracture load-carrying mechanism is created. Therefore, the residual load-
carrying capacity is enhanced up to – of the initial fracture load [186,207].
Figure 2.14 - method for bonding pre-tensioned tendons to the lower edge
of laminated glass beams (Louter, 2014 [186])
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Figure 2.15 - stress distribution in pre-stressed LG beams (Louter, 2014 [186])

A good choice of reinforcement/pre-stressing material and a good design of the
cross-section will yield structural glass beams with safe failure behaviour. Figure
2.16 provides a schematic presentation of the desired load-carrying behaviour for
pre-stressed LG which has been given by K. Martens et al. in 2015 in [206], within a
comprehensive process of reviewing the state-of-the-art of pertinent researches.
Figure 2.16 - desired load-carrying behaviour for LG beams (Martens, 2015 [206])
On the other hand, regarding cold-bent LG elements, the act of forcing a single-
curvature shape after the lamination process is concluded gives also birth to pre-
stressed LG elements: structures which need to cope with an internal state of stress
prior to the application of external live loads. The behaviour of such elements is
not easy to model, as the stress distribution in the glass plies varies with time after
the initial bending phase because of the viscoelastic properties of the interlayers,
which causes the decay of the shear-coupling effect [212].
The possibility to cold-bend LG has been used for less than twenty years, with the
earliest scientific reports dating back to the start of the century [213]. The
distinction between short-term and long-term response of this technique has been
clear since the early days: while at short term the glass panes “work together”, and
the sandwich structure will act approximately as a single layered pane of the
thickness of the whole sandwich, at long term the panes of the sandwich act mostly
independently from one another as separate panes (Figure 2.17).
Figure 2.17 – qualitative stress distribution in cold-bent LG at short (left) and long term
behaviour (right) respectively (Vakar and Gaar, 2004 [213])
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While long-term effects of cold-bending have yet to be properly understood [146],

the proven reliability of completed constructions which were only concepts when
the first papers were issued is proof that the creation of transparent, curved
surfaces comes within reach of designers and clients with an affordable price tag.
Figure 2.18 – Roof over the IJsei bus station in Amsterdam in a) an early 2004 concept,
which was completed in 2011 and b) a picture in 2017.
Despite its complicated behaviour, cold-bending is an alluring prospect for glass

designers being a much cheaper alternative to the expensive hot-bending process29.
Conversely, cold-bending allows for the construction of curved free-form surfaces30
with better optical properties at a lower cost. While the general principle is to leave
the glass properties unaltered, different manufacturing solutions are possible:
 flat lamination and in-site bending with clamps31 [214] (cheap, small curvature),
 cold-lamination-bending [212] (moderately expensive, large curvature),
 flat-lamination- relaxed-bending [146] (moderately expensive, large curvature),
The latter two methods bring into play of the interlayer mechanical properties to
keep the LG panels in the desired shape (or at least in a shape which is closer to the
final installation). In both cases, once bending devices are removed, the LG element
holds the deformed shape thanks to the interlayer stiffness. Hence, dependable
data of long-term properties of such materials is of paramount importance for the
implementation of these techniques. Equally to axially pre-stressed LG elements,
researchers agree that cold-bending is worth a deeper investigation, as there
appears to be a general lack of understanding and reliable long-term data.
2.2.5 POST-FAILURE LG PERFORMANCE
Over their lifetime, buildings are likely to be subject to actions such as impacts,
abrasions and localized temporary loads. While the overall intensity of localized
effects may be far lower compared to design ULS load combinations, such stress
29
Where curved glass plies are first obtained by heating them up to the material softening point
(cfr. §1.1.1) and curved individually into the desired shape using moulds. Hot-bent glass plies are
then successively laminated to form LG elements. While this process allows to shape virtually any
kind of curved glass elements, either single-curvature and double-curvature ones, it is very
expensive and doesn’t leave a perfectly reflective glass surface.
30Cold-bending a double curved shape is possible, but typically results in very high stresses in
glass, so that the economic advantage of cold-bending in manufacturing is lost. However, recent
advances in theoretical algorithms allow for the discretization of any surface using only single
curvature panels, thus allowing the construction of smooth double curvature glazing of any form
[332–334].
31
This technique can already count some practical application, like the Strasbourg Railway Station
(cfr. Figure 1.2.c) and the aforementioned bus station in Amsterdam (Figure 2.18).
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concentrations can kick-start the uprising of cracks, thus influencing the maximum
load which can be carried by structural LG. As peak stress concentrations are
independent from the type of element and can affect any type of glass product (cfr.
§1.1.1), localized loads induced failures cannot be safely included into the design
process. Besides, what happens to the glass after it has failed is an important
design concern; and both designers and customers must accept that LG can fail, at
least partially, due to concentrated impacts and actions. Ultimately, a successful
and widespread strategy to avoid catastrophic effects is to include sacrificial plies
on the outer layers on LG [42,192,215]. Therefore, the understanding and
modelling of damaged LG elements must be seen as fundamental parts of the
design process. While studies on the behaviour of unreinforced LG beams are
available [62,211,216,217] (also cfr. §2.2.2), those rarely delve in performance
assessments after the failure of the glass plies [11,158,159,166].
In the last decades, researchers have picked up the challenge of understanding the
post-failure response and properties of LG. Once again, the research started from
the automotive department. One of the first research on post failure LG
performance can be traced back to the year 2000, in a work by Japanese J. Oda et al.
[218], studying variously damaged automotive windshields residual impact
resistance. Mechanisms of crack initiation and propagation were investigated by
Chinese team J. Xu, Y. Sun et al. between 2011 and 2017 with a couple of
noteworthy papers [219,220]. In the former, with preliminarily impact fracture
experiments, authors investigated crack propagation in PVB-LG; in the latter, an
explanation to the basic crack propagation mechanism on radial multi-crack was
proposed, providing guidance for retroactive impact information extraction and
improving cracking-resistant structural design and material selection.
Models have been proposed for in-plane and out-of-plane bending. The latter can
account for decisively more in-depth analyses, having yield in the last years both
an homogenized analytical model by L. Galuppi and G. Royer [104] and a Non-
linear discrete modelling proposal [215] by D. Baraldi, A. Cecchi and P. Foraboschi.
Both researches focused on tempered glass failure. Arguably, while influencing
dramatically the post-failure LG configuration, tempered glass failure produced a
more homogeneous material in the post-failure phase, compared to annealed glass
failure. Major research conclusions were that fully-damaged tempered LG
elements can still give rise to a resisting system, with a degree load-bearing
capacity and stiffness strongly dependent on the interlayer material. Results of the
analysis also showed that the interlayers are “stiffened” by the contact with the
adherent glass shards, but a degree of delamination is supposed to occur at the
glass-polymer interface. From a numerical point of view, it was shown that non-
linear Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) is a practical solution for analyzing the
behaviour of fully damaged LG elements made with tempered glass plies.
Compared to out-of-plane analyses, far fewer works seem to have been performed
on the post-failure behaviour of in-plane loaded LG. A recent experimental paper,
issued by Chinese X. Huang et al. [221], described an experimental campaign
which was carried out on a significant number of full-scale PVB- and SG-laminated
beams in short term three-point bending at room temperature. While PVB-
laminated were found to have very poor post-failure performance, the research
was able to produce a simple analytical model to predict the post-failure strength
of the SGP LG beams. Still, this work seems to be the only example regarding
studies in this area of research.
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Figure 2.19 - a) homogenized model problem by Galuppi-Royer [104] with hint to interface
delamination and b) DEM example from Baraldi-Cecchi-Foraboschi [215]
2.3 AIM OF THE RESEARCH

In the analysis of regulatory and scientific state-of-the-art, several open questions
have been highlighted. While new researches in many of these fields may lead to
interesting results, for the breakdown of the most pressing questions to be
investigated within this work, the focus will be set from the perspective of a LG
designer, an architect or an engineer, proficient with the currently available design
tools and aiming to find more reliable answers to given architectural applications.
From interlayers properties on a microscopic level, to local effects within the cross
section, to the response large architectural structures, the topic of interlayer
mechanics within LG elements represents a multi-scale problem. Accordingly, a
multi-scale approach will be carried out within the research framework: from small
interlayer specimens, to small LG specimens, to full-scale LG structural elements.
The research presented within this manuscript is set on two main goals, in turn
articulated in multiple analyses:
1: Assessing and comparing interlayer mechanical properties
Among the most compelling and still unresolved topics, one certainly deals with
the assessment of interlayer mechanical properties. Problems related to LG design
have typically to deal either with long-term actions and short-term effects, which
trigger two very different responses. For LG structures charged with out-of plane
actions, long-term effects are mostly defined by the viscoelastic flow within the
bulk of the interlayers, critically affecting both stiffness and load-bearing capacity.
Conversely, viscoelastic properties are less relevant for short-term effects like
blasts and vibrations; there, the instantaneous, and possibly large-strain response
may be best represented by means of hyperelastic models.
Taking advantage of a substantial lack of a coherent regulatory structure for
architectural applications of interlayer materials, newly developed interlayers such
as DG41 (and, to a minor extent, SG) are put forward by manufacturers supported
by very modest technical information (while supposedly alleging prominent
mechanical properties). To establish a simple baseline, allowing to compare these
new products to more traditional ones, tensile tests (cfr. §4.1.1) will be carried out
using the exact same procedure for specimens of three materials (Figure 2.20.a):
PVB, SG and DG41.
While short-term effects can be studied with tensile or dynamic tests (cfr. §3.1.3.4,
not performed in this research), some have pointed out that correlations used to
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extrapolate long-term viscoelastic properties from imposed sinusoidal actions may

yield incorrect results, and that shear tests should be preferred instead for both
isotropic and non-isotropic materials (cfr. Délince [7], Van Der Vegt [59] & §4.2.1).
Embracing this approach, an experimental technique developed within a previous
research with Prof. L. Biolzi at the Politecnico di Milano and used for two diverse
applications [65,146], will be perfected and enhanced in this work (cfr. §4.2.1). This
method is used to investigate the viscoelastic properties of same materials studied
with tensile tests, this time in a small-scale LG structure (Figure 2.20.b).
Figure 2.20 - a) interlayer specimens for tensile tests and b) LG specimens tested for
assessing the viscoelastic properties of interlayers ( )
2: Investigating the progressive damage effects of LG beams

Except for requiring safety with respect to the collapse of safety LG structures, the
standardization bodies make no mention of quantitative mechanical properties
which are required to partially- or totally-damaged LG elements. On the other
hand, relevant studies on the structural performance of architectural laminated LG
have been experimentally and numerically performed, including lamination
combined with embedded reinforcements, but no experimental analyses could be
found on progressively damaged LG beams (i.e. in-plane loaded elements). While
the interlayer doesn’t have a significant influence on the flexural response of
undamaged LG beams under in plane loading, it is believed that the use of “stiff”
interlayers may significantly enhance the post-failure response.
This research will tackle the problem of experimentally investigate the
performance of SG- and DG41-laminated glass beams, made with three fully
tempered glass plies, to assess their post-failure behaviour. Static and dynamic
tests will be performed, with the goal of deepening the understanding of the
tension stiffening (TS) effect, recently observed by some researchers (cfr. §2.2.5), and
the decay of bond adhesion between glass and interlayers around tempered glass
fragments, which is supposed to induce a drastic reduction of the TS over time and
over large strains.
Multilayer interlayers will be investigated, by comparing DG41-laminated beams
with twin elements with an extra polycarbonate sheet amid the interlayers matrix.
The goal of the comparison is to establish whether a thin foil of “stiff” plastic
material can significantly enhance the properties of such laminates.
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Chapter 3 – Mechanics
3 MECHANICS
Laminated glass is a composite material whose components present several

elements of novelty for most architects and engineers. Here more than
anywhere else, designers are forced to think in terms of viscosity and
fragility. While those subjects are often circumvented and avoided in
traditional applications, the desire for transparent glass structures forces us
to tackle those topics more in depth, understanding the mechanics to propose
new solutions to new problems.
Despite its intrinsic brittleness, glass itself can be included in the category of
“traditional” solid building materials. Most of increased complexity when dealing
with LG is due to the peculiar behaviour of thermoplastic interlayers. This
complexity is well introduced by A. Ali:
“Elastomers present a very complicated mechanical behaviour that exceed
linear elastic theory and contain large deformations, plastic and viscoelastic
properties and stress softening”. A. Ali et al., 2010 [222]
In the following, an overview of the fundamental mechanics needed to understand
the response of LG is provided. While some chapters are openly more dedicated
glass and others are dealing with interlayer mechanics, it is once again useful to
recall the words of K. Gilbert (cfr. p.11): observations and models are generally
dependent on the scale of human problems, so that mechanics can vary once the
scale is changed to larger perspectives.
This chapter deals with the following topics:
 small strains linear elasticity,
 large deformations non-linear elastic response,
 time- and temperature-dependency of solids,
 non-reversible processes and plastic deformations,
Despite being essential to the understanding of the response of brittle materials
such as glass, the topic of fracture mechanics is not dealt with in this manuscript,
as countless dedicated works on this topic can be found in literature [32,34,36].
3.1 ELASTICITY
The theory of the elastic solid is briefly introduced, deriving the relations and laws by
which an elastic material transforms because of externally applied actions.
Elastic materials share the ability to deform under external actions and the
property to restore the initial shape when freed from said actions, independently
from the conditions upon which those were applied. The rule according to which
loads are applied is called loading process [223].
An elastic material or body is described as a reversible system, where energy
spend throughout the deformation is internally stored and entirely released upon
removal of the external actions. The ability of such materials to naturally restore
their initial state allows to acknowledge the existence of an entity such as the elastic
energy or strain energy, capable to produce (at its expenses) negative work from a
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combination of forces. In short, mechanical work needed to transition from the

initial configuration to a deformed one is stored as elastic energy, which
transforms back in a positive work during the inverse transition. A biunivocal
relation can be identified among stress and strain components for elastic materials:
Different materials may store elastic energy in different ways. From a macroscopic
point of view, a distinction of interest for this work may be performed according to
materials showing a linear elastic response, a non-linear elastic response and a
time-dependent elastic response [224].
The treatise in the following paragraphs will first briefly mention linear elastic
solids, which are a good model for glass in the pre-failure phase, while non-linear
elasticity and time-dependent elasticity will be functional for understanding the
response of thermoplastic interlayers. On occasion, when presenting the various
mathematical formulations, specific mechanics will be immediately referred to a
specific component of LG, to clarify and synthesize the discussion.
3.1.1 LINEAR ELASTICITY
Among elastic materials (see above), a Linear Elastic (LE) one is defined by linear
constitutive equations, meaning that the relations between stresses and strains
are linear and homogeneous [223]. For LE isotropic materials, the correlation
between the components of tensors and allows for the formulation of the so-
called generalized Hooke’s laws1 :
Where is the Young modulus2 and the the Poisson’s coefficient3. These relations
are valid for the small strain domain and will be used frequently throughout this
work when dealing with glass; as their use is common practice in engineering,
these will be usually implied without direct reference.
3.1.2 NON-LINEAR ELASTICITY (HYPERELASTICITY)
The demand of predictive models for mechanics of rubber-like materials has been
pushing the research since the beginning of the 20th century, overcome the limits of
linear elastic models that have guided many of the technical developments
throughout the industrial revolution (namely, the restriction to infinitesimal
strains). This progress has led to the development and critical assessment of
constitutive equations for the nonlinear elasticity of rubber materials known as
hyperelastic models [225]. Such mathematical formulations can be used to model
materials exhibiting a non-linear but reversible response (Figure 3.1). Primary
applications of these models have been dedicated to rubbery polymeric materials
1
Robert Hooke, Wight 1635 – London 1703
2
Thomas Young, Milverton 1773 - London 1829
3
Simeon Denis Poisson, Pithiviers 1781 - Paris 1840
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and foams exposed to large, reversible shape changes (e.g. tires, seals, conveyor
belts, base isolations of buildings, etc) [226,227].
Hyperelastic models are suited for situations in which the non-linear response of a
material is mostly independent from strain rate and, more generally, from the
strain history. Alike elastic materials, the hyperelastic response only depends on
the strain (i.e. any work done deforming an hyperelastic material is stored as
potential energy in a thermo-dynamically reversible process).
Figure 3.1 – typical linear elastic and hyperelastic response

Hyperelastic models are defined in virtue of a functional called strain energy density
(SED) for finite strain. Several SED functions have been proposed: some are deeply
intertwined with the theory of finite elasticity [222,228,229], whereas others rather
result from phenomenological observations, with less ties to fundamental phisics.
These empirical models are frequently used, mostly aiming to a simplified and
design-oriented approach4 [222,229,230].
The existence of a SED functional was postulated by G. Green and perfected by
Rivlin within the Phenomenological Theory of Rubber Elasticity [231], relating the
potential strain energy content of a material to its state of deformation. Some
properties of the SED are [230–234]:
 it is a scalar function of the strain,
 its derivative with respect to the strain is the stress,
 it is independent from deformation history,
 for anisotropic materials, it depends implicitly on the directions defining the
structure of the material (i.e. orientation of fibres or layers),
 for small strains in isotropic materials, the function specializes to:
 for isotropic materials in finite strains, a function is usually defined using the
invariants , and of the Cauchy-Green tensor, and sometimes through the
elongation components in the three spatial dimensions:
Dealing with rubber elasticity in this work, namely, with the response of interlayer
polymers used in glass lamination, the large strain domain of isotropic materials
must be considered. To choose the most appropriate SED functions to work with,
we first need to assess how the compressibility of such materials come into play,
both from a mathematical point of view and from the perspective of practical
4
Some models postulate the existence of an arbitrary SED function, then derivate the formulation
the constitutive material equations; some other bypass the definition of a SED function and directly
provide empirical constitutive mathematical formulations instead.
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applications in LG elements. The compressibility of a material is a functional which

can be defined because of volumetric changes due to an isotropic stress state.
Conversely, an incompressible material is only allowed distortions with constant
volume. As such, SED functions can be addictively decomposed two parts,
respectively correlated to the hydrostatic and deviatoric part of the stress tensor.
While examples can be found involving tests on compressible rubbery materials
under homogeneous, hydrostatic strain [233], interlayers used in LG hardly
experience significant volumetric changes [48]. As the formulation of hyperelastic
models for compressible materials usually comes at the price of major
complications on a mathematical level, greater emphasis will be given to models
providing a reliable approach to incompressible hyperelasticity.
Figure 3.2 - hyperelastic models used within this manuscript, highlighted among some
popular ones (references can be found in the work by Steinmann et al., 2012 [225])
Polymers used as interlayer materials in LG transition among various regimes of
mechanical behaviour depending on the temperature: glassy, leathery and rubbery
(cfr. §1.1.2). Densely cross-linked polymers are the most likely to show the “ideal”
rubbery behaviour [227], that hyperelastic expression are intended to approximate.
Within this manuscript, hyperelastic models will be used extensively in Chapter 5,
to elaborate on tests results of Chapter 4. Mathematical formulations of the used
phenomenological models (Figure 3.2) are presented in the following paragraphs.
Starting from the SED formulations proposed by various authors, a walkthrough
on the analytical developments needed to calculate the stress-strain relations in
uniaxial tensile tests is carried out in the following.
Neo Hookean model
Among phenomenological hyperelastic models, the Neo-Hookean (NH) is
significant for two reasons: it is the simplest and does not involve arbitrary
constants. The SED for is defined as follows:
Where is the first invariant of the isochoric part of the right Cauchy-Green tensor
from the deformation gradient , is correlated to the variation
of volume for compressible materials, and the constants and
are depending on the shear modulus and the bulk modulus respectively.
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In an uniaxial stress test with the force applied in the direction, the transversal
elongations are equal . With this relation and the previous equations, one
finds as a function of the principal elongation component and :
Substituting the expression of in the formula of and then differentiating for the
three elongation components (proof in [234]) yields the expression of the
principal stress components for a compressible material in an uniaxial stress test:
If no action is applied on the sides, radial stress components and are null;
thus, it is possible to subtract the last two expressions and get rid of the term in :
The relation between and can then be found solving the nonlinear equation in
with numerical methods. To highlight the variation of for changing and ,
the Newton–Raphson method was used for results in Figure 3.3.
For many engineering purposes, is consistently close to 1 for any stretching

value, and the compressible problem ultimately equals to the uncompressible one.
The true stress, is calculated on the effective "stretched" cross-section. Besides, it is
common in engineering practice to simplify the small elongations problem looking
for the engineering relation between stress and strain on the original cross-section. If
is the applied force and is the area of the original cross-section:
Table 3.1 - stress in uniaxial elongation for a Neo-Hookean material

true stress engineering stress
compressible
incompressible
with
Figure 3.3 shows the effects of varying values of the bulk and shear moduli on the
function and a qualitative representation of the NH models described in Table
3.1 for given values of moduli and .
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Figure 3.3 – a) function for varying , and b) hyperelastic Neo-Hookean models
Mooney-Rivlin model
The Mooney‐Rivlin (MR) hyperelastic model proposed in 1951, is a special case of
the generalized MR polynomial model [235]. Based on empirical descriptions, this
is today one of the most regularly used models [230]; the SED function is:
Where is the 2nd invariant of the isochoric part of the left Cauchy-Green tensor:
Constants , and are empirically determined: while is linked to

the bulk modulus , and have no physical meaning other than being an
additive decomposition of half the shear modulus .
Closed form expressions for a compressible problem are scarcely used, involving
the solution of complex differential equations with arbitrary parameters. For an
incompressible material, using the same relations introduced for the NH model,
the principal stresses for a MR incompressible material are shown in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2 - uniaxial elongation stress for incompressible Mooney-Rivlin material
with and
Note that for the MR model degenerates in the NH incompressible one, and
that for any other value of the MR model results in softer material behaviour for
finite strain, while still having the same initial tangent modulus.
Figure 3.4 - hyperelastic Mooney-Rivlin models for varying over ratio
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Yeoh model
Like the MR one, the Yeoh model also provides a phenomenological description of
the material response. The model is based on R. Rivlin's observation that the elastic
properties of rubber may be described using a strain energy density function
which is a power series in the strain invariants [230]:
The constant is related to the bulk modulus, so the right sum is non-null only for
compressible materials. Alike to the MR model, despite compressibility being
included in the SED formulation, a closed form solution is unknown using the
complete expression of . Hence, the Yeoh model is normally applied for
incompressible materials only ( ) choosing :
The constant is linked to the shear modulus by the relation , while

and are phenomenological constants without a physical meaning. For an
incompressible material in an uniaxial test:
Table 3.3 - uniaxial elongation stress for incompressible Yeoh material

with and
Figure 3.5 – hyperelastic Yeoh model dependency from coefficients and

Ogden model
Unlike most empirical hyperelastic models, the 1972 Ogden model [236] does not
define a SED functional from invariants of the deformation tensor, but rather
through elongation components in the three spatial directions.
Materials can be described by means of properly arranged set of constants

, and , all correlated the initial shear modulus by the relation:
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For an incompressible material in an uniaxial test, the SED simplifies as follows:
Table 3.4 - uniaxial elongation stress for incompressible Ogden material

with
3.1.3 TIME-DEPENDENT LINEAR ELASTICITY (LINEAR VISCOELASTICITY)

Many polymers show a mixture of elastic, viscous and inelastic responses when
external actions are applied. In this paragraph, the focus will be given non the
second ones, and on models used to describe the rheology of linear viscoelastic
(LVE) materials [237].
Rheology is the study of flow and deformation of matter under applied forces, a
field whose mathematical foundations have been extensively studied throughout
the last decades of the 20th century [114,238]. While some authors are at times
discordant on the terminology, the distinction used by P Perzyna in 1966 [239]5 will
be used throughout this manuscript to separate plastic and rheologic properties:
the first, dealing with inelastic deformations and power dissipations (cfr. §3.2), the
latter associated to reversible processes.
The foundation of LVE lie in the Boltzmann 6 superposition principle, by virtue of
which it is accepted that “each loading step makes an independent contribution to the
final state”. By means of this statement, linear viscoelastic correlations can be
written down for both creep and relaxation phenomena, which will be properly
introduced and further discussed on in the next paragraph:
linear relaxation
linear creep compliance

meaning that strain resulting from applying a stress , where is an arbitrary
constant, is times the strain resulting from applying a stress (the same works
the other way around for strains over stresses).
3.1.3.1 CREEP AND RELAXATION: THE WIECHERT MODEL AND PRONY SERIES
When dealing about time-dependent effects in solid continuum mechanics, Creep is
looked at as the tendency to deform over time under the influence of constant
stress, while the diminishing resistance observed in some materials in response to a
fixed amount of imposed strain is called stress relaxation (generally referred to only
as relaxation). Figure 3.6 shows conceptual representation of both phenomena.
Creep tests are typically easier to enforce compared to relaxation ones, because
holding a perfectly steady strain over time is arguably more complex. For the
former, a load is applied to a test specimen and its length is measured as a function
of time. In stress-relaxation measurements test specimens is rapidly stretched to a
5
Cited in over two thousand scientific works at the time this manuscript is written.
6
Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann, Vienna 1844 - Triest 1906.
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given value, and the stress required to hold the length constant is recorded as a
function of time [240]. As a result, most of the data available for viscous properties
of materials is available as (creep) compliance vs. time. In a creep test, strain is
proportional to the applied constant stress , and depends from time according to
the properties of the material through a creep compliance7 function [241]:
Figure 3.6 - conceptual visualization of a) creep and b) stress relaxation

Conversely, a relaxation modulus function can be defined to link the imposed
strain to the generated stress in a relaxation test8.
The response to a creep or relaxation test for is the elastic response (cfr. §3.1.1
and §3.1.2), which depends from the instantaneous moduli and
. Alas, although both creep and relaxation ultimately issue from the
manifestation of the same physical effect 9 , there is no known closed form for
connecting the mathematical formulations of the two functions [114,237,240],
hence:
Relaxation moves toward its equilibrium quicker than creep , and the
shape of the function can be substantially different [114,241]. Therefore, if one has
available creep data (e.g. the coefficients for the discrete formulations) it is not
easy to get insight on the relaxation model (and vice-versa).
If strains are small, the partitioning hypothesis is applicable; being the elastic
strain and the viscoplastic strain [242]:
The analytically exact creep compliance function can be found by solving the
convolution integral [241]:
creep compliance
Where is the creep compliance coefficient, represents retardation time and

is the compliance distribution of retardation times. This formulation poses a tough
challenge for practical applications; instead, a convenient way of developing the
7
To the letter "the act of complying"; as creep itself is the measured effect, the compliance is
intended as the way the effect is measured and mathematically contextualized.
8
As one can deduct from the equations, the creep function is expressed in , while the
relaxation modulus is in .
9
For polymers, the reversible sliding process of macromolecules over time.
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viscoelastic problem is to set up discrete “spring-dashpot” systems, which provide

approximate solutions. Such physical approximations use of Hookean springs (cfr.
§3.1.1) to describe the instantaneous bond deformations between the molecules.
The uncoiling of molecules is represented by Newtonian10 dashpot elements, in which
the applied stress produces a stable strain rate with constant applied stress.
a) b)
spring, following Hooke's law dashpot, following Trouton's law
Figure 3.7 - spring and dashpot elements

Constants and in Figure 3.7 stand for the spring stiffness and the fluid viscosity
respectively. A common notation for dashpot elements combined in series with
springs uses the ratio of viscosity to stiffness to represent the viscous flow
of strain. Such element goes under the name of Maxwell model (Figure 3.8.b).
With an approach based on the Wiechert model11 (which is a special case of the
generalized Maxwell model, when one dashpot is assigned infinite viscosity),
using the combination of springs and dashpots shown in Figure 3.8.b, it is possible
to find an approximated description of the creep compliance by transforming the
integral part of the equation to a finite sum of a of terms.
a) b)
Figure 3.8 - rheological representation of a) the Maxwell element and b) the generalized
Maxwell model, of which the Wiechert model is a special case if
“instantaneous” Wiechert
creep compliance
This formulation can be referred to as an “instantaneous” formulation, because the

term on the right side of the equation is correlated to the material response at
10
Sir Isaac Newton, Woolsthorpe 1642 - Kensington 1726.
11
Emil Johann Wiechert, Tilsit 1861 - Göttingen 1928
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the instant actions are applied. In the sum, are the creep compliance coefficients,
and the retardation times associated with those coefficients 12 . For , an
infinite compliance modulus can be defined:
If all terms of the sum are known, this allows to find from and vice-versa:
Therefore, the model allows for a different and equivalent "infinite" formulation:
“infinite” Wiechert
creep compliance
To summarize, upon loading the material immediately deforms according to the

“glassy”, instantaneous compliance ; which for polymers corresponds to the
elastic distortion of the chemical bonds. Over time, the compliance rises to an
equilibrium value , corresponding to the rubbery extension of the material 13.
Stress relaxation tests are performed by monitoring the time-dependent stress
resulting from a steady imposed strain. As it is generally hard to hold a constant
strain, relaxation tests are usually ran with digitally controlled instruments, able to
adjust the displacement according to the design strain [241]. Initially, the resulting
stress is at a high plateau corresponding to a “glassy” instantaneous modulus ,
which progressively decays to an equilibrium “rubbery” modulus [240].
12
Note that a coefficient is not defined, because the instantaneous compliance -as the name
suggests- occurs instantaneously.
13
Example: given , and , the
infinite creep compliance is . Any
given term of the sum has accumulated only a fraction its final viscous effect when .
Because of the mathematical formulation of the Wiechert compliance, this fraction is equal to
. From a practical point of view, the viscous effect of each term can be
considered complete when , which yields a completion ratio . Note that the time
also corresponds to the change in the curvature from positive to negative for each creep coefficient
contribution in the time domain. To better explain this property, a comparative figure is
shown with the compliance function (left) and the curves relative to each element of the sum
(right); points where each term has achieved 95% of the its final viscous contribution to the
compliance are highlighted.
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Like creep compliance, relaxation allows for a discrete mathematical formulation

based on the Wiechert model, simplifying the analytical solution of the problem
which would require the relaxation distribution of retardation times :
relaxation modulus
relaxation modulus
“infinite” Wiechert
relaxation modulus (Prony)
The correlation between the different coefficients of the modulus can be found by
calculating in an analogous way as in the creep tests, yielding:
The previous equation for the “infinite” Wiechert relaxation modulus, which
allows for a simple representation of the relaxation problem 14, is presented in a
formulation which is equivalent to a Prony series15 [243]:
“A linear viscoelastic model with a given Prony series is identical
to a multi-network Maxwell model”. J. S. Bergstrom, 2015 [237]
3.1.3.2 METHODS FOR FITTING EXPERIMENTALDATA TO PRONY SERIES

Prony series allow for accurate modelling a decay which is monotonic in nature
and eventually reaches a steady state value. While this representation fits perfectly
with a generic experimental relaxation modulus , the inverse creep compliance
also fits the description and could be dealt with accordingly (this is the
approach used in the following Chapter 4 & Chapter 5 when elaborating on shear
tests on LG specimens at various temperatures). Several methods have been
proposed for fitting experimental viscoelastic data to Prony series coefficients:
14
Example: given , and ,
we find the infinite creep compliance is
, using the same considerations discussed in footnote #13 above, the shape of the
compliance function is:
15
Gaspard Clair François Marie Riche de Prony, Chamelet 1755 - Asnières-sur-Seine 1839.
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 constrained coefficients method, J. E. Soussou et al., 1970 [244],

 multidata method, T. L. Cost & E. B. Becker, 1970 [245,246]
 domain of influence (DOI) method, F. S. Gant & M. V. Bower, 1997 [243],
 weighted nonlinear regression16, C. Tzikang, 2000 [247],
 power-law pre-smoothing, S. W. Park & Y. R. Kim, 2001 [248].
While all these techniques have edges and weaknesses; the DOI method seems to
be a powerful tool, to the extent that it allows fine-tuning a fitting algorithm with a
fixed number of coefficients. Nevertheless, this technique needs a cured array of
experimental data to perform a reliable fit, so pre-processing is sometimes needed.
The DOI method has been thoroughly explained and discussed by Gant and Bower
in their work: Domain of Influence Method: A New Method for Approximating Prony
Series Coefficients and Exponents for Viscoelastic Materials [243], so a walkthrough of
all steps would be redundant within this manuscript (cfr. Appendix I).
3.1.3.3 HEREDITARY INTEGRALS FOR LINEAR VISCOELASTICITY

Creep and relaxation tests are usually conducted aiming to hold steady quantities
of stress or strain in the materials; nonetheless, sometimes the experimental data is
scattered or irregular in such a way that it is not accurate to consider either the
stress or strain a fixed quantity over time.
To determine the stress state in a viscoelastic material at a given time, the
deformation history must be considered. For LVE materials, a superposition of
hereditary integral describes the time dependent response [247]:
In this situation, one may use a finite-difference form to find a convenient

approximated solution [114,241] (the compliance function may be approximated in
an analogous way for a time-dependent load history):
Another approach to deal with varying input functions by means of the

superposition principle could be to compute the solution by approximating the
input function with a succession of short contributions constant actions. For
instance, starting with the instantaneous formulation of the creep compliance:
If one can identify a finite number of time intervals in which the

strain can be considered a constant value, it is possible to compute the solution
in the time domain referring to that contribution by adding the effect of at the
time and subtracting the same amount induced at .
16
Based on the Marquardt-Levenberg Method [335].
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3.1.3.4 DYNAMIC TESTS

Dynamic tests can be used to get insight on the viscoelastic properties of materials
in the small-strain domain [148,237] (Figure 3.9). In virtue of the viscous properties
of polymers, when a sinusoidal strain is imposed, a similar steady stress state
with the same angular frequency and retarded phase is
reached after a transient period [114,115,241]. By imposing a cyclic shear strain:
If , the stress can be computed using the hereditary integral shown

previously in §3.1.3.3 (also, is the shear relaxation modulus):
Where . Using yields:
Defining the storage modulus and loss modulus , the equation can be simplified:
(relaxation)
Storage modulus
(relaxation)
Loss modulus
As the steady state strain response is , one can use

to write . Therefore:
The storage modulus, defined as the stress in phase with the strain in a sinusoidal
shear deformation divided by the strain, is a measure of the energy stored and
recovered per cycle. Since both and are measurements of the stored
elastic energy, a dynamic measurement at frequency is qualitatively equivalent
to a transient one at , so the graphs for and are
approximately mirror images with respect to a vertical axis (Figure 3.10). In
particular, when is changing very slowly, [114].
Nevertheless, it has been pointed out that relationships among LVE functions such
as storage and relaxation moduli have bases in the theory of linear differential and
integral equations [249]. While several approximate interconversion methods can
be found [248,250,251], Mun et al. [252] proposed an exact interconversion
procedure for LVE functions of asphalt concrete from frequency-domain to time-
domain (although details on calculations are not given).
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Figure 3.9 – LG specimen and testing in a torsional rheometer (Andreozzi, 2014 [148])
Figure 3.10 - relaxation & storage moduli plotted against and axes (Ferry, 1980 [114])
3.1.3.5 TIME-TEMPERATURE SUPERPOSITION (REDUCED VARIABLES METHOD)
Plotting on the same graph viscoelastic functions such as compliance/relaxation or

loss/storage moduli (cfr. §3.1.3.1 & §3.1.3.4), it has been observed17 that empirical
shifts of data obtained at different temperatures along a logarithmic time or
frequency domain may result in a unique, smooth and composite curve [114]. The
significance of this empirical shift factor in terms of molecular parameters
became evident a few decades later with the work of P. E. Rouse in 1953 [253]:
where is the internal friction coefficient, the characteristic molecules length

and is temperature (the subscript stands for reference conditions). The time-
temperature superposition resulting from this empirical time-shifting procedure
results in a reduced variables method, also known as “viscoelastic corresponding
states”, to the extent that the materials response at a given temperature is traced
back to an equivalent response at a different time/frequency at a reference
temperature. The original theory on which the method is based on has been
developed in a linear viscoelastic context, for superposing storage and loss moduli
of dynamic tests. The nowadays standard empirical correlation used in polymer
17
Observations were made in the first decades of the 20th century by K. W. Wagner and applied to
dielectric measurements.
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science between temperature and shift factor has been proposed in 1955 by M.
L. Williams, R. F. Landel and J. D. Ferry [254]:
This expression, sometimes called WLF equation, is an empirical formulation for a

curve with whom many polymers have been reduced to standard states at
reference temperatures . Coefficients and can be computed in a closed
form with tests carried at three temperatures, using one as reference; if the number
of investigated temperature is higher than three an interpolation criterion must be
defined18. It has been observed that if the glass transition temperature is lower
than the reference temperature, coefficients and are positive19.
Accounting for both time and temperature dependencies, a refined version of

the creep compliance and stress relaxation is obtained. Using “instantaneous”
formulations rather than the “infinite” ones introduced in §3.1.3.1 (although the
procedure can be applied analogously for the latter), yields:
creep compliance
relaxation modulus
More details will be introduced on the time-temperature superposition principle in

Chapter 5, paragraphs §5.1.2.1 and §5.1.2.3, with a practical application on three
interlayer materials used for LG: SG, DG41 and PVB (cfr. §1.1.2).
3.2 PLASTICITY
While elastic materials will always internally store a form of energy, able to restore
their initial configuration when external actions are removed (cfr. §3.1). In
opposition, another class of materials can be defined for those which undergo non-
reversible changes under certain conditions. From a thermo-mechanical point of
view, this inability to restore the original shape is ascribed to the activation of
dissipative mechanisms within the material structure. The power dissipated
during plastic flow is called power of dissipation , and is essentially positive [255]:
In engineering, the study of plasticity has often been related to the study of metals,
for which it has been observed that plastic deformations consist of slip in crystal
dislocations [256]. Hence, it is generally assumed that the onset of yielding and
power dissipation occurs when a fixed value of the maximum stress is reached:
18
Most of the times, the least-squares differences method is used.
19
While in first applications of the WLF equation, averages for many polymers of coefficients
and had been used, it later became clear that the variation among different materials were too
large to allow for the use of such “universal” values. In a slightly better approximation, fixed
values and can be used, in conjunction with an adjustable reference
temperature , which usually fell about above the glass transition temperature .
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Several criteria can be used to define yield conditions, Tresca20 and von-Mises21 ones
being the most commonly accepted for metals. A perfectly plastic solid can thus be
described as a solid which undergoes unlimited plastic strains under constant
reference stress, when subjected to a homogeneous stress state [255].
Nevertheless, the theory of perfect plasticity seems to be not particularly relevant
and helpful when dealing of LG structures, as neither glass or interlayer materials
fill the profile for perfectly plastic solids (cfr. §1.1.1 and §1.1.2).
3.2.1 VISCOPLASTICITY
The fundamental time-independence assumption of all theories of plasticity does
not allow for a simultaneous description of both plastic and rheologic properties of
materials. In fact, there is no yield function for viscoplastic solids, but a stress- or
strain-rate-dependent inelastic behaviour is observed instead, this means that
when permanent deformations are produced, those are dependent on the rate at
which external actions are applied [239,257].
Constitutive equations for viscoplasticity can be based on springs, dashpots, sliders
and other elements, to model different responses such as perfectly viscoplastic,
elastic perfectly viscoplastic and elasto-viscoplastic hardening solids (Figure 3.11).
Figure 3.11 - one-dimensional constitutive models for viscoplasticity [242,258]

Perfect Viscoplastic fluid (PVP)
In a perfect viscoplastic solid the stress follows the Trouton's law (cfr. §3.1.3), hence
is a linear function of the strain rate (Figure 3.11.a):
A creep test yields linear plot, while a relaxation test has a vertical asymptote for
and an horizontal one at zero for .
Elastic perfectly plastic solids (EPP)
The rate of plastic strain in EPP materials is a function of the yield stress of the
slider element. A constant stress flows through the slider element when the elastic
limit is exceeded; otherwise, the plastic strain is nil. The Bingham-Maxwell22 model
is shown in Figure 3.11.b [255,259]:
20
Henri Édouard Tresca, Dunkirk 1814 - Paris 1885
21
Richard von Mises, Lemberg (now Lviv) 1883 - Boston, 1953; the yield surface is also known
under the name of Maxwell, Huber, Hencky and von-Mises yield condition.
22
Eugene Cook Bingham, Cornwall 1878 - Easton 1945, and James Clerk Maxwell, Edinburgh
1831 - Cambridge 1879.
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Hardening elastic viscoplastic solids (HEVP)

An elastic-viscoplastic material with strain hardening can be assembled in a similar
array of an EPP material (Figure 3.11.b), provided that the yield stress in the
sliding element is not constant anymore, but instead increases with the viscoplastic
component of strain . Consequently, the stress now depends both on the strain
rate and from a function which includes :
This classical formulation is not the only one proposed for HEVP materials,
besides, the function f is not specified a priori, opening to an array of possible
mathematical interpretations. As this research field is still looking for definitive
models for finite strain response of polymers, a few studies have concurrently tried
to tackle this topic, either with a reinterpretation of classical models or introducing
new approaches23.
3.3 ADHESIVE BONDS
While cohesion refers to the strength of the bonds within homogeneous materials,
adhesion is a measure of the tendency of different particles (or surfaces) to “stick”
one another. In engineering practice, adhesive joints can be designed to endure a
certain set of loads or displacements. In LG industry, adhesion is a relevant factor
for assessing structural performance in three situations:
 securing glass to interlayers,
 securing LG to an external frame or supports (seals),
 bounding of reinforcements.
In fact, the purpose and most of the times the behaviour of LG ultimately
originates from strength of the adhesive bond between glass and interlayer
materials (cfr. §1.1.3). While adhesive properties of different resins24 to a variety of
reinforcements have been investigated (e.g. steel profiles and tendons, glass or
carbon fibres, concrete, wood, GFRP, etc. cfr. §2.2.3 and §2.2.4 for more), these
properties are of limited interest for this research. Regarding external adhesive
joints for LG elements, traditional seals are made using silicone-based compounds
(silicone structural glazing) [38]. This field is also far from the aim of this work,
where the focus will be set to studying interactions among glass and interlayers, in
which loss of adhesion is relevant for two orders of reasons:
23
The affine network hypothesis [336–338], based on the assumption that the number of entangled
points in the molecular chains remains constant during deformation [339]; multi-scale models for
semi-crystalline polymers in finite- [340,341] and infinitesimal-strain regimes [342,343], using a
spherulitic morphology with a radial assembly of crystalline lamellae and amorphous layers [339];
generalized yield surfaces [339], based on the Drucker and Prager criterion, including invariants of
the stress tensor and deviatoric part of the stress tensor; hyperelastic strain-hardening springs in
HEVP one-dimensional arrays similar to the one in Figure 3.11.c [258], intended to reproduce the
finite strain elasto-viscoplastic non-linear response of polymeric materials.
24
Most of the times epoxy resigns [209].
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 the stiffness and resistance may be compromised,

 delamination can be detrimental from an aesthetic point of view.
Surprisingly, relevant standards rarely mention the adhesion strength between
glass and interlayers [79] (cfr. §2.1), let alone recommending specific values 25 .
While standardized ageing tests can be performed according to EN ISO 12543-426
[260], as an indirect way for assessing expected long-term effects of varying
temperatures and humidity [146], observations of LG delamination induced by
mechanical effects can only rely on few studies (some referred to metal-interlayer
glass joints) [65,128,130,146,261].
Figure 3.12 - geometry of common adhesive joints for LG (Adams and Wake, 1984 [38,94])
A single-lap joint model shown in Figure 3.12.a can be used to understand the
mechanics of multi-layered LG elements connections with any number of glass
plies (e.g. three- or four-layered LG elements loaded transversally with flexural
actions can be imagined as series of single-lap joints among adjacent plies).
While several arrays may be considered for adhesion of LG elements to the
substructure (e.g. step, butt, butt strap and double butt strap [94]), for the purpose
of this work and understanding the experimental analyses, it is only of interest to
focus on some specific aspects related to double-lap adhesive joints of the kind
described in Figure 3.12b. As the figure suggests, loads in single- and double-lap
joints are parallel but not perfectly collinear with the interlayers. Therefore, the
bending moment generated perpendicularly to the plane must be resolved within
the joint with stresses normal to the direction of the applied loads. Tearing and
compressive stresses are higher at the end of the joint and smaller in the middle.
The relative influence of these normal stresses is a function of the geometry of the
joints: for a fixed thickness of the glass plies, the longer the joint, the smaller the
normal stresses compared to shear ones. For long joints compared to glass plies
thickness, normal stresses are very small and can be neglected [65].
Parametrical study at varying temperatures for the shear stress distribution in SG
used as an adhesive for metals on LG elements has been performed by M.
Santarsiero et al. [130] (Figure 3.13). The analysis shows that the shear stresses
25
For instance, the Italian technical document CNR-DT210 [38], one among those attempting a
wide-ranging approach to LG design (cfr. §1 and §2.1), doesn’t provide numerical specifications
regarding the strength of the adhesion between glass and interlayers. Instead, the document states
(translated from italian): “It is necessary to point out that adhesion between glass and interlayer
involves a chemical bond; this circumstance requires […] to perform mechanical tests on stratified
specimens for the evaluation of the overall behavior. Since there are currently no regulatory
indications in this regard, […] tests on plastic materials only are allowed”.
26
For high temperatures, LG elements are heated to , a temperature held constant for two
hours; for humidity tests, specimens are put for two weeks in saturation conditions (
at a temperature of .
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factor , calculated for the nominal maximum stress resulting

from an applied shear force on an adhesive area is lower than for
. Besides, the stress distribution in Figure 3.13.a shows that a peak in the shear
stress is found close to the edges, and is higher for lower temperatures. In any case,
the actual distribution of shear stresses can be confused with the average value
with limited error, especially for temperatures above .
Figure 3.13 - a) shear stress distribution in SG for varying temperatures b) shear stress
factor at different temperatures (Santarsiero, 2016 [130])
Figure 3.14 – tri-linear adhesion diagram (Cottone, 2010 [262])
Knowing the stress distribution, to evaluate the risk of delamination and joint
safety margins, a tri-linear model like the one shown Figure 3.14, can be used,
where the horizontal segment corresponds to the loss of adhesion among surfaces.
This mechanical problem is talked using a zero-thickness interface concept, for
which two adherents come into contact through an interaction surface. The local
interface response in mode II [34] is adopted: a LE branch up to the adhesion
strength followed by softening to the final displacement corresponding to
the perfect fracture formation. The response for a monotonic displacement is [262]:
In which is the interface softening modulus, the interface tangential elastic

stiffness and the softening parameter.
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Chapter 4 – Experimental Tests
4 EXPERIMENTAL TESTS
LG composites bear an inherent complexity, for their non-homogeneous and
anisotropic structure, but also for the intrinsic properties of the thermoplastic
materials used as interlayers. Direct experimental tests are often used to
address the lack of reliable theoretical models. Within this research, extensive
and different experimental investigations have been carried out, regarding
some of the less known mechanisms which are significant in LG design.
A synthesis of test methods used by the scientific community to model interlayer

properties has been provided in §2.2.1. Attempts to provide a complete
characterization of thermoplastics did not yet produce satisfying results, and
experimental tests which aim to produce a full description of all possible
combinations of boundary conditions (e.g. time, temperature, stress and strain rate,
etc.) would lead to unreasonably high cost/benefit ratios [263].
Standard tensile tests were carried out in the Politecnico di Milano. The testing
procedure was defined with Prof. S. Cattaneo and carried out with the help of a
local undergraduate. Known issues regarding the extension of results of these
simple and fairly cheap tests to LG design have been raised by D. Delincé in [7]
and others [59,263]. Those tests are known to be unable to provide data on viscous
properties and actual operating conditions of interlayers within LG elements [59].
Therefore, these will be looked at with a critical eye as a sort of “snapshot” of a
more complex behaviour1. Three thermoplastic materials are tested: PVB, DG41
and SG (cfr. §1.1.2).
Viscoelastic properties are investigated in a subsequent campaign, described in
§4.2 and further discussed in §5.1.2. Using small LG specimens in which the
interlayers are assigned uniform2 shear stress and strain, long-term tests are carried
out in a climatic chamber at various temperatures. The same interlayer materials
investigated with tensile tests have been studied (cfr. §1.1.2 and §4.2). These
investigations were re-designed from the work of E. Cagnacci [261] and also
carried out in Milan, with the help of another undergraduate student.
Full-scale tests on post-failure response of LG structural beams were designed in
collaboration with Prof. Orlando and carried out in Firenze in the Laboratorio
Strutture of the Scuola di Ingegneria in S. Marta. Part of the experimental analyses
could benefit from the assistance of a masters degree student in civil engineering.
4.1 SHORT-TERM TENSILE PROPERTIES OF INTERLAYERS
Simple tensile tests, designed to assess the properties of plastic materials, can
provide useful data with little effort [11,66,83,118,150,264]. These conventional 3
uniaxial tests are regularly used to look into the mechanical properties of materials
with tensile load-carrying capacity such as polymeric interlayers.
1
Obtaining viscoelastic or hyperelastic parameters requires a number of various tensile testing
procedures and a very large number of specimens [118,137,152,344,345].
2
Details on the uniformity of stress and strain are discussed in §4.2.1.
3
The term “conventional” is used by numerous researchers, as such tests are often prescribed when
dealing about plastics materials and are detailed by ASTM and ISO standards [66,264].
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Outcomes of tensile tests are presented in the following paragraphs, while a critical
analysis an discussion is provided in §5.1.1.
4.1.1 DESIGN AND AIM OF TENSILE TESTS
Short-term properties of interlayer materials have been investigated following the
standards guidelines applicable to uniaxial tensile tests of plastics [66,264].
Throughout tests, the end grips of flat, dog-bone4 shaped, material specimens are
pulled apart at constant velocity, inducing an increasing strain which is mostly
concentrated within the narrow section of the body (Figure 4.2). The average strain
is measured between two points which are at a distance on the un-deformed
specimens.
Tested specimens were extracted out of larger, thick, interlayer sheets: half
the thickness of layers used for laminating specimens for the campaign dedicated
to study the viscoelastic properties (cfr. §4.2). According to the standards [66],
“Type IV” specimens are suited when direct comparisons are required between
materials with different rigidity cases (that is, nonrigid and semirigid) [66], which
appears to be the case in our study (cfr. §1.1.2.1, §1.1.2.2 and §1.1.2.3). For
, specimen dimensions shown in Figure 4.2 are fixed 5 : ,
, , , . A conveniently shaped manual die-
cutter was used to provide identical specimens from the larger interlayer pieces.
Once extracted, specimens were checked for scratches and imperfections. Flawed
specimens were discarded.
Figure 4.1 - a) cutting of the specimens and b) manual finishing
Figure 4.2 – Type IV dog-bone specimen according to ASTM D638-14
4
A technical term often used in literature for such specimens, due to the visual analogy with a
stereotypical bone (also sometimes called “dumbbell” shape).
5
Radii of fillets, along with several other geometric specifications, are also provided in the
aforementioned ASTM standard [66], they are not reported here for brevity.
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Tests have been performed in a room with electronically-controlled humidity and

temperature: and . The same room was used for storage of materials
before testing, complying with norm prescriptions [66] ( , ).
An Instron-33006 testing machine was used, complying with both ISO 7500-1 and
ISO 9513. The machine has a stationary claw and a moving one, both connected to
one grip of a dog-bone specimen. The position of the grips and claws is arranged in
such a manner that the longest axis of tested specimens is aligned with the
direction of relative displacement among the machine claws (i.e. a resulting pure
normal force is transferred trough any cross-section of the specimen). A load-
indicator is built-in within the lever system moving the claws, while an
extensometer was used for measuring the distance among reference points on the
specimen (Figure 4.2).
Testing velocity (i.e. speed of the relative movement of the claws) has specific and
matching designations in both standards ISO [264] and ASTM [66], depending on
specimen types. Tests were repeated for three different velocities:
 mm/min,
 mm/min,
 mm/min.
The minimum data acquisition frequency in was [264]:
where is claws relative displacement velocity in , the ratio

between initial and transient grip separation and is the resolution in .
Acquisition frequencies of 10, 100 and 1000 Hz were chosen for increasing velocity.
Standards prescribe a minimum number of specimens and a number of strain rates
to be investigated, depending on the material properties (isotropic or anisotropic)
[66,264]. The limitation could not always be fully respected for the limited amount
of raw material which was available from suppliers of SG and PVB. Instead, DG41
specimens satisfactorily met requirements for the minimum number at the three
velocities (Table 4.1).
Table 4.1 - number of specimens per material per test velocity
speed SG DG41 PVB
2 5 2
5 5 5
5 5 5
Four quantities were electronically measured throughout tests: time ,

displacement , force and relative displacement between reference measure
points ( in Figure 4.2).
4.1.2 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Specimens had been stored for about one week before testing, in the same
temperature-controlled room used for tests (cfr. §4.1.1). Figure 4.3 shows a
photographic follow-up for a PVB specimen: the remarkable elongation capacity
and necking due to Poisson effect [164] is evident through parts a) to f), up to the
final break in g).
6
Instron Illinois Tool Works Inc. Canton, Massachusetts
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Figure 4.3 - progression of tensile tests on PVB
Figure 4.4 - stress-strain curves: a) SG, b) DG41, c) PVB and d) averages
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The failure of specimens always originated in a point within the narrow area,
never in the grip parts nor at the interface with the machine clamps.
Tests duration of was in the order of twenty minutes for , two minutes for and
fifteen seconds for .
The engineering stress in the narrow area has been computed, knowing the
applied force and original geometry of the specimen: with a cross-sectional
nominal area (cfr. §4.1.1), . The mean strain in the narrow
area can also be calculated knowing the initial distance and the relative
displacement of the two measure points: .
Stress results of performed tests are presented in Figure 4.4. Results show that the
influence of the strain rate is more relevant for DG41 and PVB interlayers, while
SG has a more consistent response at different strain rates.
Maximum tearing strength is usually of little interest for architectural LG
applications, as it is reached for very high strains which are not compatible with
serviceability limit states imposed by design. Nonetheless, for completeness in the
discussion of experimental results, results in terms of ultimate strain and
engineering stress are given in Table 4.2.
Table 4.2 – experimental minimum ultimate strain and engineering stress

claw displacement
ultimate failure SG DG41 PVB*
velocity
3,28 1,67 2,59
5 mm/min
28,2 25,4 16,8
3,18 1,57 2,21
50 mm/min
29,8 28,1 20,9
3,38 1,67 2,07
500 mm/min
28,5 31,5 22,8
Figure 4.5 - construction for a) chord- and b) regression-slope tensile modulus
Since the existence of an elastic limit for plastics has been debated [7,78,114], the
term “elastic modulus” is indicative, only to measure a quantitative value of the
rigidity. Standards suggest two supposedly equivalent approaches to evaluate the
elastic tensile modulus of polymers. The first method, also called chord slope method
[264], is illustrated in Figure 4.5.a: two points A and B are found on the stress-
strain curves, corresponding to fixed values of strain. The slope of the straight line
interpolating the points defines the tensile “chord” modulus :
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The regression slope method is illustrated in Figure 4.5.b: the least-squares

difference regression line is found using points in the interval
as a regression base. Once again, the slope of the line defines the tensile
“regression” modulus :
A close-up view on the average experimental results for small strains is shown in
Figure 4.6. Dashed lines represent the slope of the tensile modulus calculated with
the chord slope method (the regression method yields very similar results).
Figure 4.6 – mean engineering stress-strain curves and resulting chord-slope moduli
according to ISO 527 [264] for a) SG b) DG41 and c) PVB
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While curves obtained for SG, the hardest among the three materials, are arguably
fit to be studied with both methods proposed by the standards, the same can
hardly be said for the other materials (Figure 4.6.b and Figure 4.6.c). For very small
strains ( ) both PVB and DG41 initially exhibit a very stiff response,
qualitatively comparable to SG and even higher in the case of DG41 for high strain
rates (i.e. and ). Nonetheless, this very high initial stiffness is immediately
followed by a quasi-constant load over strain segment, containing the whole strain
interval , proposed by the standards to compute the tensile
elastic modulus. The right part of Figure 4.6 shows that the tensile chord modulus7
is an acceptable approximation of the initial tangent modulus for SG, but is neither
very telling or consistent for both DG41 and PVB. Mean values of moduli
calculated with both standard-proposed approaches are in Table 4.3; results show
that the difference among the two methods is minor and, for this case study, the
regression modulus is always slightly lower than the chord modulus. The
convenience of using standard methods to define the tensile properties will be
further discussed in Chapter 2.
Table 4.3 – mean chord- and (regression)-slope tensile modulus in MPa
claw displacement
SG DG41 PVB
velocity
5 mm/min 431 (430)* 5.209 (5.209) 0.725 (0.704)*
50 mm/min 435 (435) 16.45 (16.38) 1.671 (1.660)
500 mm/min 1060 (996) 16.50 (16.45) 1.489 (1.412)
* statistically non-fully reliable according to [66,264] due to limited number of specimens
Compared with traditional building materials, engineering interpretation of

uniaxial tensile tests on polymers can be difficult for the large and non-
homogeneous deformations involved [78,263]. For instance, the non-homogeneity
has been observed experimentally by several researchers [7,78,263] and is believed
to be either associated to the relation between test temperature and glass-transition
temperatures [153] (cfr. Table 1.4 p.13) or to the presence of a softening region in
the intrinsic stress-strain functions, causing the formation of localized necking
[7,78,155] (cfr. §1.1.2).
Experimental observations of non-homogeneous deformations in SG specimens are
shown in Figure 4.7 with the transverse contraction and necking in the narrow area
of the dog-bone specimens. While the behaviour of DG41 is not shown, it has been
observed to be somehow intermediate between SG and PVB, although much more
similar to the latter (i.e. formation of a slightly visible necking region, but overall a
quasi-uniform strain within the whole narrow area). These observational results
agree with remarks of Meijer and Govaert [78] for similar tests on polycarbonate.
Results suggest that a median approach on the strain in the narrow section could
be used for both PVB and DG41 to obtain a true stress diagram, given the material
Poisson’s ratios8. On the other hand, because of the presence of a localized neck,
7
Tensile regression moduli curves are not shown, though they yield similar conclusions.
8
The Poisson’s ratio is defined within the infinitesimal strain theory [164], it has been questioned
whether the concept and definition of may be extended to large deformations [346]. For an
incompressible isotropic material, the relative error between the infinitesimal and finite strain
domain can be estimated by .
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the same straightforward approach used for SG would yield a conservative lower
bound value of the same diagram.
Figure 4.7 - experimental observations on non-homogeneous deformations
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To further investigate the progression of non-homogeneous deformations within

the narrow area of specimens, a time-lapse photographic system9 was added to the
setup to better understand results of SG specimens (Figure 4.8).
Figure 4.8 - setup for time-lapse photogrammetry
The time-lapse shooting frequency was limited by the data acquisition system to a
maximum of one shot every two seconds (Table 4.4). To allow for a practical use of
the time-lapse images, reference measurement lines have been manually drawn10
on specimens as shown in Figure 4.9.
Table 4.4 – SG tensile tests photographic time-lapse shooting details
shooting freq. duration shots
5 mm/min 1 shot every 5s 29’28” 355
50 mm/min 1 shot every 2s 2’35” 79
500 mm/min 1 shot every 2s 19” 11
Figure 4.9 - measurement lines used for photogrammetric analysis
9
Optical device used is a Tamron SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 on a Nikon D90 camera
with CMOS 12,3-megapixel sensor. Software for time-lapse control is open-source
digiCamControl © 2015 Duka Istvan.
10
A thin permanent marker was used, the kind of those used to write on CDs.
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Figure 4.10 shows the complete shooting sequence for the higher test speed (500
mm/s), including a final after-failure picture.
Figure 4.10 – SG tensile test at 500 mm/min time lapse, all shots11
4.2 LONG-TERM VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF INTERLAYERS

Interlayers used for LG are known for having significant viscous properties,
strongly dependent on their temperature (cfr. §1.1.2). Nevertheless, understanding
and quantifying the long- and short-term effects of external actions on those
materials, either being imposed loads or imposed displacements, is of paramount
importance for a reliable and economically viable LG design.
To model and understand relaxation and creep for three among the most widely
used interlayers (cfr. §1.1.2), an existing procedure 12 was adopted with several
improvements (cfr. §2.2.1 and Biolzi et al., 2014 [65,146]). The aim is to provide a
wide range of useful data for architectural LG design involving long-term effects.
4.2.1 AIM AND DESIGN OF TESTS
This experimental campaign was designed to investigate long-term effects of
imposed loads and displacements on the mechanical properties of three different
thermoplastics at different temperatures. Following, a selection of three interlayer
materials to be tested was made, for their relevance and diffusion in LG industry:
 PVB (cfr. §1.1.2.1),
 SG (cfr. §1.1.2.2),
 DG41 (cfr. §1.1.2.3).
With the intent to provide useful data for LG design, the range of investigated
temperatures was chosen to be as useful as possible to actual use in architectural
applications, thus ranging between and [5,265–268].
The importance of testing interlayer materials in their laminated configuration,
after both the internal cross-linking process and the chemical adhesion with glass
11
The time-lapse video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O17Q_z9DZ7U
12
Prior to this campaign, a similar procedure was implemented with good results by the author and
other colleagues in a previously published paper [65] and other works still to be published.
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have been achieved, has been highlighted by numerous researchers [7,263] and in a
previous campaign carried in 2013-2014 [65]. In the conclusions of his 2014
manuscript, Didier Delincé stated (cfr. [7] §VI.3):
“The determination of the contribution of the interlayer should be assessed by
considering it as a component rather than as a material, and test
configurations should be designed in accordance. In particular, separate
characterization of adhesive properties and bulk material properties of the
interlayer seems not really useful with purpose of assessing the end
performances of products.”
Rather than focusing on the interlayer alone, the design of tests, starting from the
setup itself and then defining the procedure, aims to investigate a scaled version of
the actual LG beam. The mindset is to carry out simple and well-controlled tests
which are a good representation of in-situ working conditions for interlayer
materials. LG specimens were assembled using three -thick plies,
wide, with two -thick interlayers (Figure 2.20.b p.42).
Figure 4.11 – testing frames
Drawing from the basic concept behind shear tests for bolted double-lap joints for
steel elements and/or other composites [269], tests for LG specimens were designed
to apply a vertical force on the central ply. For the geometric properties of the
cross-section and the large difference in stiffness between polymers and glass, this
procedure induces almost exclusively shear actions through the interlayers, with
minor tensile and compressive stresses at both ends of the specimen [118,226]. The
setup in Figure 4.11 is similar to the one used in 2014 (cfr. Biolzi et al. [65]), with
the addition of the base contrast element, which will prove essential for the
improved design of the procedure.
The three-layered LG specimens being loaded vertically through the central glass
ply, actions normal to the interlayer surface were deemed to be minor, and a
procedure to record or quantify these actions was not put in place. Besides, local
shear forces transferred through the interlayer can be confused with the mean
shear stress under some conditions13; this assumption was used to gather stress
information from the load recordings.
13
cfr. §2.2.1, the outcomes of the work by C. Vallabhan et al. [135] and also E. Viola [223]. This
topic is further discussed in §4.2.4.4.
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Figure 4.12 - testing devices with specimens inside the climatic chamber before the tests
Four identical testing devices 14 were designed to perform shear tests on LG

specimens (Figure 4.12 and Figure 4.11 p.73). The number of devices was decided
to allow for an analysis as statistically reliable as possible to be performed, while
concurrently coping with the available financial resources and the volume of the
climatic chamber (Figure 4.12). Thanks to the multiple presses available, tests were
performed simultaneously on multiple specimens under identical loading
conditions (cfr. Table 4.5 p.84). After some remarks emerging from preliminary
tests (see below §4.2.2), one device was used to compensate for temperature effects
(cfr. §4.2.2); therefore, the total number of available devices to test specimens at
any given temperature was reduced to three.
Relaxation-creep test
A test procedure has been designed to investigate creep and relaxation properties
of polymeric interlayers used in LG (cfr. §3.1.3.1). The separation among the nature
of viscous rearrangements of the material structure – namely, viscoelastic and
viscoplastic- is usually very complicated. In fact, both phenomena cooperate in
parallel to the measured strain, in proportions which depend on factors such as
temperature, strain rate, strain extent (small/finite), etc [57,270] (cfr. §1.1.2).
Drawing from the very high stiffness of the stainless steel dynamometric rings
(about for all devices), the initial idea was to perform tests which
in displacement-controlled conditions (differently from those performed in 2014
[65], which required periodic adjustments to reach a roughly consistent stress
state).
The first part of tests consists in a quasi-relaxation 15 phase, in which a nearly
constant strain and decreasing shear stress are recorded. This phase I is
shown in Figure 4.13.a. Being LG specimens well-secured to the steel frame
14
Testing devices were built by Officine Meccaniche Rinaldi Srl in Milan and delivered to the
laboratory in the Politecnico di Milano, were tests were performed.
15
The term “quasi” is used in the sense that strain is not properly consistent, as a proper relaxation
test would require, but varies slightly over time.
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structure through the base contrast elements shown in Figure 4.1116, highly reliable
data could be gathered on the viscous recovery in a second phase, contrary to
previous testing methods [65]. The applied load in phase II is null, as the
dynamometric rings are physically disconnected from LG specimens, which are
left free to return over time to their lower-energy state (Figure 4.13.a). Using the
superposition principle [114,237,240,241], it is possible to look at the load removal
as to the application of an inverse, “virtual” load (upwards), which is equal to the
load recorded at the end of phase I. Conversely, the “virtual” strain
, essentially a re-scaled and flipped version of , can be
looked at as the creep compliance effect of a constant, “virtual” load step
, as shown in phase II’ in Figure 4.13.b.
Figure 4.13 - design two-phases test output for stress and strain a) expected data to be
recorded and b) conversion of a recovery phase II to a “virtual” creep phase II’
Such testing technique aims first and foremost to gather data on LVE parameters
for creep and relaxation of three interlayers: PVB, SG and DG41 (cfr. §1.1.2). In
addition, some permanent plastic strain is expected, especially at high
temperatures ( in Figure 4.13.a, whose scale may only be considered indicative),
if a significant pattern can be detected, further analyses can be made in that sense
using known models for PVP or HEVP (cfr. §3.2.1), always bearing in mind that
such tests are not specifically designed to investigate viscoplastic parameters.
The launch of tests is achieved by adjusting the loading bolt (Figure 4.11) to a fixed
design displacement , correlated to the design strain . More details are
discussed with the presentation of preliminary results in the next paragraph.
16
More details on the mounting and securing technique are shown in Figure 4.14 and Figure 4.15,
and further discussed in the following.
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4.2.2 PRELIMINARY TESTS AND HIGHLIGHTS

While all interlayer manufactures produced some data regarding the properties of
their products (cfr. §1.1.2 and sub-paragraphs), no comparable data are available
regarding viscoelastic properties of PVB, DG41 and SG. A preliminary test phase
was therefore arranged between October and December 2016, prior to the start of
the actual experimental campaign (cfr. Figure 4.24 p.85). Preliminary tests were
meant to calibrate testing devices and define an order of magnitude for different
actions and timings.
As expected, preliminary tests showed to be of paramount importance in laying
the groundwork for the actual campaign, providing a general understanding of all
key elements involved and highlighting several problems to troubleshoot. While
some of the factors which came to light were arguably trivial and were only
required to ease the various tasks throughout testing operations, other factors of
major importance could not have been ignored. A list of main conclusions of the
preliminary test phase is presented, with more in-depth comments and
explanations in the following.
Trivial highlights, calibrations and improvements:
a) the need for a re-calibration of all transducers,
b) importance of manual finishing of LG specimen surfaces,
c) introduction of aluminium-lead angular shims to help distributing confining
actions on lateral glass plies,
d) positioning of neoprene guiding dowels on top of specimens for easier
installation of the loading edge in the correct position.
Important additions to the procedure:
e) insertion of an unloaded testing device in the climatic chamber to account for
thermal effects on dynamometric rings,
f) preparatory cycles of elevated load ramps (up to ) on the lateral plies
for adjustment of the plastic dislocations in the interface lead foils,
g) calibration of the setup deformation of with a swift load step on the lateral plies
only (up and down to in about ),
h) correction of the linear drift of some load instruments readings.
Using results of the preliminary test phase, testing technique and limits were
decided accordingly. Working under the hypothesis of linear viscoelastic materials
(cfr. §3.1.3) [114,115,151,241], such procedure was designed to allow for the three
thermoplastics to be tested at all design temperatures:
Testing procedure: Relaxation-creep test
maximum imposed displacement: mm (17)
maximum imposed load: kN (17)
steps for max. load/displacement: 4
Conditioning time: minimum 4 hrs.
17
As properties of interlayer materials vary significantly with changing climatic conditions, for
higher temperatures the limit was usually defined by the maximum displacement, while at lower
temperatures the maximum load was reached for significantly lower values of the displacements
( mm). The number of steps to reach the target load/displacement was achieved
accordingly (e.g. first load step imposed is imposed up to 5kN or 0.25 mm, whichever comes first,
then a second load step up to 10kN or 0.50mm, whichever comes first, etc.). All load steps were
performed by alternating the fastening of the three testing devices, for the whole loading process to
be performed in about three to five minutes.
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While a precise lower limit for the conditioning time was defined, to allow setup
and specimens to reach thermal equilibrium, the duration of phases I and II was
not defined a priori. Tests were carried out for the longest amount of time, while
simultaneously managing several factors: opening hours of the laboratory, rate of
load decay at a given temperature, upcoming tests, etc.
As tests were carried out from the highest temperatures to the lowest ones (Figure
4.24 p.85) the duration of phase I and phase II shown in Figure 4.13.a was adjusted
on-the-fly for each test. The aim of this way of proceeding was to provide data that
could be later joined in a general mastercurve (cfr. §3.1.3.5) with the lowest amount
and extent of “gaps”. This apparently confusing and arbitrary criterion will be
clarified with the data analysis performed in §5.1.2.1.
4.2.2.1 CALIBRATIONS
A verification of the calibration for all LVDT transducers was performed, both the
displacement ones18 and those connected to the dynamometric rings19 (Figure 4.11).
Effects of temperature on the measurements of displacement transducers were also
investigated in the full range of test temperatures by laying a still object at half the
stroke of the instrument ( ) and cyclically varying the temperature in the
chamber. Minor variations in the instrument readings were observed in a range of
, but most importantly for tests, at each temperature the conditioning
time interval for consistent readings ( ) was observed to be lower than
, allowing for reliable readings throughout tests (cfr. §4.2.4.3 and §5.1.2.6).
4.2.2.2 PREPARATIONS OF SPECIMENS
Due to the way LG glass is manufactured [271,272], the edge of the interlayer was
not always spot-on the edge of the glass plies (Figure 4.14). Protrusions of
interlayer outside the perimeter of the specimens was generally in the order of
, although not always present. Cutting out of the excess interlayer was
only needed in some areas, to allow for convenient contact among all surfaces:
between the glass plies and the base contrast elements, between the upper loading
edge and the central glass ply and between the specimens and the lateral fastening
angular shims. Excess of interlayer outside those areas was usually deemed to be
irrelevant to the outcome of tests and therefore not always completely removed.
This cleaning procedure was mostly needed for all the SG-laminated specimens, as
they have been individually laminated by superposition of three 100x100mm glass
plies and two interlayer foils of the same size. On the other hand, PVB- and DG41-
laminated specimens were produced by partitioning larger LG elements 20 .
Therefore, those specimens already presented adequate finishing and didn’t
require extensive manual finishing.
18
Calibration curves for displacement transducers were given by the HBM certification body,
supplier of Politecnico di Milano, for a 10mm range and 0.001mm accuracy, within an operating
temperature range of 10÷60 .
19
Dynamometric rings calibration was done by means of a 50kN Wheatstone bridge load cell, in
turn calibrated by the same certification body of the LVDT transducers. The resulting calibration
curve for the dynamometric ring itself showed good linearity, with maximum deviation of ±0.5%
in a 0÷25kN range, and an accuracy of 0.05kN.
20Partitioning was achieved by slicing of large LG elements through a diamond band saw,
to produce smaller pieces the size of the design specimens.
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Figure 4.14 – scheme of the elements in contact with LG specimens
4.2.2.3 STRESS DISTRIBUTION IMPROVEMENTS

A thin lead foil was introduced at the interface among lateral glass plies and
aluminium angular shims (Figure 4.14 and Figure 4.15). This addition was thought
out after the local failure of glass when tightening the fastening screws, whose
force could apparently not be sufficiently distributed by the aluminium layer
alone. The mounting of shims consisted of four phases described in Figure 4.15: 1)
the aluminium foil is connected to the aluminium shim by means of a
cyanoacrylate glue, 2) metallic elements are glued to the specimen using a hot-melt
adhesive (HMA), 3) specimens are installed on the devices and 4) fastened by
means of lateral screws.
Figure 4.15 – four phases (clockwise) for the installation of angular shims
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4.2.2.4 IMPROVEMENTS OF CHAMBER OPERATIONS

Four neoprene guiding dowels were installed on top of specimens to speed up and
simplify the placement of loading edges in the correct position inside the climatic
chamber. Those elements were glued by means of the same cyanoacrylate adhesive
used to assemble angular shims. The guiding dowels ought to cover both the
lateral glass plies and the interlayer (Figure 4.16), for the loading edge to properly
apply its effect on the central glass ply only.
The introduction of the guiding dowels allowed for the loading edge to be put in
the optimal position in the setup phase in a loose configuration (not applying any
load except for self-weight), before conditioning and loading, eliminating the need
for further handling ever since. This choice was a turning point in managing
operations inside the climatic chamber; due to the limited time between opening
and closing, minor improvements to minimize handling of devices proved to be
ultimately very significant. Considering the high temperatures some tests were run
at (notably, the ones at ), all the steel elements had become very hot after
the initial conditioning period; therefore, eliminating the need to touch or adjust
any of them proved to be very convenient.
Details on the installation of dowels are shown in Figure 4.16: on the left side, the
position of dowels highlight their role for guiding the wide loading edge in
the right position, corresponding to the middle of the central glass ply. On the
right side, the loading edge is shown in the testing position, but the shot is taken
just at the end of the setup phase, so that the central glass ply is not currently
loaded.
Figure 4.16 - guiding dowels a) on a tested specimen and b) before a test
4.2.2.5 THERMAL EFFECTS ON DYNAMOMETRIC RINGS

Effects of swift temperature variations on testing devices was observed to be
significant only during chamber openings. More specifically, thermal effects on the
load measuring devices (dynamometric ring, aluminium pads, extension shaft and
LVDT transducer) were observed to be remarkable when compared to the loads
involved in the actual testing process ( ). This effect is ascribable to the
high sensitivity of devices to small changes in size. As the temperature of the parts
composing the devices varies, their size adjusts accordingly because of the thermal
deformations, with speeds and extents depending on their thermal properties. As
the load acquisition system converts relative displacement readings into loads (cfr.
§4.2.2.1), variations of the size of elements are read as artificial or "virtual" loads
Figure 4.17 shows the thermal effects measured by the dynamometric rings upon
opening of the chamber at various temperatures.
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Figure 4.17 - thermal effects recorded by load-monitoring devices
Results in Figure 4.17 are referred to an unloaded load measuring device. Being the
ambient temperature generally close to , one can observe that higher test
temperatures have a greater influence in creating a fictitious load measurement. A
thermodynamic model was calibrated to understand why the recordings have such
an odd shape, details are in Appendix A.
For some tests, multiple load measuring devices were not used to perform actual
tests on laminated glass specimens, but were nonetheless inserted in the climatic
chamber and subject to the same temperature variations. Compared results
showed good consistency among all non-loaded devices, implying that results
from one device can be successfully used to correct another, which was the
assumption adopted in the following data analysis.
4.2.2.6 ANELASTIC LEAD INTERFACE SETTLING

Although the design maximum load was well under the limit deemed to be critical
for the formation of fractures due to compressive actions, preliminary tests
highlighted that glass plies comprising LG specimens could occasionally crack
during tests, typically near the edges.
Figure 4.18 – typical position and evolution of cracks in laminated glass specimens
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Typical crack patterns and starting points of fractures are presented in Figure 4.18.
Most cracks were very minor: either affecting just the outer surface of the glass to a
depth of a few millimetres (Figure 4.18.a), either affecting a limited volume of the
whole ply (Figure 4.18.b). In both of those cases, the interlayer interface was not
severely affected by the failure of the glass plies, thus results regarding the
viscoelastic properties of the interlayer could have been accepted anyway. On the
other hand, a few cracks were much larger, affecting a vast portion of the plies and
the interface, possibly influencing the tests (Figure 4.18.c and Figure 4.18.d).
The starting point of cracks was always observed close to the edges, suggesting
that this phenomenon may be connected to defects in the alignment of plies or
minor tolerances in the finishing of surfaces: stresses which were meant to be
transferred through a large contact surface were in fact redirected and
concentrated into significantly smaller regions in proximity of the edges.
A noteworthy remark is that the finishing of the edges did not seem to be
correlated to the formations of cracks. The uprising of cracks was observed only for
some specimens and for loads higher than , translating in nominal
compressive stresses around for the central ply and for
the lateral ones. This was an odd result, as those stresses are even lower than the
tensile limit of glass [273–276].
To prevent the glass from cracking, a thin lead foil was inserted between the
bottom of the lateral plies and the base contrast elements (Figure 4.20). The
downside of this choice is that the recorded displacement at the base of the central
glass ply now must account for some plastic deformations of the lead interface. To
allow for correct readings, the plastic deformations in the lead foils were addressed
before the beginning of tests (i.e. before the conditioning phase). To this aim,
several very high load ramps of kN were imposed with the testing devices on
the lateral plies alone, with the temporary introduction of lead foils also on top of
them.
Figure 4.19 shows that increments in lead plastic deformations gradually reduce
with an increasing number of cycles. When the relative displacement between the
beginning and the end of a high-load cycle was smaller than m, a verification
cycle was performed up to kN, the maximum design force. Lead plastic strains
were deemed to be settled with a residual deformation lower than m.
Figure 4.19 - displacement monitoring for the adjustment cycles
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Figure 4.20 – a) setup for adjustment of deformations in lead foils and b) test setup
4.2.2.7 DEFORMATION OF TESTING DEVICES

An unexpected phenomenon involving properties of the setup was observed in
preliminary tests: measured displacements slightly exceeded the expected values21
(i.e. the deformations which could be ascribed to interlayers shear strain).
Several hypotheses were made regarding the origin of this unexpected
phenomenon: issues in fastening of the displacement transducers, imperfect
contact between glass plies and the base contrast elements, shielding and
grounding of monitoring instruments and properties of the base contrast elements.
Figure 4.21 – setup for calibration of rings and base contrast elements
21 The first remarks were made comparing preliminary PVB tests to available data [38,65].
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No hypothesis could be excluded a priori; nonetheless, by double checking all those

connected to the recording devices themselves, the key factor had to be ascribed to
properties of the steel contrast elements. As those parts were hand-crafted by the
Structures Laboratory in Florence, the possibility of an imperfect contact with frames
was taken in consideration. Rather than presenting a very high compressive
stiffness, as one would expect from simply compressed steel, tests in Figure 4.22
highlighted that small loads induced a significant non-linear elastic deformation.
Tests were made assembling the setup in Figure 4.21, then swiftly fastening and
releasing the tightening bolt connected to the dynamometric ring. The procedure
was repeated up to six times for all devices22. While displacements were recorded
with the same “displacement LVDT” transducers shown in Figure 4.11 p.73 (now
pointed to the bottom of the load cell), the load was simultaneously recorded with
the load cell and the dynamometric ring23.
Figure 4.22 – a) load and b) displacement curves for base elements calibration
Curves shown in Figure 4.23 are the result of this calibration process; details on the
construction of these mathematical models are discussed in Appendix B.
Figure 4.23 - non-linear deformations of the base contrast elements
22Each time a test was performed, the load cell was removed and reinstalled, to ensure that
results were not influenced by some peculiar arrangement of the elements.
23To grant full consistency with the following tests, the dynamometric ring readings were
used to calibrate model. Redundant load recordings must be looked at as an internal
feedback.
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4.2.2.8 LINEAR DRIFT OF LOAD READINGS

On occasion, load-recording instruments exhibited a linear drift during tests, easily
detectible in the last part of the data24 (Figure 4.28).
Causes of the drift were thoroughly investigated; even so, the fundamental origin
of this phenomenon could not be identified. As this effect was observed
independently from any likely connectable variable (i.e. temperature, testing
device, elapsed time, reset of the data acquisition device), it was concluded that it
may most likely have been generated within the data acquisition system itself.
Studying the last part of the curves, measured drifts were rectified by subtracting a
linear interpolation of the data. More details on the exact procedure are presented
in the following with a case study.
4.2.3 PERFORMED TESTS
After the preliminary phase, the actual campaign to investigate long-term
properties of interlayers at different temperatures was started. Tests were arranged
in the materials laboratory of Politecnico di Milano, using a climatic chamber which
was available for a two-months period. Specimens were classified using a
convenient code: SG-laminated specimens were listed as SXX25, DG41-laminates as
DXX25 and PVB-laminates as PXX25 (cfr. §1.1.2.1, §1.1.2.2 and §1.1.2.3).
Table 4.5 - list of performed tests and tested specimens
Temp. phases duration [h]
mat. dates tested specimens
cond. I† II†
20 20/1 23/1 2 67 5 S27 S28 S29
30 19/1 20/1 12 6 4 S25 - S24
35 24/1 26/1 4 21 17 S19 S17 S18
40 06/2 07/2 4 18 9 - S26 S23
SG
45 17/1 19/1 6 19 24 S15 - S13

50 26/1 30/1 5 17 67 S22 S20 S21
55 11/1 13/1 15 8 16 S09 - S12
60 13/1 17/1 6 66 23 S14 - S16
10 16/2 17/2 15 4 4 D13 D15 D14
14 20/2 22/2 15 15 5 D19 D22 D20
17 07/3 8/3 4 17 4 D23 D26 D25
DG41
20 17/2 20/2 4 70 24 D16 D18 D17

23 14/2 16/2 4 23 8 D11 D10 D12
30 7/2 9/2 15 10 13 D06 D08 D07
40 2/2 3/2 4 17 9 D01 - D02
50 3/2 6/2 4 17 46 D03 D04 D05
0 10/2 14/2 65 23 23 P03 P05 P04
10 2/3 3/3 4 17 4 P14 - P15
PVB
20 6/3 7/3 4 8 14 P16 - P17

30 28/2 2/3 4 24 23 P11 P13 P12
40 24/2 28/2 5 70 24 P08 P10 P09
50 22/2 24/2 5 25 21 P06 P02 P07
†
cfr. Figure 4.13 p.75
24
In the last part, the applied load is null, as the dynamometric ring is physically disconnected
from any surrounding object and the temperature is constant.
25
is a progressive two-digits number.
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Figure 4.24 - Gantt diagram of performed tests
The list of tests and specimens is presented in Table 4.5, while Figure 4.24 shows a
Gantt diagram of the campaign progression26.
26
The list is “missing” some specimens (e.g. tests for SG start with the S09 and S12), in part due to
those used in preliminary tests and in part to the rejection of specimens for assembly flaws (e.g.
glass plies not perfectly aligned).
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4.2.4 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND FIRST DATA ANALYSIS

A case-study is presented to detail all the steps in the data analysis, according to
previously described goals and highlights (cfr. §4.2.1 and §4.2.2). Tests on two SG-
laminated specimens at 55°C were chosen to describe all phases (cfr. Table 4.5).
Raw numerical results collected by the data recorder 27, are presented in Figure 4.25
for measured loads from the dynamometric rings and in Figure 4.26 for the
measured vertical displacement of the central glass ply. As testing device 041 was
used solely for thermal correction, displacement was not recorded.
Figure 4.25 – recorded loads trough dynamometric rings
Figure 4.26 - recorded displacements at the bottom of the central ply
On top of both Figure 4.25 and Figure 4.26, conditioning, loading and recovery
phases divide the time axis (cfr. §4.2.1). The duration of the phases matches what is
shown in Table 4.5. Significant points have been highlighted:
 loading point end of the conditioning phase, prior to the chamber
opening and specimens loading by fastening of the
tightening bolts,
 thermal stabilization after closing the climatic chamber, when the
after loading dynamometric rings are in thermal equilibrium (Figure
4.27),
 unloading point end of the loading phase, before the opening of the
chamber for loosening testing devices and unloading the
specimens,
27
HBM QuantumX CX22B-W (www.hbm.com)
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 thermal stabilization after closing the climatic chamber, when thermal effects
after unloading on dynamometric rings are settled for the most part (cfr.
Figure 4.27),
 end of the test end of data recording, before the final opening of the
chamber.
Thermal effects were introduced in §4.2.2.5 and are discussed in Appendix A. To
define the moment when such effects start to be negligible, points were identified
on the measured load curves: the thermal stabilization was assumed to be reached
in the loading and recovery phases when (Figure 4.27).
Figure 4.27 - load measured by the reference dynamometric ring upon chamber opening
Figure 4.25 shows that even starting from the so defined stabilization point, some
thermal effects must still be considered (line for device 041 after thermal
stabilization at loading/unloading); this has been taken care of in the following by
subtracting the load recorded by the reference dynamometric ring from the
readings of the instruments used for testing the LG specimens.
4.2.4.1 LOAD DRIFT CORRECTION AND INITIAL DISPLACEMENT
The problem was introduced in §4.2.2.8. Figure 4.28 shows what the load drift
looks like, and how it affects the loaded dynamometric rings and the reference one.
Dotted lines are superimposed to the recorded measurements to highlight the
linear trend of the drift, calculated by linear regression of the load curves in the
viscoelastic recovery phase28. Figure 4.29 shows the result of the correction, where
the linear drift effects are subtracted from the original load readings.
Figure 4.28 – linear drift superimposed to load readings
28The regression base for the linear drift curve is defined by all the points comprised in the
interval within the thermal stabilisation point after unloading and the end of the test point
shown in Figure 4.25. The choice was made for all dynamometric rings to be effectively
disconnected by all surrounding effects in that time interval and in thermal equilibrium.
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Figure 4.29 - load readings corrected for linear drift
The comparison Figure 4.28 and Figure 4.29 shows that the slope of viscous load
decay in the loading phase is more consistent after the drift correction.
Figure 4.30 - displacement readings corrected for initial measurements
Figure 4.30 shows the normalized recordings for the displacement curves, obtained
by subtracting the displacement at the loading point (cfr. Figure 4.26).
The imposed displacement during the loading phase is not perfectly constant, as it
should be instead by theoretical design of a stress relaxation test (cfr. §4.3.2).
Instead, the imposed displacement slowly rises after the initial imposed value, due
to the elastic deformations of the dynamometric ring. Nonetheless, it is important
to note that this example is willingly referred to SG (cfr. §1.1.2.2) to show the worst
case scenario: SG being the stiffest among tested interlayers, results for other
materials are more concordant to the hypotheses.
4.2.4.2 ELASTIC SETUP DEFORMATION CORRECTION

As in §4.2.2.7, the displacement at the base of the specimens had to be corrected to
account for the non-linear elastic deformation of the base contrast elements. The
functions correlating load and displacement for the different devices have been
used to rectify the curves, by subtracting the deformation of the base contrast
elements. Figure 4.31 shows the result of the correction. Note that, because the
correction is a function of the load, the curves in the viscoelastic recovery phase are
unaffected by the procedure.
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Figure 4.31 - displacement readings corrected for base deformation
4.2.4.3 THERMAL EFFECTS

Thermal effects on the dynamometric rings and associated transducers have been
illustrated in §4.2.2.5 and further analysed in detail in Appendix A.
Figure 4.32 compares dotted lines for original load readings (accounting for
previous corrections) to plain lines for measures adjusted for thermal effects. The
correction is achieved by subtracting the virtual load recorded by the reference
device (device 041 in Figure 4.29). Points representing the thermal stabilization
thresholds are also shown in Figure 4.32 (cfr. §4.2.4).
In all tests, the importance of the thermal correction seems to be greater in the
loading phase, rather than in the viscoelastic recovery phase. This is likely due to
the duration of the chamber openings: at the beginning of the loading phase, the
climatic chamber had to be left open for about three to five minutes, whether at the
beginning of the viscoelastic recovery phase chamber operations could usually be
concluded in less than a couple of minutes. This allowed for a minor variation in
the temperature of the dynamometric rings during the openings and consequently
a lower amount of time for the return to the design operating temperature.
Figure 4.32 – correction for thermal effects on dynamometric rings
4.2.4.4 RELAXATION AND CREEP

Knowing the geometry of the specimens29 (total interlayer surface and thickness
), the mean shear stress and strain can be calculated from the corrected
29
Not all specimens had identical geometry, some were slightly wider or shorter than design.
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load and displacement (Figure 4.31 and Figure 4.32), assuming a linear
variation of the displacements30 [223].
Figure 4.33.a shows stress results for the case study: for the viscoelastic recovery
phase, the virtual – constant – load has been set equal to the last
recorded load in the relaxation phase just before unloading: the dash-dot line,
representing the virtual load, intersects the end of the corresponding curve in the
loading phase. The time axis for the creep curve has been shifted, the new origin is
the unloading point at time (cfr. Figure 4.25 p.86).
Figure 4.33 – a) stress and b) strain in loading and viscoelastic recovery phases
Shear strain curves shown in Figure 4.33.b for the unloading phase have been
shifted, normalized and turned upside down according to the procedure (cfr.
§4.2.1). The new time origin is once again the unloading point at time (black dot
in Figure 4.31 p.89).
Shear strain and stress data over time allow to compute the values two
experimental moduli and [114,241]:
The modulus is an approximation of the relaxation modulus : the fundamental

discrepancy with the theory is due to the fact that the strain used to compute
is not constant throughout the loading phase, but varies slightly over time
(Figure 4.33.b).
The modulus is neither a pure relaxation modulus , neither the creep
compliance. Rather, it is a combination of both in varying proportions hard to
decouple. Nonetheless, the steadier the strain in the loading phase, the more the
30
While values of shear strain are way larger than those found for more conventional building
materials, a definition of shear strain like that shown in the equations can be successfully used to
represent the interaction of the interlayer in the LG element in models, aiming to compute shear
strain and the corresponding shear stress transferred among the glass plies [135,167].
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experimentally calculated will approach the relaxation modulus . Increasing

strains in the loading phase are due to the finite stiffness of the setup, more
specifically the finite stiffness of the dynamometric rings. Per definition,
dynamometric rings can only record varying applied loads with some
deformation. Hence with this setup, varying size of the dynamometric rings will
always be associated to varying stain in the interlayer (i.e. one cannot read vary the
load without – even so slightly - varying the strain when using a dynamometric
ring). This setup didn’t allow for on-the-fly modifications to the stiffness of the
dynamometric rings; however, as the ratio between setup and interlayer stiffness
increases, the experimentally computed value of approaches the exact value of
the relaxation modulus :
Even so, looking at the slope of the strain curves in the loading phase in Figure
4.33.b and remembering that this case study is referred to the stiffest among tested
materials, it seems not completely unacceptable to confuse the experimentally
calculated modulus with the relaxation modulus. In the proceeding of the
dissertation, this approximation will be accepted, and the consequences will be
carried on knowingly, up to the final conclusions. Therefore, by concisely referring
to the relaxation modulus , in all the following discussions, we will in fact be
referring to the experimental approximation of the relaxation modulus , rather than to
its true definition.
The experimental creep compliance modulus , calculated over a constant
“virtual” load step , is not affected by the same approximation.
Figure 4.34 shows both the relaxation and creep compliance moduli over time; to
ease the comparison among them and dimensionally uniform the graph, the
inverse of the creep modulus is presented. Finally, note that the time axis has
now been converted to seconds, a choice which will also be carried on for all
following analyses (cfr. §5.1.2).
Figure 4.34 – relaxation and creep compliance moduli for the case-study
Final results for all tests are displayed in Figures 4.35 to 4.37. Values are displayed
in a log-log scale plot, helping to compare quantities ranging among several orders
of magnitude.
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Figure 4.35 – a) relaxation and b) inverse compliance moduli for SG interlayer†
Figure 4.36 – a) relaxation and b) inverse compliance moduli for DG41 interlayer†
Figure 4.37 – a) relaxation and b) inverse compliance moduli for PVB interlayer†
______________________________________
† Dotted lines are the results for each different tested specimen (cfr. Table 4.5). For each
temperature, the mean value is presented as a thick plain line.
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4.2.4.5 EXPERIMENTAL DELAMINATION

Laminated glass specimens were assembled by the manufacturer with a traditional
process at high pressure and temperature 31 in an autoclave: a method which allows
for the formation of chemical bonds between the glass surface and the interlayer
(cfr. §1.1.3).
Before the start of the campaign, a foreseen scenario was the possibility that the
imposed shear stress on the specimens may exceed the capacity of the bonding
forces among glass and interlayers, while these remain internally cohesive. The
result of this event is a phenomenon known as “delamination”, which has been
described in §3.3 as the loss of adhesion between the materials forming a LG
element. Previous research showed how similar tests may result in partial
delamination, suggesting that both temperature and shear stress play an important
role in facilitating the loss of adhesion [65,110].
Throughout the experimental campaign on laminated specimens, after each series
of tests was performed, the laminated elements were extracted from testing devices
(cfr. §4.2.1) and classified accordingly with labels for the name, test duration and
temperature. A simple photographic technique was developed, to investigate the
extension of the delamination among the specimens which suffered from partial
loss of adhesion.
Figure 4.38 - example of delamination analysis for specimen S09
An example of the photogrammetric analysis is presented in Figure 4.38, while

details on the technique and results for all other specimens are in Appendix C.
4.3 PROGRESSIVE DAMAGE IN LAMINATED GLASS BEAMS
The layered LG arrangement, consisting in the combination of stiff glass plies and
softer interlayers, causes this composite material to behave in a peculiar manner
[47,277]. While interlayers properties are crucial in defining the mechanical
response and resistance of Undamaged Laminated Glass elements (ULG) [159],
those are even more relevant when the structural integrity of the glass plies is
compromised [11,221]. Safe LG design asks for reliable structures even after partial
or complete glass failure, avoiding injuries and collapses. Two binding
serviceability conditions are to be met:
1. abrupt and unanticipated collapses must be avoided and
2. adequate residual load-bearing capacity must be provided until
evacuation and replacement (fail-safe response).
As glass itself loses structural integrity with propagation of cracks, both safety
requirements must draw from the mechanical properties of interlayers (cfr. §4.2
31 Typically, around 120-150°C and 10-15 atm, depending on the manufacturer and
interlayer material [93,347].
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and §4.1 with further discussion in §5.1). While the increase in tensile strength
brought by such performance-enhancing processes is unquestionably beneficial for
ULG, the fragmentation after glass failure might not be advantageous from a
structural point of view. Depending on several factors that will be discussed in the
following, Partially Damaged- and Fully Damaged Laminated Glass (PDLG and
FDLG) can still withstand significant loads prior to the final collapse.
Studying properties of progressive damage among a LG element is significant for
assessing safety and performance for Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and Serviceability
Limit States (SLS) as well. As a matter of fact, it is common design practice to
include sacrificial glass plies within those LG elements that bear the most
responsibility or those which are more likely to be exposed to accidental failure.
Foraboschi in [42] provided a definition of the characteristics of sacrificial plies:
[The sacrificial ply] collects the live loads [and] is allowed to fracture in service. [The
sacrificial ply] is redundant to the serviceability and ultimate limit states of the LG
member and is included only to allow for the possibility of accidental glass breakage
due to contact damage. The sacrificial ply may be kept in service also in fractured
condition; it has to be substituted only when it has lost the capacity of shielding the
others layers.
4.3.1 PURPOSE OF TESTS
Interlayers are believed to have a negligible influence over the response of in-plane
loaded ULG elements, due to the vast mechanical differences between the two
materials (i.e. the glass is generally orders of magnitude stiffer compared to any
interlayer). Nonetheless, stiff interlayers are known to enhance significantly the
post-failure response [102]. The goal of this experimental campaign 32 , is to
investigate and quantify the effects of the tension-stiffening (TS) mechanism which
arises once one or more glass plies break. The insight that kick-started the
investigation is that glass fragments adherent to interlayers can still provide a
beneficial effect on the global properties of damaged LG.
Architectural LG elements can be designed to bear transversal loads (e.g. glazing,
roofing, etc.) or loads in their own plane (e.g. beams, columns, etc.). From a
structural point of view, elements which bear greater load-carrying responsibilities
are generally the latter. As a safe design of in-plane loaded LG could benefit from
better understood and quantified levels of resilience, a focus on such elements was
chosen for this research33.
Structural LG elements are often comprising several – if not only – fully tempered
glass plies. Tempered glass undergoes thermal or chemical treatments which
increases its strength and influences the breakage texture, producing a denser and
more widespread crack patterns compared to annealed of heat-strengthened glass
(cfr. §4.3). While residual properties of damaged LG elements ultimately rely upon
the strength of the adhesion bond and the intrinsic properties of interlayer
32
Presented studies are actually part of two separate campaigns with similar goals, carried out in
different time spans: a first campaign on SG-laminates was performed in summer 2015 and a
second one on DG41- and reinforced DG41-laminates in summer-fall 2016.
33
Research on post-failure response and progressive damage regarding transversally-loaded
elements is ongoing at the Structures Laboratory of the DICEA by the time this manuscript is
being completed. More information on the results of those tests and comparisons with the ones
presented within this manuscript can hopefully be expected soon, within dedicated research papers.
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materials [104], as a general rule of thumb, the bigger size of the glass fragments,
the better the overall post-failure performance [77]. Performance analyses of
damaged LG made with tempered glass plies can therefore be regarded as a worst-
case scenario.
4.3.2 DESIGN AND SETUP
Tests were designed to assess the post-failure behaviour of simply supported SG-
laminated beams (type A), DG41-laminated beams (type B) and reinforced DG41-
laminated beams (type C). The “reinforcement” within type C specimens consisted
in 0.2 mm thick polycarbonate (PC) foils between two layers of DG41. A total of
eight specimens were assembled (Table 4.6), each using three 10 mm thick
tempered glass plies. Figure 4.39 shows details of specimens with nominal sizes
and thicknesses.
Figure 4.39 - full-scale LG beams specimens type A, B and C [mm]
Table 4.6 - specimens type and nomenclature

interlayer material SG DG41 DG41 + PC
type A B C
specimens A1 A2 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3
Figure 4.40 illustrates the design damage progression: first failure of the central
ply, then the lateral plies, one at a time. Rather than reproducing the most common
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failure mode within real structures34, this modus operandi was chosen to safeguard
the instruments, allowing for the collection of a larger amount of data. Moreover,
this procedure allowed for studying a symmetrical PDLG configuration, which is
convenient for reasons that will be discussed throughout the critical analysis and
discussion of experimental results.
Figure 4.40 - damage progression imposed by design
Figure 4.41. shows the two experimental setups which were designed around an
MTS hydraulic press, used to apply vertical loads in three-point bending tests. To
allow specimens to be simply supported, a HE300B steel beam was inserted within
the press columns, to serve as a base for steel rollers, in turn used as punctual
supports for the specimens. Vertical struts were needed to provide additional
vertical support, while lateral torsional restraints were installed for safety reasons:
preventing damage and injuries in the event of sudden lateral-torsional buckling35.
As the manufacturing process did not allow for a perfect glass plies alignment, two
solutions were adopted to rectify the contact surfaces: at both ends, aluminium
pads were placed on top of the steel rollers and a stiff epoxy resin was used to fill
the interface between the pads and the glass surface; at midspan, where the vertical
load is applied, a third aluminium element was inserted between the top of the
specimen and the hydraulic jack. A thin lead foil under the central aluminium pad
was used to compensate for small plies misalignments and help to evenly
distribute the applied load.
As illustrated in Figure 4.44 for type A and Figure 4.45 for type B&C specimens,
several instruments were used to monitor the LG response along the different
stages.
Piezoelectric accelerometers were installed on the specimens and the setup for
dynamic tests, to detect the response of impulse-induced vibrations.
For bending tests, vertical displacements were monitored at midspan (F1) and both
ends (F2 and F3) with LVDT sensors. For FDLG elements, the midspan transducer
was replaced with a cable potentiometer transducer, to cope with the higher sag
expected.
34 Which are likely to have the external plies fail first, due to local contact actions.
35Apart from asymmetrical failure configurations, when the lateral sag didn’t allow for the
beam to rest on a vertical position by itself, torsional restraints were intentionally distanced
from the specimen surface, allowing it to move freely.
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Figure 4.41 – lateral setup scheme for a) type A and b) type B or C specimens
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Figure 4.42 - picture of the setup arranged for specimen B1

Specimens were equipped with strain-gages on the outer surface of the glass plies:
8 were used for type A ( to ) and 15 for type B&C ( to ). A cross-section
close to midspan was equipped with most strain-gauges, to investigate the varying
position of the neutral axis for increasing levels of damage. The exact midspan
cross-section was not chosen, to avoid the influence of local effects of localized load
application. As the damage level increases, data from strain-gauges is
progressively lost. Readings collected by strain-monitoring instruments connected
to glass fragments are affected by the distribution of cracks: as the number and
distribution of crack can affect those instrument readings in unpredictable ways,
the interpretation of such measurements is a very difficult task. Data originating
from instruments on damaged plies have therefore never been accounted for.
Figure 4.43 –pads used for the setup interfaces (on stage II PDLG specimen B2)
To cope with the loss of strain-gauge measurements on FDLG specimens, omega

transducers were installed on the central - fractured - glass ply, close to midspan.
The confinement effect due to the presence of interlayers on both sides, together
with the good adhesion between the two materials, allows for using the relative
displacement readings of the base points of the omega transducers to compute the
mean strain (Figure 4.46): knowing the base distance , the mean strain
is .
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Figure 4.44 – measure instruments installed on type A beams
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Figure 4.45 – measure instruments installed on type B and C beams
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Figure 4.46 - omega transducers installed for FDLG tests
Table 4.7 lists all tests designed to investigate the effects of progressive failure on
LG beams36. Individual tests are described in the following.
Table 4.7 - tests performed on LG beam specimens

Test Test SG DG41 rDG41
type
stage # A1 A2 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3
1 dynamic response ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
I
2 3-p. bending ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 failure effects ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 long-term strain ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
II
4 3-p. bending ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 failure strain ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 lateral sag ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
III 3 long-term strain ✓ ✓ ✓
5 3-p. bending ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 ultimate failure ✓
IV
3 3-p. bending ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
4 5mo. 3-p. bending ✓ ✓
I-1 Dynamic response test: multiple vertical impulses are applied at time
intervals at midspan and L/4 37. Accelerometers data is recorded.
36
As mentioned when introducing these experimental analyses, results discussed in this paragraph
and listed in Table 4.7 are referred to tests carried out during two distinct experimental campaigns.
Therefore, one should not be surprised observing that type B and C specimens are listing a larger
number of tests (and carry a larger measurement equipment), as those investigations could benefit
from the experience gathered during the analyses of type A specimens in the first campaign.
37At the beginning, impulses were given with a rubber hammer. However, this technique
proved to be sub-optimal during the first tests, for the formation of a feeble sonic wave
propagating through the beam and the setup, affecting the accelerometers accuracy. After
several attempts, impulses given with a swift palm hand strike showed to yield the best results, this
technique was then used for all other tests.
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I-2 Three-point bending test: with hydraulic jack speed , a load ramp is
performed up to the design maximum load, held for two minutes, and an unload
ramp at the same speed back to zero load. Repeated twice. Design maximum load
is for type A and for type B and C. Strain data are collected from the
strain-gauges, applied load from the load cell, and vertical displacements at
midspan and both ends through LVDT transducers.
II-1 Failure of the central glass ply: failure of the central glass ply is induced with
a glass-breaker pick and a hammer. Strain gauges data are recorded during failure
and for 10 minutes after failure.
II-2 Long-time strain recording: while the specimen is left undisturbed, resting on
the supports at both ends, strain-gauges data is recorded continuously for 24 hrs
after the glass ply failure. In the same room, an additional strain-gauge is installed
on a separate glass surface in the same room, to allow for a posteriori compensation
of thermal effects.
II-3 Dynamic response test: same procedure of test I-1.
II-4 Three-point bending test: similar procedure of test I-2, the design maximum
load is now for type A and for type B and C. Strain-gauges data are
now only collected from instruments installed on non-broken glass plies.
III-1 Failure of one lateral glass ply: the first lateral ply is broken with the same
procedure of test II-1. The first lateral ply designated to be broken is the one not
equipped with the strain gauges to .
III-2 Measure of the lateral sag: a caliper is used to measure the lateral sag at
midspan, induced by the shattered glass expansion in an asymmetrical failure
configuration. A thin spring steel cable is used to collimate the ends of the beam
during the measurement.
III-3 Long-time strain recording: same procedure of test II-2.
III-4 Dynamic response test: same procedure of test I-1.
III-5 Three-point bending test: Same procedure than test I-2, the design maximum
load is now for both type A, B and C.
IV-1 Flexural failure: failure of the last glass ply is induced with a continued three-
point bending test. Lateral torsional restraints are placed close to midspan and
used to hold the cross-section in vertical position.
IV-2 Dynamic response test: similar procedure of test I-1, except vertical impulses
are applied at intervals.
IV-3 Three-point bending test: similar to the procedure of test I-2, the design
maximum load is not set a priori, while a maximum sag of is imposed to
safeguard the measure instruments. Strain-gauges data is replaced newly installed
“omega” transducers in a position close to midspan. Before testing, specimens
were supported on multiple points (two at least) with wooden wedges, to prevent
the onset of significant viscous deformations. Wedges have been removed
moments before the beginning of tests.
IV-4 Repeated three-point bending test: same procedure of test IV-3, performed 5
months after the previous test.
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4.3.3 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Experimental results are presented separately for increasing levels of damage:
starting from analyses on undamaged specimens in stage I up to the experimental
outcomes for FDLG in stage IV, when all glass plies are shattered.
4.3.3.1 UNDAMAGED LG
The undamaged mechanical properties of glass have been drawn from
experimental analyses, specifically, by interpretation of tests I-2 (Table 4.7).
According to European Standards, the elastic modulus of glass is allowed to ranges
between and [38,278]. Experimental values of the Young modulus have
been obtained assuming that interlayers – in virtue of their very low modulus - do
not give a significant contribution to the response of in-plane loaded LG beams.
For a simply supported element of span , composed of glass plies, of thickness
with moment of inertia about the strongest axis, with a load at
midspan, the elastic modulus of glass can be obtained as:
Experimental values of have been evaluated on the second ramp load plateau of
tests I-2, when the design action is held constant for two minutes. Table 4.8
displays experimental values of the elastic modulus for glass. Tests on materials
coming from different manufacturers yielded comparable results.
While the interlayer modulus was neglected, the presence of the PC reinforcement
for type C specimens has been considered with an elastic modulus of
[66,279]. Figure 4.47 shows how the experimental modulus defined with this
procedure is consistent over the whole loading plateau; final listed in Table 4.8 for
all specimens are referred to the experimental point in the middle of the plateau. It
is worth pointing out that such values must be looked at as average moduli for the
three plies comprising each specimen.
Figure 4.47 - glass modulus evaluation over the 2nd load ramp for type A specimens
Data recorded by accelerometers in dynamic tests I-1 have been analysed using a
one-sided Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT), to evaluate the frequency content. As
an example, Figure 4.48 shows the result of this procedure for the undamaged
specimen A2.
The first natural frequency is easy to be found at , with a mutual effect
also measured by accelerometer placed on the setup. Similarly, the effect of the
natural frequency of the setup, and its effect on all three instruments installed on
the specimens, are found around . At higher frequencies, between and
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, a second natural setup frequency appears o be inducing a disturbance on

the specimen vibrations, while clear peaks at for instruments and
spectra (but not ) give a possible insight on the second vertical modal form of the
specimen.
Table 4.8 – experimental elastic modulus of glass
manufacturer specimen Young modulus
A1 66.28
1
A2 67.81
B1 66.39
2 B2 65.83
B3 68.45
C1 66.69
1 C2 67.71
C3 69.11
manufacturers: 1) Novavetro S.r.l. 2) Saint-Gobain Glass Italia S.p.a.
After the first campaign, evidence showed that accelerometers and were
giving redundant results. Therefore, as shown by comparison of Figure 4.44 and
Figure 4.45, a slightly different instrument choice was made for the second
campaign on type B&C specimens: former instrument a3 was removed, while
was installed at , rather than . This choice was motivated by the fact that,
while the second modal form displacements are not massively different between
and , one can hope to glance at the third modal form. Unfortunately, this
approach did not give satisfactory results in practice.
Figure 4.48 – normalized FFT response spectrum for undamaged specimen A2
Figure 4.49 shows the same analysis for a specimen of type B, investigated within
the second campaign, with the new instrument configuration. While insight on the
second modal form could still be gathered for most specimens, those results
seemed overall less reliable with respect of the first campaign results. Ultimately,
the data analysis focused on results for the first modal form only, which was
always very easily identifiable.
By analysing data from strain-gauges on the monitored cross-section close to
midspan (A-A in Figure 4.44 for type A specimens and Figure 4.45 for type B&C
specimens), information can be gathered on the likely position of the neutral axis
throughout bending tests.
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Figure 4.49 - normalized FFT response spectrum for undamaged specimen B2
Figure 4.50.a shows recorded data for the two load ramps, according to the
procedure for test I-2. Strain over the height of the cross-section has been regressed
with a linear interpolation for the whole extent of tests, showing how the neutral
axis is consistently located at mid-height. Figure 4.50.b shows the linear
regression38 at the center of both plateaus (highlighted in Figure 4.50.a). Results
show that the interpolated position of the neutral axis is exactly at mid-height, as
expected for a symmetrical cross-section made of an isotropic material.
Figure 4.50 – a) measured strain for undamaged specimen B1 in bending test b)

interpolated position of the neutral axis computed on the loading plateau
38A linear regression is consistent with the Euler–Bernoulli hypothesis that plane sections
remain plane.
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All undamaged specimens yielded average interpolated positions of the neutral

axis close to the cross-section centroid, within 2% of the height.
4.3.3.2 PARTIALLY DAMAGED LG
Bending tests on PDLG specimens were performed under displacement control, up
to a fixed maximum load. For stage II the maximum load could be set by design
accounting only for ultimate failure calculations, with adequate safety coefficients.
On the other hand, the lateral sag induced by asymmetric glass plies failure in
stage III compelled to settle upon a much lower maximum design load, to prevent
both beam failure and lateral torsional buckling.
The displacement was increased linearly up to its maximum value, maintained
constant for two minutes and then decreased to zero. The speed of the actuator
was set to 0.5 mm/min, originating a maximum normal stress rate in glass plies of
about 4.3 MPa/min for type A specimens and 7.44 MPa/min for Type B&C.
Strain-gauges data on specimens of type B&C was recorded upon failure of the
central and lateral glass plies. This procedure was not planned in the campaign on
specimens of type A, whose results later hinted to the opportunity to measure the
instantaneous strain changes through the transition between increasing levels of
damage; a procedure which was implemented for the second campaign.
Figure 4.51 - comparison of long- and short-term measured strain on the lateral plies
after the failure of the central ply
Results in Figure 4.51 and Figure 4.52 show readings for those instruments which
are installed on plies that remain intact after the imposed failures. Strain gauges on
shattered glass plies may be affected by local effects which are arguably very
difficult to interpret. The maximum extent of induced strains appears to be
consistent among the specimen types B&C. Nonetheless, the double interlayer
thickness of type C specimens seems to play a role, allowing for a faster
stress/strain relaxation in the symmetrical PDLG configuration (Figure 4.51.b and
Figure 4.51.d).
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Figure 4.52 - comparison of long- and short-term measured strain on the intact lateral ply
after the failure of the opposite lateral ply (the central one is already broken)
Figure 4.53 - short-term effects after central ply failure on all specimens type B and C
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When a lateral ply fails, instruments on specimens of type C with double interlayer
thickness indicate that the curvature (hence the stress and strain) slightly increases
over time, at least for the first 24 hours. Figure 4.52, for type B specimens with
regular interlayer thickness, suggest that instantaneous effects of the lateral glass
failure are more consistent over time, except for instruments e11 and e15 installed
very close to the edges.
Figure 4.53 provides a graphical comparison of short-term effects of symmetric
glass failure for all specimens of type B and C, showing that results are consistent
among similar elements.
Dynamic tests have been analyzed similarly to those described in the previous
paragraph §4.3.3.1. Figure 4.54 shows spectral density results for accelerometers
(this time, on a linear scale, highlighting the spectrum peaks even more compared
to Figure 4.49). Results for different specimens do not display substantial
differences, a final synthesis of experimental natural frequencies is shown in Table
4.10 (p.113).
Figure 4.54 – normalized spectral density for specimen B2 PDLG stages
Bending tests II-4 and III-5 on PDLG, continue to showcase a substantial linear
elastic response, as did test I-2 on ULG specimens. Figure 4.55 shows curves for
applied load over vertical displacement at midspan: evidence suggests that no
permanent effects are induced, as the load and unload paths are essentially
undistinguishable (plots in Figure 4.55 are displaying both).
Figure 4.55 - load-displacement curves for PDLG specimen B1
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It is worth pointing out that the elastic response of PDLG elements vastly exceeds
the one expected only accounting for the undamaged glass plies contribution. As
this increased stiffness is ascribable to the collaboration of fractured elements and
interlayers, further analyses will be carried out in the following §5.2.
As observations of a rise in the neutral axis position in PDLG bending tests were
expected, strain-gauges data from the monitored sections were analyzed similarly
the procedure used to verify the isotropic behaviour of ULG specimen (cfr.
§4.3.3.1). Figure 4.56. shows how strain measurements gathered in tests II-4 and II-
5 (Table 4.7) were linearly regressed to interpolate the likely position of the neutral
axis.
Figure 4.56 - a) snapshot of interpolated strain distribution over the cross-section height at
and b) progression of the neutral axis position for increasing load
For stage II, when specimens are partially damaged with only the central ply
fractured, results show that the neutral axis continues to be steadily consistent with
the centroid, as it was previously observed for undamaged specimens in stage I.
Conversely, as damage progresses and one of the lateral plies has failed, evidence
from bending tests in stage III shows that the neutral axis rises even so slightly
towards the top of the beam, even for moderate loads. The evolution of the neutral
axis depth can be understood at best by looking at results of test IV-1, only
performed for specimen C2 (cfr. Table 4.7 p.101). Figure 4.57 shows that the neutral
axis settles rapidly upon a position slightly above of the centroid and does not
move significantly up to the ultimate failure39.
Table 4.9 lists interpolated positions of the neutral axes for all specimens during
bending tests I-2, II-4 and III-5, for the corresponding damage states 40. Despite
39
It is worth pointing out that, due to the lateral sag, torsional stress components are induced
alongside pure flexural ones. While this effect is not being recorded by the strain gauges installed
on section A-A (e5 to e8 in Figure 4.56), as they are designed to monitor strain in the direction of
the specimen’s axis, the sum of torsional actions to flexural ones may have an effect in anticipating
the ultimate failure.
40
As the bending tests procedure was designed to perform two consecutive load ramps, thus
including two loading “plateaus” where the load is held constant, individual values shown in Table
4.9 for specimens A1 to C3 have been computed as the averages between interpolations on both
plateaus.
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some uniquely unexpected results (e.g. stage III for specimen B2), values of the
average rise over the cross-sectional height show remarkable consistency over
different specimens.
Figure 4.57 - neutral axis evolution for specimen C2 in test IV-1
Table 4.9 - neutral axis rise for bending tests

height of the interpolated neutral axis average rise
stage over the cross-section centroid [mm] over height [%]
A1 A2 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3 A B C
I 0,99 0,31 1,24 1,03 1,07 1,50 0,90 1,11 0,36 0,39 0,41
II 3,59 2,00 3,48 3,1 3,38 3,11 3,00 3,32 1,55 1,18 1,12
III 7,54 6,68 14,8 2,81 8,57 10,16 6,91 8,73 3,95 3,11 3,07
4.3.3.3 FULLY DAMAGED LG

Except for specimen B2, which was brought to ultimate failure with a bending test,
failure of the last glass ply was always induced with a sharp edge41. Also, To avoid
major viscous effects and cope with the significantly larger deformations expected,
FDLG bending tests were carried out at a higher speed compared to ULG and
PDLG tests ( compared to ).
Depending from logistical operations42, bending tests IV-3 on FDLG specimens
were performed about one hour after the failure of the last ply43.
Experimental evidence shows good consistency among similar specimens, with
SG-laminated beams (Type A) substantially stiffer than both DG41- and
reinforced DG41-laminated ones. The introduction of a thin PC in Type C specimens
allowed for significantly higher values of the load bearing capacity, compared to
DG41 alone. The vertical axis in Figure 4.58 shows values of the mid-span bending
moment , normalized by the total interlayer thickness and accounting for the
dead weight of the specimen:
41 This choice was motivated by the attempt to test “undisturbed” FDLG specimens in the next
phase. Hence, a locally induced failure was preferred to a violent bending one, which was thought
to influence the FDLG specimens with different crack patterns and/or a pre-stress in the interlayers.
42
Operations included the installation of omega transducers, removal of strain-gauges cables and
full instruments check.
43
To prevent self-weight from inducing significant viscous deformations before the start of the
data acquisition, specimens were provisionally supported on three points at L/4, L/2 and 3/4L with
wooden wedges. Wedges were removed moments before the start of the tests.
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Figure 4.58 - normalized moment over midspan sag for all specimens
where is the total mass of the specimen (glass plies + interlayers), is the
standard gravity, is the total span and the measured sag at midspan.
Ageing effects on SG-laminated specimens are shown in Figure 4.59 with a
comparison among tests IV-3 and IV-4 (cfr. Table 4.7 p.101). On specimen A1, the
IV-3 test has been repeated twice, to assess that the maximum load applied at
midspan during the first ramp (2.5 kN) was not yet significantly affecting the
mechanical properties of the fractured-glass-interlayer composite. Tests IV-4 were
performed on the same specimens, after a five-month storage interval at indoor
ambient temperature (20-25 °C) and RH.
Figure 4.59 - ageing effects for FDLG specimens for bending tests
Omega transducers data were used to compute average strain on top and bottom
of the specimens (cfr. Figure 4.44, Figure 4.45 and Figure 4.46 p.99-101). Figure 4.60
shows data for the specimen B2: measured strains on both sides of the mid-span
section allow for interpolating the likely position of the neutral axis, with the
average value yielding the final best estimate.
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Figure 4.60 - neutral axis interpolation over FDLG bending tests
Figure 4.61 shows final results for all specimens. A clear majority of the cross-
section is consistently below the neutral axis, bearing tensile stresses. The
translation equilibrium along the direction of the axis is provided through a
smaller portion of the cross-section near the top of the beam, whose depth appears
to be approximately of the total height.
Figure 4.61 - evolution of the depth of the neutral axis in all FDLG specimens 44
Dynamic response tests IV-2 on FDLG specimens were performed similarly to

previously described ones on ULG and PDLG. Table 4.10 presents a conclusive
synthesis of all measured peaks in the response spectra, corresponding to the first
vertical vibration mode for each specimen.
44
Data for specimen B1 is not shown, as laboratory observations proved that omega transducers
did not work properly during that specific test.
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Table 4.10 - experimental natural frequencies [Hz]

ULG PDLG FDLG
specimen
Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV
A1 71.92 65.74 50.08 23.53
A2 72.95 66.77 51.33 26.47
B1 77.76 72.95 55.89 18.97
B2 81.71 74.87 55.36 23.27
B3 80.99 74.83 54.41 20.76
C1 80.50 74.15 53.17 16.78
C2 80.69 75.06 50.61 18.55
C3 80.68 74.01 49.13 18.02
After the conclusion of tests, Type A specimens were stored for five months inside
the laboratory, in a protected environment, and cut later to extract the smaller
material specimens described in §4.3.4. On the other hand, FDLG specimens Type
B & C have been stored outside the laboratory after the last bending tests, under
natural environmental conditions45. After six months, a remarkable difference in
the long-term effect was observed (Figure 4.62): all specimens were supported on
multiple points with bricks (4 or 5), while Type B laminates had completely lost the
original shape, the polycarbonate reinforcements in Type C specimens allowed
them to hold their original shape. Moreover, the limited deformation of the latter
also reduced penetration of moisture and rainfall inside cracks, allowing for a
significantly higher adhesion of fragments46.
Figure 4.62 - long-term weathering effects on FDLG
4.3.4 UNIAXIAL TESTS ON FULLY DAMAGED LG SPECIMENS

To investigate mechanical properties of the composite material made by interlayers
and glass fragments, after tests in Table 4.7, type A specimens portions were cut
out from lateral regions of the beams (Figure 4.63). Lateral regions were chosen
having been less affected by bending-induced effects in FDLG beam tests.
Specimens were prepared for uniaxial tensile and compression tests (Figure 4.64).
45
About 2-4 hours of sun exposure per day, moderate exposure to wind and moisture, seasonal
precipitations and icing, with temperatures ranging approximately between -5 °C and 40 °C.
46
While fragments of Type B specimens could be removed with little effort, just rubbing a hand
over the beams, fragments of Type C beams were still firmly adherent to the interlayer and could
not be easily torn apart.
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Figure 4.63 - specimens extracted for tensile and compression tests on the fractured-glass-
interlayer composite material
Figure 4.64 - setup for a) tensile and b) compression tests on material specimens
To preserve the integrity of the measuring instruments, tensile tests were initially
performed up to relatively small strain extents47; this choice allowed for repeated
tests on the same specimens, to gradually investigate the damage progression up
to slightly higher strain values ( ). Moreover, two different strain rates were
tested: (slow) and (fast), respectively.
Figure 4.65 shows experimental curves of tensile tests on material specimens.
Stresses were calculated assuming that the cross-section reduces to only the two
ionoplast interlayers. Similarly to observations in §4.1.2, experimental evidence
highlighted once again how the loading rate is an important parameter: the faster
the strain rate, the higher the stress peak. In addition, for strain cycling multiple
times between zero and appears not to give a major decay on the stress
peak and only a minor one for the elastic modulus, slightly lowering the initial
stiffness of this composite material.
47
about 4%, which is small compared to the full elongation potential of the interlayer material
itself, which is about 350% as previously shown in Figure 4.4 §4.1.2.
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Figure 4.65 - experimental curves of tensile tests on material specimens
When the adhesion bond is compromised, the interface had been observed to
produce a slightly different gleam with reduced transparency; a contrast which can
been be further incremented with post-processing photography. Aiming to capture
the debonding progression of the glass-interlayer interface, a photographic follow-
up was performed. The setup was put in place during one of the “slow” tensile
tests on the composite FDLG material, similarly to the one described in §4.1.2 for
SG interlayers only.
time , load , stress and strain

Figure 4.66 – delamination observed from tensile tests photographic follow-up
Figure 4.66.a shows that a small initial debonding is already present in the
specimen, even before the start of the test. On the specific fragment selected for the
analysis, the area interested by the loss of adhesion bond started to expand rapidly
even at low strains, about as shown in Figure 4.66.b, and affected about 40%
of the total interface around . From there on, debonding on the selected
fragment was stable up to the end of tests.
Compression tests on FDLG material samples were also performed by imposing a
controlled displacement generating a strain rate of . Tests were carried
out to the ultimate failure of the samples, resulting in a violent destructive
procedure48 which didn’t allow for repeated tests, as it was instead for tensile ones.
Figure 4.67 shows the results of experimental compression tests: the mean stress
shown in the vertical axis is calculated on the total cross-sectional area, composed
by the two layers of SG and adherent glass fragments 49.
48
Final collapse happened with as a sudden explosion of the FDLG material specimens. The
explosion instantly and violently scattered a large number of glass fragments out of the specimens
body, reducing the load bearing capacity to a fraction of the one measured before the collapse.
49
Glass fragments alone are unable to bear any tensile actions. Therefore, assuming that tensile
stresses are concentrated in the interlayer seems a rather logical choice. On the other hand, glass
115/237
Figure 4.67 - experimental curves of compressive tests on material specimens
This composite FDLG material displayed a remarkable compressive hardening

behaviour: experimental curves are characterized by an initial non-linear branch,
followed by a distinctively more linear one.
A numerical overview of FDLG properties of in tensile and compressive tests
presented in Table 4.11.
Table 4.11 – tensile and compressive properties of FDLG50
Tensile tests (calculated on the interlayer cross-section alone)
Secant modulus at 5 MPa
Yielding stress
Yielding strain
Long term stress asymptote
Compression tests (calculated on the total FDLG cross-section)
Secant modulus at 2.5 MPa
Ultimate stress
Ultimate strain
†
higher value for higher strain rate
fragments are able to bear very significant compressive actions by exchanging contact forces one
another. Anyhow, the mechanic response measured during compressive tests on FDLG is greatly
influenced by the presence of interlayers to which the fragments adhere to. Without the interlayers
contribution, fragments would be unable to provide the same response on their own. With that in
mind and for sake of simplicity, an equivalent stress could be calculated on the interlayer surface
alone, similarly to tensile rests. Such a radical choice can be motivated by the ultimate goal to
provide a simple, macroscopic, overview of this composite material performance. This approach is
used in the following to model the stress distribution along the cross section of the beams in the
bending tests described in the previous paragraphs.
50
Experimental values are given for a three-layered LG arrangement, assembled with two 1.52
mm thick SG interlayers and 10 mm thick glass plies. It is likely that different arrangements may
yield different experimental values for similar tests, although the order of magnitude is not
expected to vary dramatically.
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Chapter 5 – Critical Analysis and Discussion
5 CRITICAL ANALYSIS
AND DISCUSSION
The scientific community has yet to agree on reliable predicting models for
LG. Due to many factors involved, experimental tests and empirical models
are to this day the main toolkit at a designing engineer’s belt. Results
gathered within previous investigations are now examined in depth, aiming
to share more light on the subject.
Experimental tests in Chapter 4 have been divided into three parts. From a
thematic point of view, long-term viscoelastic properties and short-term tensile
response tests deal about interlayer properties alone, with limited interest on the
mechanics of LG composites. On the other hand, tests on structural LG beams
bypass the investigation on the intrinsic behaviour of interlayer, aiming instead to
a better understanding on the full-scale, post-failure performance.
In the following, topics will be conveniently united based on a thematic point of
view: a first part is dedicated to interlayer mechanics, merging the results
described in paragraphs §4.1 and §4.2, while the last part dedicated to analyses on
full-scale LG introduced in §4.3 and post-failure effects.
5.1 INTERLAYER PROPERTIES
Short-term tensile results are more suited to model effects such as impact loading,
blasts and generally any effect which takes place over a short amount of time (i.e.
seconds, minutes); those interlayer properties are discussed in the following
paragraphs. On the other hand, results and models provided for long-term
properties of interlayers are the core of the research and essential for the design of
LG elements; these are dealt with in §5.1.2.
5.1.1 SHORT-TERM PROPERTIES OF INTERLAYERS
Tests carried in out in §4.1 yielded a vast amount of data on tensile properties of
three among the most commonly used interlayer materials: PVB, SG and DG41.
Existing standard guidelines have been followed when possible and some early
results have already been discussed accordingly (cfr. §4.1 and sub-paragraphs).
In the following, an in-depth analysis of those results is carried out, a discussion
articulated around the experimental outcomes, with an eye on the state-of-the-art
research and the regulations in force. True stress-strain diagrams are produced by
interpreting the numerical results and the photographic follow-ups presented (cfr.
§4.1.2). Hyperelastic models are then calibrated and discussed for the supposedly
reversible network entanglement effects. Together with a novel interpretation of
the intermolecular cross-links response, those hyperelastic models are used to yield
a final decomposition according to the theory proposed by Haward and Thackeray
[76]. Finally, a discussion on the yielding (or “pseudo-yielding”) point for different
thermoplastics is undertaken, concluding with the proposal of a more universal
approach to the problem.
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5.1.1.1 TRUE STRESS-STRAIN DIAGRAMS

Soft and semi-rigid thermoplastics are known to be quasi-incompressible [280], so
much that it is common for FE LG design to disregard de facto the compressibility
of interlayers [62,185]. The Poisson ratio for soft polymers is very close to its
theoretical limit value of . On the other hand, semi-rigid thermoplastics are
yield ratio values as low as for short-term actions at temperatures around 1.
Values of the Poisson ratio for climatic conditions corresponding to those for
tensile tests (cfr. §4.1) on the three investigated materials are shown in Table 5.1.
True strain is defined as [164]. While for materials with
homogeneous deformations such as PVB this equation can be applied in a
2
straightforward way, the onset of significant localized necking in SG and DG41

asks for an in-depth analysis of strain concentrations.
Table 5.1 – 1h Poisson ratio for interlayers at 23°C/50%RH
SG DG41 PVB
0,465* 0.476† 0,470‡
* 2014, Kuraray, unspecified ASTM standard (www.kuraray.com)
† 2014, Saflex, according to ASTM D638 [66] (www.saflex.com)
‡ 2003, DuPont, unspecified technique at “ambient temperature” (www.dupont.com)
confirmed by several researchers [281]

By looking at the time-lapse photographic recordings described in §4.1.2, some
insight could be obtained on the influence of necking for SG specimens. Because
the width of the reference lines is influenced by the elongation, an automated
photogrammetric analysis could not be successfully implemented. Nonetheless,
digital images could be manually analysed to extract average longitudinal
engineering strain within each segment -i in the investigated area (Figure 4.35):
where and are the length of the segment during tests and its initial length
respectively. Figure 5.1 compares the strain readings from the testing device,
calculated as the average among the measure points in Figure 4.9, to
photogrammetric strain measurements resulting from the time-lapse. Results show
that the relative error in the early part is (i.e. for small average strain) in very
significant, while it seems to be consistently under 5% after the engineering stress
curve crosses once again the pseudo-yielding threshold (cfr. §). Complete results are
in Appendix E.
The maximum strain obtained by photogrammetric measurements is the best
estimate of the maximum strain within the body region. Although those
measurements still represent a local average, one which could be improved with
more tightly-packed marks (cfr. Figure 4.9 p.71), if this local average is a good
estimation of the effective punctual elongation, true strain has been computed
accordingly.
1As a general rule of thumb, the value of the Poisson’s ratio for polymers is known to be is
positively correlated with time and temperature [240] (i.e. the lower the temperature and/or elapsed
time, the lower the ratio). Greatest variations are observed across the glass transition temperature.
2
where it can be assumed that in the narrow area average and maximum strain are consistent.
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Figure 5.1 – photogrammetric strain analysis (SG at )
If the Poisson ratio for the three materials is consistent over large deformations 3
with the values given in Table 5.1, knowing the applied load as a function of
the true strain , true stress can now be calculated over the reduced cross-
sectional area 4.:
Results in Figure 5.2 show how formerly observed softening regions in SG and
DG41 were ascribable to the engineering representation of the curves, while true
stress-strain diagrams exhibit a consistent hardening response.
Figure 5.2 - true stress-strain diagrams compared to engineering
3
cfr. footnote 8 page 86.
4
If considering interlayers as incompressible materials (i.e. ) is an acceptable
approximation, the formula simplifies into .
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5.1.1.2 A GENERAL MODEL FOR THE INTRINSIC RESPONSE

The creation of constitutive models for thermoplastics has always presented
numerous challenges due to numerous effects involved [114]:
 the quasi-incompressible high deformability,
 onset of viscoelastic decay which principally affects tests carried out at a
lower speed rate,
 difficulties in modelling softening effects,
 high dependency from load/strain rate and temperature.
Despite this fundamental complexity, the use of phenomenological hyperelastic
models (cfr. §3.1.2) has become common practice for the description of uniaxial
tests, with better results obtained for elastomeric or thermoplastics materials
which do not exhibit either significant softening behaviour nor a high initial
stiffness [16,222,230,282] (cfr. §1.1.2).
The hyperelastic material reaction is believed to be connected to the reversible
network response of the polymer matrix [7,155]: long and reciprocally entangled
chains of molecules, form a deformable network (Figure 1.8.a). When an external
action is applied, the network allows the molecules to stretch, but doesn’t allow for
changes in reciprocal positions. With this interpretation, the higher the strain, the
higher the influence of the hyperelastic response [7,78]. On the other hand, the
reaction of cross-linked polymers hinges on chemical interactions among
molecules: the intermolecular response relies on the strength of the chemical bonds, a
property which has been shown to be largely dependent on the temperature [283].
The network entanglement effect has been proven to be well represented by a wide
array of both compressible and incompressible hyperelastic models5. Nonetheless,
if the material has a strongly cross-linked structure, these models seem to lack the
ability to characterize the initial part of the response [237]. While several theories
have been advanced, to this day there seems to be no general agreement for
modelling this effect [51,151], which is arguably critical for most engineering
applications. Delincé said in [7]:
“[…] the non-linear response and the presence of a yield point followed by
strain softening in the small strain range are associated to breakage of
secondary bonds and segmental movements […], the large strain deformation
is rather due to conformational changes of the molecular chains, involving
stretching and orientation of the coils and leading to strain hardening.”
The analysis carried out in §5.1.1.1 showed that the “strain softening” mentioned
by Delincé can be a deceptive property, only observable when neglecting the true
stress-strain path in favour of the engineering one. Rather than actual softening,
the flattening of SG and DG41 true stress-strain curves after the “yielding point” in
Figure 5.2 shows that the response reaches a sort of transient plateau 6. Accepting
the decomposition by Haward and Thackeray [76] (cfr. §1.1.2), this quasi-constant
stress lasts until the network entanglement finally kicks in at higher strain.
5
For instance, a neo-Hookean model has been used in [156] for studying true-stress strain curves
of a compressible thermoplastic material, while engineering stress-strain relations on
incompressible polymers have been studied by several other authors using various models
[222,226,230,234,282].
6
for approximately in SG and in DG41 tests (Figure 5.3).
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Experimental tensile tests results7 (cfr. §4.1.2) have been compared with several
known hyperelastic models8 (cfr. §3.1.2); while most among those could reliably
describe the shape of the engineering stress-strain curve for PVB, fitting the results
for both DG41 and SG proved to be a more challenging task.
Table 5.2 displays the different accuracy of four among the most commonly used
HE models to fit experimental results. The Yeoh model proved to be the simpler
among the two most reliable ones. Figure 5.3 shows final results for Yeoh
incompressible model with coefficients in Table 5.3.
Table 5.2 – accuracy of hyperelastic models for first and final parts of the curves
experimental data fit efficacy
Number of
Model SG DG41 PVB
coefficients
first final first final first final
Neo-Hookean 1 C C C C B C
Mooney-Rivlin 2 C B C A B A
Yeoh 3 C A C A A A
Ogden (N=3) 6 C A C A A A
A: good (average relative error lower than10%) - B: average (average relative error between 10
and 90%) - C: limited or very limited (average relative error greater than 100%)
Figure 5.3 - hyperelastic models for a) SG, b) DG41 and c) PVB
7
Even though the engineering application and modelling are the ultimate focuses of this
manuscript, for the following analyses the true stress-strain curves have been preferred to
engineering ones (cfr. §5.1.1.1). True response diagrams are believed to be more suited for
understanding the microscopical origins of the experimentally measured macroscopic effects.
Furthermore, one can always go back easily to the engineering curves knowing the true
correlations, while the opposite is generally harder as it requires additional data.
8
The following models have been used during the analysis: Neo-Hookean (1943) [348], Mooney-
Rivlin (1951) [231,235], Ogden (1972) [236] and Yeoh (1990) [349].
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Fitting of functions in Figure 4.4 was performed with an iterative least-squares

regression, whose base has been chosen according to two principles: the
hyperelastic functions must provide a safe estimate of the experimental data (i.e.
hyperelastic models are only allowed to underestimate the material response) and
curves able to reliably describe the final part of the experimental data are preferred
to those which can model the initial one9.
Table 5.3 - coefficients for hyperelastic Yeoh model
test speed Yeoh coefficients
material
8.59 -0.12 0.13

SG 8.18 0.89 0.29
7.88 0.84 0.21
18.18 2.50 0.37
DG41 17.21 2.91 0.38
14.38 2.46 0.26
9.64 2.47 0.26
PVB 6.92 2.28 0.28
3.53 1.41 0.21
Yeoh models results shown in Figure 4.4.c for PVB tested at various strain rates,
highlight some of the intrinsic limits this model in fitting any given experimentally
determined data (Figure 5.3c). It is worth noting at this point that simpler – and
less popular - HE models have been successfully used in the recent past. For
instance, Lenci and Clementi in 2014 [284] adopted an incomplete cubic equation
such as for modelling the HE properties of PVB, with coefficients
and calibrated by Ivanov et al. [285]. In the following analyses, a new calibration
of this model will be preferred to the more complex - yet still limited – Yeoh one.
After studying results by Klompen and Delincé [7,156] (cfr. §2.2.1), attempting a
wider generalization to all thermoplastic materials, a new empirical decomposition
method is proposed. Drawing from the HT decomposition [76] (cfr. §1.1.2), the
intrinsic response is addictively decomposed in the sum of intermolecular and
network effects , both dependent on several factors:
with strain and strain rate and , temperature and thermo-mechanical history
parameter . While the results discussed in this paragraph are obtained in
controlled and consistent climatic conditions, for the known dependency of
thermoplastics on the temperature , it seem safe to assume this may be a relevant
parameter for both and . The dependency on thermomechanically-reversible
aging effects is believed to be related to variations in density of intermolecular
actions and has not been proven to influence poorly cross-linked polymers [156].
The proposed decomposition aims to separate reversible effects from permanent
changes. Consistently with the above-mentioned studies, the following hypotheses
are made:
1. large strain effects are governed mostly by the network response and
short-range deformations primarily refer to intermolecular effects,
2. conformational changes of the network are fully-reversible,
3. the break of intermolecular bonds is responsible for non-reversible effects.
9
This choice is consistent with the fundamental interpretation of the hyperelastic effect, expecting
a greater influence the network response for high strains [10,14].
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Looking at the experimental results of true stress-strain diagrams in Figure 4.3, one
can observe that the two significantly cross-linked polymers, SG and DG41, exhibit
an initial response step which appears to be dependent on the strain rate.
Following both the HT and KD approaches, one can assume that, on a true stress
over strain diagram, intermolecular interactions will drive most of the initial
material response. Moreover, conclusions and models proposed by KD suggest
that intermolecular interactions may produce a steady response over time (the so
called rejuvenated yield stress cfr. Figure 2.5). Having excluded the presence of
softening branch in the true constitutive response, and considered the shape of the
experimental curves, it makes sense trying to model the initial materials reaction
with a non-decreasing function which tends to a finite limit. To this end,
exponentially asymptotic functions as simple as proved to be a
powerful and versatile tool: by means of just two coefficients and needed to
calibrate respectively the amplitude and rate of stress over strain functions.
Nevertheless, by further investigating the first part of the response curves,
experimental results showed that SG displays a very clear and abrupt slope
change, in the first part of the stress-strain diagram, as illustrated in Figure 5.4.c10
(this phenomenon, on a smaller scale, is also visible for DG41). On the other hand,
PVB only displays a single initial “load-step” before transitioning to a stress
plateau with minor rising slope, as shown in Figure 5.4.b (i.e. there is no point of
sudden slope change, but rather a gradual diminishing).
Figure 5.4 - initial response detail for very small strain
While all of this is – knowingly - speculative and still needs deeper investigations,
especially on a chemical level, such phenomenon of abrupt response changes in
early stages of deformation can be traced back to the presence of different chemical
interactions: primary interactions, weaker but very densely packed, may be
accountable for the first - very stiff - material response, limited to small stresses.
Besides, stronger secondary chemical interactions, able to withstand higher stresses
but concurrently scarcely distributed within the polymer matrix, are activated by
larger configurational changes. Following these assumptions, the intermolecular
response can be represented by a sum of terms with coefficients , 11:
10
It is not excluded that different materials, not included in this campaign, may show not just one
but multiple abrupt slope changes along the experimental curves.
11Ideally, each element of the series describes the contribution of a specific homogeneous
group of intermolecular bonds (cross-links). Nonetheless, the theoretical explanations
regarding chemical bonds forming within the three investigated materials within the
manuscript are speculative and lack the support of any chemical analysis. Future researches
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This phenomenological model for small strain will be referred to in the following
as the intermolecular series (IS) model.
Like in the example of Figure 5.4.b, PVB only showed one initial – and very
limited – load step, followed by the progressive rise of the response ascribable to
the network entanglement effect. While the network effect has been proved to be
well represented with an hyperelastic model, the initial response can be modelled
by means of one term of the IS model (Figure 5.5.c). On the other hand, the initial
phases DG41 and even more so SG showed some abrupt slope change mentioned
above of the curves for very small strains, as shown in Figure 5.4.c. With the
proposed model, such a slope change can be represented with a larger number of
terms in the series. For both materials, with only one slope change, the number of
terms needed turned up to be limited to two. Table 5.4 shows coefficients ,
manually calibrated to model the experimental curves. Overall results and close-
ups are shown in Figure 5.5.
Figure 5.5 - intermolecular series model results
on this matter, either to support or refuse the proposed theories, are deeply encouraged.
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With this convenient way for describing the initial response, which is assumed to
be ascribable to intermolecular interactions, we are able extract by subtraction the
effects of the entanglement of molecules network (dashed lines in Figure 5.6):
Figure 5.6 - obtained by subtraction for a) SG, b) DG41 and c) PVB
With IS model takes care of the description of the first part of experimental results,
the shape of the remainders in Figure 5.6 for the three materials suggest that
all can be well represented by numerous hyperelastic models. Among all the well-
known and widely used models that can have a fair shot in reproducing the shape
of these curves (cfr. Table 5.2), it is worth noting that the aforementioned simple
cubic equation , used by Lenci and Clementi in 2014 [284] could be a
simple option worth investigating, ultimately yielding to a complete description of
the materials response in the form of a generalized response (GR) model:
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Dependency from the strain rate , temperature and thermo-mechanical history

can be accounted for with the calibration of the coefficients , , and 12 .
Coefficients and in Table 5.4 were obtained with a least-square regression on
true stress-strain curves .
Table 5.4 - GR model coefficients for true stress-strain
test speed
material
10.1 11.1 61 11.25 0.0

SG 5.9 12.0 48 16.46 0.0
1.5 10.8 45 17.06 0.0
12.6 1.4 210 32.99 16.42
DG41 5.7 1.7 95 30.79 20.59
1.6 2.0 55 27.83 18.69
0.35 - - 31.19 2.60
PVB 0.15 - - 25.43 0.0
0.09 - - 15.16 0.0
Inverting the equations in §5.1.1.1 allows to transform the true curves back to the
original engineering representation:
Figure 5.8 and Figure 5.9 show the results using coefficients in Table 5.4. A
schematic recapitulation of the process is provided in Figure 5.7.
Figure 5.7 - scheme of the process used to produce the final models
12
Comparing results in Figure 5.36.a/b/c also suggest that the hyperelastic network response may
not always be significantly dependent on strain rate . For instance, DG41 results in Figure 5.36.b
show that the remainders for different strain rates are very consistent one another. Although
this might be a coincidental combination for multiple factors, this fact is worth investigating with
future experiments. The only logical deduction at this stage would be not to give for granted the
dependency of the model on all supposedly influential parameters.
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Figure 5.8 - model true stress-strain results for a) SG b) DG41 and c) PVB
Figure 5.9 - model engineering stress-strain results for a) SG b) DG41 and c) PVB
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5.1.1.3 PSEUDO YIELDING

While presenting in §4.1.2 the experimental results on interlayers tensile tests, an
early remark on the poor ability of standard-proposed methods [66,264] for the
determination of the tensile modulus has been raised. Within this paragraph, a
critical analysis of those standardized methods is carried on, together with a few
proposals to generalize the traditional approach.
Within the analyses carried out in §5.1.1.2, an observation was made on how, for
very small strain ( ), the initial response of the three investigated
materials showed an extremely high stiffness. Although sometimes very brief (i.e.
the response changes abruptly for slightly higher strains), this initial response
turns out to be several orders of magnitude higher compared to the subsequent
tangent modulus13,14 (Figure 4.6 p.68).
This initial stiffness is likely due to the formation of chemical cross-links among the
polymeric chains [59,60,78]. Generally, the higher the strength and density of
chemical bonds, the higher the strain at which the material behaviour changes.
When the strain is high enough, weaker bonds start to break apart with a domino
effect. If no other intermolecular bonds can oppose to the increasing strain, the
materials only rely on network entanglement stiffness. The presence of stronger
secondary bonds in SG, able to withstand higher stresses in the medium-strain
region ( ), can explain the different behaviour compared to PVB
and DG41.
Following this interpretation, the strain-rate dependency of the results can be
explained accounting for the involvement of the polymer network in distributing
the stress among a large number of bonds: if the strain rate is high, molecules have
less time to rearrange in a lower entropy state 15 [7], hence a greater number of
intermolecular bonds can concurrently compete against the applied strain. With
many chemical bonds, the energy required to trigger the domino effect is higher
and therefore the macroscopic effect is an observed higher strain at which the
material response changes. On the other hand, if the strain rate is small, the
molecules network has more time to rearrange according to the direction of the
stress: with a new arrangement, fewer bonds will be simultaneously involved in
resisting to the applied external force and the stress required to win over the
intermolecular interaction will be lower. This interpretation is also consistent with
recent researches on adhesives time-temperature dependent tensile properties
[286–288].
Moving through increasing engineering strains shown in Figure 4.4 (page 66), a
topic worth studying is threshold where stress-strain curves either reach a local
maximum point or change abruptly their shape, momentarily flattening along the
strain axis. At first glance, this point seems much alike the yielding point measured
in traditional elasto-plastic materials (i.e. steel and metals in general), but the
theoretical extension of the very concept of yielding itself is tricky and should be
approached carefully [270].
13
The same phenomenological observation suggested in §5.2.2 the use of a convenient
exponentially asymptotic mathematical formulation for the IS model.
14
For very small strains, engineering and true stress-strain diagrams are almost identical; the
engineering representation is chosen to match the approach used in the standards [66,264].
15
The coil conformation in undisturbed conditions is the state of lower entropy [263].
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A “yield point” for plastics is mentioned in the standards [66,264], but its very
definition seems only applicable to a small subset of materials, those for whom a
local maximum [is] observed during a tensile test16. This definition can be generally
applied to rigid plastics (Figure 5.10.a). Nonetheless, the same standards are very
often used to test semi-rigid and thermoplastic materials (cfr. §1.1.2) which to not
show a peak in the curve, but only a curvature change (Figure 5.10.b) or a flat and
very long plateau (Figure 5.10.c).
For engineering practice and a LG design perspective, the definition of a “yield
point” for interlayers must cope with the fact that, for such thermoplastic
materials, a distinction between elastic domain and permanent deformation is not
only a function of stress (like it is, for instance, for metals), but several other factors
come into play such as temperature, time and strain rate; playing a non-negligible
role in defining the threshold from which permanent deformations are significant.
For instance, permanent deformations can be produced in thermoplastics by minor
stresses, in long times [65]. Therefore, the traditional definition of yield seems not
straightforwardly applicable17.
By these remarks, a pseudo-yielding stress limit [16,289,290] has been
mentioned by several authors in the past, when talking specifically of
thermoplastics and elastomers. For instance, the pseudo-yielding limit for PVB has
been recently defined by X. Zhang [16] as:
“[the point] where material modulus changes abruptly”
All things considered, a different concept of yielding looks like a necessary
introduction in this field. Sadly, a clear definition seems still to be missing.
Many researchers showed that thermoplastic materials can exhibit a wide array of
mechanical responses to traditional tensile tests [16,114,153,154,291]. Looking at
various experimental outcomes, the case system seems to be ascribable to the three
typologies presented in Figure 4.35. Looking for a general tool to define this
“abrupt” change in the material response, an arbitrary but simple and generally
applicable criterion to identify the pseudo-yielding limit is proposed: on an
engineering stress-strain curve, the pseudo-yielding limit may be defined as the
point Y where the slope of the tangent line is 10% the secant modulus 18 ,
calculated for 19 .
16 [264] §3.6.2 “strength”.

17For thermoplastic materials, the first part of the stress-strain curves is usually influenced
by cross-links strength and density (cfr. §1.1.2). Heavily cross-linked materials have the
tendency to exhibit a very stiff behaviour in the initial part of the curves, whereas poorly
cross-linked materials must almost immediately rely on the response of the entangled
network. This fundamental change in the mechanical, microscopical, response could
potentially be used in the future to properly redefine the very concept of yielding for
thermoplastic materials. This manuscript will not investigate further this possibility that
draws deeply from chemical properties of the material and exceeds the scope of this work.
18 Both the chord-slope and regression-slope methods can be applied.
19The value of is chosen according to the limits proposed in the ISO standards for
calculation of the tensile modulus (cfr. §4.1.2) [264].
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Figure 5.10 – a proposed criterion for defining the pseudo-yielding limit
Results for the performed tests are given according to the proposed method in
Table 5.5 and Figure 5.11.
Table 5.5 - pseudo-yielding limit for the performed tests
claw displacement pseudo-strain
SG DG41 PVB
velocity point
0,060 0,00044 0.0012
5 mm/min
11,68 2,96 0,10
0,053 0,00038 0.0010
50 mm/min
16,20 7,02 0,16
0,040 0,00030 0.0007
500 mm/min
20,04 12,82 0,37
Figure 5.11 - pseudo-yielding limit for the performed tests
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5.1.2 VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF INTERLAYERS IN LG

Experimental results gathered throughout the viscoelastic campaign (cfr. §4.2.4.4
p.89) can be straightforwardly used to study effects of imposed loads or
displacements for the three interlayers at those temperatures, for similar durations.
Nonetheless, experimental results are scattered for temperatures which may not
match the exact conditions a specific LG design is facing.
Extending the range of experimental results is useful to gain insight with respect of
temperatures and times different than the ones directly investigated. In the
following, using a classical model for time-temperature superposition20 [114,254],
results are proposed both in a closed form and simplified tabulations. Limits and
scope of the model are discussed, while practical applications are shown in the
following chapter.
5.1.2.1 TIME-SHIFT
By correlating properties of a given interlayer at a set temperature to those in a
different climatic condition, results can be effectively extended beyond the fixed
temperatures investigated in the campaign.
The shape of relaxation and – inverse - creep compliance curves on a log-log
modulus over time space shown in Figure 4.37 suggest that an horizontal shift of
the curves may be used to arrange a single function describing the viscoelastic
properties of the materials [114,115].
Choosing a reference temperature for each material (i.e. a segment of the curve
that will not be moved from its initial position), linear drifts in an -base
logarithmic time domain for the other -branches can be performed. The new time
scale for a branch shifted by a dimensionless factor is:
where is the original time of the branch and in our analysis an base has
been chosen (cfr. §3.1.3.5 and §4.2.4.4). An example is presented for .
Shift factors for creep and relaxation curves have been iterated to obtain the
smoothest functions, a process that will be further clarified in the following. While
this procedure may seem highly arbitrary, results from the final mastercurve - the
one that is produced from the time-shifted data - are tied by a biunivocal relation
to the shift factors used to produce the mastercurve itself (i.e. one cannot be used
without the other, and each version of one defines a unique parent of the second
among a family of possible curves). To clarify this reasoning, the scheme of the
implemented iterative process in this work is shown in Figure 5.13.
The interlocking correlation between WLF and mastercurves implies that the best
shift criterion is to produce mastercurves and shift factor distributions which are
prone to be well interpolated by the relative functions21: a Wiechert-model-based
Prony series and WLF equation respectively (cfr. §3.1.3.1 and §3.1.3.5).
20 Sometimes referred to as the reduced variables method.

21
To evaluate the accuracy of such fitting processes, several methods can be implemented, starting
from a purely graphical one to different numerical evaluations. In this work, a least-squares
difference minimization criterion was used for both WLF and Prony series fitting curves (for the
Prony series mastercurve, the median value of the relaxation or creep modulus of each temperature
was used).
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Figure 5.12 - example of shifted experimental branches for SG creep modulus
Shift factor Experimental moduli per

define
distribution δ temperatures
Shifted Linking
iterate branches procedure
no
Data polish
fitting Satisfiying interpolation?

Γs(δ) Γm(δ) DOI fitting
algorythm (minimum for Γ(δ))
algorythm
yes
WLF biunivocal Mastercurve

coefficients relation coefficients
Figure 5.13 –process used to define WLF and mastercurve coefficients

The choice of the reference temperature is arbitrary. For this analysis, a reference
temperature of was chosen, to match the commonly used ambient
temperature for architectural design purposes 22 and some of the previously
available data and mastercurves for interlayer materials, mostly obtained via
dynamic testing techniques (cfr.2.2.1 and Appendix D) [38,65].
22
By doing so, the curves can be used as presented, without any shift, if the materials response is
needed at ambient temperature.
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The final choice of the shift factor distributions presented in Table 5.6 is made
according to the iterative procedure described in Figure 5.13. An algorithm was set
up to minimize the sum of square differences between the shift factors
distributions and interpolating WLF equations Γ 23 and the sum of square
differences between the experimental data of shifted branches and interpolating
mastercurves Γ 24. The input of the shift factors distribution was done manually
and so were the iterations by trial and error. For each attempt, the two sum of
square differences were stored recorded and normalized to Γ and Γ , with respect
of the corresponding number of data points 25 . The final choice of shift factors
(answering to the question “satisfying interpolation?” in the scheme of Figure 5.13)
was the one that minimized the combined error Γ δ Γ Γ .
Table 5.6 - shift factors 26
Temp. SG DG41 PVB
0 -4.524 -7.042
10 -2.434 -7.504 -2.076 -3.365
14 -1.367 -4.278
17 -0.688 -1.909
20 (ref.) 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 0.710 1.763
30 1.848 2.786 2.324 4.633 1.886 3.185
35 2.901 4.349
40 4.153 6.075 4.328 7.439 3.685 6.171
45 5.532 7.802
50 7.134 9.813 6.120 9.536 5.281 9.028
55 9.212 12.126
60 11.911 15.072
Figure 5.14 - shift factors for a) relaxation and b) creep 26
23
Using the proposed interpolating procedure described in §5.1.2.3.
24
Performed with the DOI method described in §5.1.2.4.
25
For the WLF, the number of data points is the number of different temperatures of the tests, for
the Prony regression the number of data points is the sum of points of the experimental branches.
26
The choice of the displayed shift factors will be clearer with the following discussions and
analyses presented in §5.1.2.3.
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Figure 5.15 - shifted branches for a) exp. relaxation, b) exp. creep and c) averages
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Figure 5.15 shows simultaneously average values of shifted branches for both
relaxation and creep moduli. Several noteworthy elements can be pointed out:
 pink branches, both for relaxation and creep, are tests performed at the
reference temperature ( ); therefore, all curves remained on the
vertical of the same time frame (about ) as only the other branches
were shifted back and forward,
 overall, the creep compliance modulus appears to be flatter than the
relaxation one (i.e. it is more stretched along the time axis), while values
for both moduli at the same temperature do not vary dramatically,
 because of the two previous points, relaxation and creep curves always
cross one another at the reference temperature,
 the transition temperature for the three materials, represented by the
maximum slope of the function, appears to be close to for PVB,
for DG41 and for SG,
 to a first approximation, in a log-log modulus over time space, the six
curves can be roughly interpolated with two or three straight lines, thus in
linear scales with three different exponential curves.
5.1.2.2 CONNECTION OF SHIFTED EXPERIMENTAL BRANCHES

Within the optimization algorithm described in §5.1.2.1 and Figure 5.13, three
scenarios can occur when juxtaposing consecutive shifted branches (Figure 5.16):
Case 1, shifted branches do not overlap along the time axis and the gap among
them is “small”, so that on a time axis,
Case 2, portions of consecutive branches are superimposed, hence ,
Case 3, consecutive branches are separated by a non-negligible “gap” whose
extent is greater than on a time axis.
Figure 5.16 - three possible arrangements for consecutive experimental branches
The overlapping or spacing of consecutive branches is a function of the

distribution of shift factor fed to the algorithm. Depending on the input, the
algorithm was given instructions to deal with the different scenarios in three ways,
described in the following.
Case 1 procedure: simply concatenate the consecutive branches, the last point of the
previous and the first point of the following become subsequent
elements in the merged array,
Case 2 procedure: start by creating a new distribution of uniformly log-spaced
point along the time axis, between the limits of the overlapping
segments. The number of points in this array is set as the average
of the number of points in the overlapping areas of the branches
consecutive. Compute the average values of the modulus
among the two branches in the overlapping areas at the points
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. The final merged array is composed by the point of the first

branch before the overlapping area, then the average points
where the experimental results are superimposed, followed by
the remaining points of the second branch (Figure 5.17).
Figure 5.17 - procedure for overlapping areas

Case 3 procedure: concatenate consecutive branches by means of a linking function,
the creation of which is described in the following.
As a general rule, large gaps have been observed to be more frequent in the creep
curves than in relaxation ones; this is due to two factors: first, creep branches are
flatter compared to the relaxation ones (cfr. §5.1.2.1), this amplifies the distance
among shifted branches, second, for many tests the viscous recovery testing time
was lower, producing shorter branches (cfr. Table 4.5 and Figure 4.24). To address
this, a procedure was set up to fill gaps with linking branches, providing a smooth
curve which was later used for Prony series interpolation [243,248].
Experimental data in a time over moduli space (cfr. Figure 5.15) have
suggested that exponential linking branches based on a third-degree polynomial
are helpful for fill the gaps with a smooth curve. Such functions and are
belong to the family:
With four constants , , and to be defined according to boundary conditions,

given by the end segments of the branches to be connected. Assuming (cfr.
§5.1.2.1), this non-linear problem can be converted to a linear one using:
The linking function and boundary conditions can hence be expressed in a linear
time over moduli transformed environment, where the linking function is a third-
degree polynomial curve:
Boundary conditions are chosen to guarantee tangency and congruence among

adjacent branches.
A complete example of the procedure is herein presented for the link of two
experimental branches, belonging to the creep compliance mastercurve for the SG
interlayer. The median value of experimental results for tests carried at and
are used. The procedure is similar for the other moduli and branches.
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After the above-mentioned transformations, target points and were manually

defined given two target abscissa and , respectively close to the end of the
first curve and the beginning of the second one. Figure 5.18 shows a close-up of the
investigated area, the initial and final target points, along with two set of
automatically generated dots defining neighbourhoods around the target points.
The width (i.e. the size) of the neighbourhoods was redefined for each linked
branch, to allow for a locally satisfying approximation of the curve27. For each set
of points, a linear regression was carried out with a linear least squares method,
henceforth generating the dotted lines in the figure.
Figure 5.18 - scheme of the linking procedure27
From the linear regression, ordinates and of the target points and slopes
of the curves and were worked out, to be then used as boundary conditions
for the polynomial interpolation. Given:
Coefficients , , and were found by solving the linear system granting the
observance of the established boundary conditions. Numerical results in this
example are given to be later implemented in the general equation:
27
Note that, for explanatory reasons, the representation in Figure 5.18 has been intentionally
simplified by scattering the and expanding the neighbourhoods around the target points for which
the sets are defined. Actual sets generally consisted in thousands of elements, increasingly dense in
the ending parts of the curves, an effect due to the applied transformations.
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The plain black curve in Figure 5.18 is the polynomial solution for the
gap between target points and in the transformed variables , , where the
subscript is used to indicate a linking function. The solution in the original
over environment can be found by applying the following inverse
transformations:
Substituting the general equation yields the final function :
for .
The same procedure has been applied in an analogous manner for all the gaps in
all moduli for the three materials in different intervals.
Dealing with experimental data, inherently prone to a variety of possible
approximations and errors, a critical approach in the selection of the target points
was preferred to a blind implementation of the procedure. Consequently, target
points yielding an overall smoother interpolation of the general trend of the
mastercurve were chosen, rather than slavishly connecting the terminal parts of all
the connected experimental branches. This approach also took into consideration
that the terminal parts of the experimental curves generally have a higher
regularity than the initial ones. This phenomenon is also discussed in §4.2.2 and
further highlighted in Figure 5.15 by the juxtaposition of branches which do not
strictly require a linking function (e.g. and , where the initial part of the
curves prove to be less regular than the following trend). With this approach,
target points and linking functions are presented in Figure 5.19.
Figure 5.19 - target points for linking branches
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Portions of the linking branches have later been cut, to avoid unnecessary
superposition with the experimental data, in the - small - portions where the
curves were overlapping (experimental data were always preferred to points of the
linking functions).
The final operation on the data at this stage, to enhance both reliability and
computational load of Prony series interpolations, was to re-sample the data sets
among a fixed number of equally distributed points in logarithmic time scales.
Provided with a large distribution of points (where stands for either
or ), dense in some areas and sparser in others, a new time array is defined
to uniformly distribute the points along the curve:
Accordingly, re-sampled values of the moduli were calculated as the

average of the nearest ten points to the re-sampled abscissa in the original data
set. An example of re-sampled data is presented in the following figure for 30
points only, whereas two thousand points were used in the actual data analysis.
Figure 5.20 - example of a thirty-points re-sampling
5.1.2.3 WLF REGRESSION (A PROPOSED FITTING PROCEDURE)

Mastercurves, produced and perfected in previous paragraphs (cfr. §5.1.2.1, Table
5.6 and Figure 5.14), are inherently tied to the set of shift factors. Within the
iterative procedure described in Figure 5.13, to allow for the use of experimental
results in terms of relaxation and creep moduli for arbitrary temperatures within
the investigated range, a generalization of the punctual temperature-shift
correlations needs to be provided.
A now popular formulation for time-temperature superposition was proposed in
1980 by Williams, Landel and Ferry [114], in the form of an equation with two
coefficients and (cfr. §3.1.3.5).
A regression procedure is herein proposed for shift-factor distributions and

corresponding test temperatures. The procedure is based on the WLF equation and
aims to find the best fitting coefficients and . The outcome allows to compute
the normalized sum of square differences Γ of the WLF regression (cfr. §5.1.2.1).
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First, a three-dimensional array of values was created, where

designates the progression in the iteration. The space can be presented as a two-
dimensional matrix28 in , in which each element holds a pair of values for
and for and . For , values for the two constants
in each element of the matrix are set to be linearly ranging among predefined
arbitrary limits, so that and are spaces
centred around initial best-guess values and :
For a given set of shift factors and temperatures , the regression base is
described as:
For each element in (i.e. for each pair of constants , ), the value of the
right part of the WLF function is calculated for all temperatures , yielding
. The sum of square differences for all elements was then arranged
in .
For each iteration , the pair yielding minimum value of is found and
associated to a specific couple of constants and in .
minimum
For the iteration of , limit of and are re-centred around the

new best estimation and of the WLF constants. New limits are set as:
28
The shape of the matrix arbitrary: any different space can have been adopted, without
jeopardizing the discussed procedure but possibly affecting its accuracy. In the following,
will be assumed, a choice motivated by the fact that there is no a-priori insight on the best fitting
values of any of the two constants.
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Such procedure is repeated until convergence is deemed satisfactory. The scheme

of the algorithm advancement is:
1. (preliminary), take the regression base and set ,
2. arbitrarily define , , , , and , along with a maximum number
of iterations ,
3. define the initial limits , , and ,
4. (start the iteration), set and compute the values of ,
5. for and calculate the sum of square differences
using the right part of the WLF equation,
6. find the minimum value of associated to indexes ,
7. take and in ,
8. define the new limits , , and and repeat from point
4 until .
Although the absolute convergence of the method has not been demonstrated with
mathematical proof, the convergence has been verified within the general
algorithm described in Figure 5.13, for all the shift-factor distributions tested
within our analyses. The procedure has proven to be always swiftly convergent,
provided that the best-fitting values are simply enclosed within the initial limits.
Choosing , , , and a maximum number of
20 iterations, the procedure returns the final values for the WLF coefficients
displayed in Table 5.7.
Graphical results, displaying that the defined WLF functions are a good regression
of the experimental shift values, are presented in Figure 5.21, whereas Figure 5.22
provides insight on the convergence of the procedure for the six functions in terms
of the minimum value in per iteration .
Table 5.7 - WLF coefficients
SG DG41 PVB
relax. creep relax. creep relax. creep
12.91 29.46 -53.36 -21.96 -40.12 -103.82
-83.46 -118.95 228.43 38.70 198.31 315.54
Curves in Figure 5.22 for the final shift-factor distributions show that the functions
are not all convergent to the same value. This ought to be expected, for the inherent
differences among the six regression bases : distributions which are more prone
to be fitted by a curve belonging to the WLF family will yield lower final values of
. Prior to the acquisition of final values for and two checks were
performed: all error curves must be asymptotic to a final value and the WLF
equations must be graphically fitting the trend of each regression base.
Due to the nature of the algorithm, notably due to the progressively increasing
density of the inquired mesh of points in . If and are the best possible
values of and respectively, the accuracy of the results at the end of the
iteration ( ) is:
Therefore, coefficients in Table 5.7 are accurate up to the second decimal.
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Figure 5.21 - WLF functions for a) relaxation and b) creep mastercurves
Figure 5.22 - convergence of the WLF regression algorithm
5.1.2.4 PRONY SERIES CORFFICIENTS FOR MASTERCURVES

Experimental mastercurves, produced and discussed in § 5.1.2.1, have to be
conveniently fitted with appropriate functions, to be implemented in analytical or
numerical laminated glass design problems.
Several models, techniques and functions can be used to adequately fit
exponentially decaying data sets, the kind of those obtained with the experimental
campaign; some have been previously mentioned and discussed in §3.1.3. All
things considered, the choice of a Wiechert model, associated with a Prony series
regression, have been deemed to be the optimum choice for the presented fitting
problem. The series are therefore searched in the form:
where is either the relaxation modulus or the inverse compliance ,

and , , are the constants to be found.
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An effective and versatile technique, capable of performing the Prony series

regression on experimental data, has been articulated in 1997 in a research paper
by Gant and Bower as the “domain of influence method (DOI)” [243]. The paper
extensively provides instructions to implement the method in a regression
algorithm; as neither the series themselves nor the regression method are
innovative contributions to this work, the content of the method will not be hereby
further discussed. Nonetheless, original remarks are listed underneath, regarding
properties and limits of the procedure emerged throughout the analyses (details on
the algorithm are provided in Appendix I):
1. the regression algorithm requires to be fed a monotonic descending array
of data, therefore experimental results may be required a refinement
procedure, adding some level of arbitrariness,
2. in the arbitrary selection of the value of (cfr. Figure 5.24), a
verification criterion is needed, to ensure that each exponential term
always operates upon a meaningful amount of points,
3. the method being based on a natural exponentials sum (a choice which has
arguably several mathematical advantages), the number of terms required
to perform an accurate fit depends on the shape of the function to be
regressed,
4. experimental data on long time spans generally require large number of
coefficients, regardless the regularity of the curve,
5. due to the presence of a final, constant, “steady state” term within the
series, resulting curves may be soon unfit to extrapolate data after the last
experimental time point,
6. the first point of the regression is always equal to the first experimental
point, this may affect significantly the accuracy.
For the experimental nature of data and data analysis processes described in
previous paragraphs, average experimental mastercurves, produced in §5.1.2.1 and
displayed in Figure 5.20, did not always present a strictly monotonic descending
trend. Therefore, a preliminary polishing procedure was needed to allow for the
implementation of the DOI method. Starting from the first data point and
proceeding in ascending time order, the procedure simply removed any data point
which, for higher time values, had a higher modulus than any of the previous
points. Similarly to the procedure for linking branches, the polish procedure is also
an integral component of the general algorithm described in Figure 5.13.
Figure 5.23 – detail of data polish procedure outcome
An illustration of the polish procedure is shown in Figure 5.23, highlighting how

this method occasionally causes the data sets to encompass a few gaps among
subsequent points.
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Figure 5.24 –final mastercurve and elements of the series with a) 4-terms or b) 8-terms
Figure 5.25 - Prony fit comparison with different term series
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Gaps are meaningful to the DOI method, to the extent that the higher the number
of terms in the series, the smaller are the domains among which the constants
and are computed. If the domains are small enough and encompass one or
several wide gaps, the number of points in that specific domain may drop
dramatically, therefore severely affecting the accuracy of the regression in that
portion of the curve. For each interpolation, a limit to the minimum width of each
domain has been imposed as follow:
Figure 5.24 shows an example of the regression of DG41 relaxation mastercurve

with 4-terms and 8-terms series, highlighting the effects on the number of terms on
the accuracy. The number of terms in increased by reducing the value of ,
connected to the width of each DOI.
Figure 5.26 - error for a) 5- , b) 10- , c) 15 -, d) 20- and e) 40-term series
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For internal consistency among final results produced in this work, it was decided
to provide Prony series with equal number of terms for all moduli of all materials.
The number was then chosen to successfully fit all the curves with appropriate
accuracy and also avoid inappropriate “jiggling” (a technical term used in [243]
and visible in Figure 5.24) around the mean value.
For increasing number of terms, the accuracy was first estimated as the percental
error between experimental data29 and the generated Prony series, along the entire
time span of each mastercurve. For increasing number of terms, curves are shown
in Figure 5.25 and percental errors in Figure 5.26.
Error curves show that the accuracy initially increases if the number of terms also
increases: the maximum error between 5- and 15-terms series diminishes from
about to mere (cfr. Figure 5.26.a, b & c); nonetheless, data also
suggest that the error does not monotonically decrease with increasing number of
terms (cfr. Figure 5.26.d e).
To evaluate the accuracy of the Prony series fit to experimental data, a slightly
refined criterion may be used to knowingly choose the final number of terms for
the series. The normalized average of square root of square differences Γ , can be
defined as:
Γ Γ
being the number of elements in each data set and the value of the
modulus at time , calculated using the appropriate Prony series.
Figure 5.27 - error evaluation for Prony series with increasing number of terms
Figure 5.27 shows that a very high number of terms is not suited, if the purpose is
to maximise the accuracy of the fit.
All things considered, the choice of the conclusive number of elements for the
series has been chosen mediating among the three different criteria:
29The data as they are collected prior to the polish procedure, which has been used
to the sole purpose of running the fitting DOI algorithm and generate the series.
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 series must be accurate over the entire time span,

 significant “jiggling” around experimental values must be avoided,
 the number of elements should be as low as possible.
A reasoned choice among several options finally led to the choice:
This criterion was implemented in the general algorithm shown in Figure 5.13.
With the final mastercurves coefficients, the normalized sum of square differences
between the experimental data of shifted branches and interpolating Prony
mastercurves Γ was found, allowing to find and compare the overall measure Γ of
shift-factors accuracy among various distributions.
The shape of the 20-terms Prony series functions is displayed in Figure 5.28,
compared to experimental data and coefficients are shown in Table 5.8.
Figure 5.28 – final 20-terms Prony series mastercurves
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SG DG41 PVB
i
0 0,845 1,415 0,245 0,325 0,083 0,098
, time in seconds, moduli in MPa
1 21,90 3,50E+03 24,46 4,08E+03 2,570 5,06E+00 4,027 9,35E-05 6,609 1,47E-01 3,553 4,81E-04
2 11,52 2,22E+04 13,11 2,83E+04 2,719 2,12E+01 2,287 8,32E-04 2,929 6,01E-01 2,505 5,44E-03
3 13,56 1,15E+05 11,85 1,76E+05 5,437 6,60E+01 2,112 8,29E-03 2,439 2,31E+00 2,741 3,94E-02
4 10,98 5,13E+05 9,119 1,18E+06 5,282 2,11E+02 2,703 7,01E-02 2,119 8,21E+00 2,301 2,78E-01
5 11,13 2,94E+06 8,660 4,73E+06 5,686 7,57E+02 3,148 6,91E-01 1,385 3,10E+01 1,379 1,85E+00
6 9,531 1,27E+07 8,004 5,90E+07 7,320 2,50E+03 3,282 8,30E+00 1,101 1,22E+02 0,720 1,87E+01
7 6,650 5,24E+07 8,698 3,53E+08 8,562 8,66E+03 3,533 7,88E+01 0,807 4,29E+02 0,565 1,55E+02
8 2,488 2,89E+08 4,398 2,78E+09 5,780 2,56E+04 5,220 6,50E+02 0,279 1,43E+03 0,452 1,15E+03
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9 0,881 1,58E+09 2,791 1,47E+10 3,701 8,88E+04 5,224 5,04E+03 0,118 6,20E+03 0,154 7,56E+03
10 0,687 7,53E+09 1,378 1,10E+11 2,104 2,79E+05 5,506 5,77E+04 0,104 2,44E+04 0,097 8,09E+04
Table 5.8 - mastercurves coefficients,
11 0,523 4,40E+10 0,811 7,44E+11 0,445 9,25E+05 5,544 5,15E+05 0,093 9,11E+04 0,089 6,71E+05
12 0,495 1,66E+11 0,570 7,10E+12 0,154 3,38E+06 3,521 4,04E+06 0,082 3,40E+05 0,083 5,07E+06
13 0,234 8,99E+11 0,657 3,72E+13 0,088 1,17E+07 2,040 4,00E+07 0,057 1,29E+06 0,054 4,15E+07
14 0,356 4,66E+12 0,454 2,32E+14 0,056 3,91E+07 0,754 2,46E+08 0,053 4,96E+06 0,054 3,43E+08
15 0,315 2,20E+13 0,454 1,67E+15 0,083 1,31E+08 0,117 3,02E+09 0,055 1,79E+07 0,048 2,63E+09
16 0,247 1,12E+14 0,397 1,10E+16 0,045 4,54E+08 0,095 3,68E+10 0,035 6,90E+07 0,038 2,07E+10
17 0,219 5,55E+14 0,338 8,52E+16 0,044 1,69E+09 0,074 3,40E+11 0,024 2,88E+08 0,030 1,57E+11
18 0,203 2,75E+15 0,338 5,56E+17 0,043 5,39E+09 0,093 4,70E+12 0,033 1,22E+09 0,023 1,44E+12
19 0,157 1,30E+16 0,224 4,00E+18 0,038 1,74E+10 0,041 3,77E+13 0,021 4,28E+09 0,025 1,08E+13
20 0,091 5,92E+16 0,189 2,14E+19 0,029 5,94E+10 0,053 2,63E+14 0,003 1,45E+10 0,011 5,02E+13
5.1.2.5 ANALYTICAL AND TABULATED RESULTS

With the experimental outcomes presented in the previous paragraphs, results for
both relaxation and creep compliance can be given as a function of
time at an arbitrary temperature for any of tested materials.
A case study is shown on the procedure for extracting from mastercurves and WLF
equations the solution for a specific material, time, temperature and action (i.e.
imposed stress or strain). For a DG41 interlayer, whose relaxation modulus is
needed after 10 minutes of imposed strain at a temperature , the WLF
coefficients and can be retrieved from Table 5.7 p.141, and
the shift factor can be computed by rearranging the WLF equation as follows:
yielding . The coefficients , and for the DG41 relaxation

mastercurve are in Table 5.8 p.148, while the time-shifted Prony series is:
As mastercurve coefficients are given with in and in ,

converting to the appropriate dimensions ultimately yields:
Figure 5.29 - DG41 relaxation modulus over time for

The analytical solution is arguably not always an optimal tool from a LG design
perspective. In preliminary design phases, to envisage general design choices, an
order of magnitude for interlayer modulus is usually plenty just to grasp the
properties of laminated elements. Simplified tabulated results30 are in Appendix G.
Values for short-term actions at low temperature and for long-term ones at high
temperatures have not been shown in the tables for two different reasons, related
either to the range of the experimental analyses or the nature of the analytical
model used to build the mastercurves.
Limits of both analytical and tabulated results will be further discussed in §5.1.2.6,
along with suggested safety factors that should be considered for a safe LG design.
5.1.2.6 LIMITS AND RELIABILITY OF RESULTS
Results gathered using Prony series mastercurves should always be looked at with
a critical eye to the whole range of materials properties. As the original theory for
time-temperature superposition has been developed for dynamic tests (cfr.
30
Tabulated times have been chosen according to the design instructions for load durations
described in prEN16612-2013 and used in CNR-DT 210/2013.
149/237
§3.1.3.5) [114,291], application to direct shear tests as those performed in this work
must account for the actual testing conditions.
In chapter 4, it was discussed how experimental curves for relaxation and creep
(cfr. Figure 4.35 to 4.37) start to be reliable after a finite time interval. While short-
term effects for high and intermediate temperatures can be drawn through the
mastercurve gathering from experimental results at lower temperatures, the same
cannot be said for the lowest temperatures (i.e. for SG, for DG41 and
for PVB). Lowest temperatures must account for their own reliability, so short-term
properties cannot not be extrapolated from the series prior the reliability limit (this
justifies blank values in the top-left corner of Tables in Appendix G).
Figure 5.30 - reliability limits for mastercurves Prony series

Besides, for long term effects on the right side of the curves, a limit to the reliability
of Prony series results must also be provided. The Wiechert model (cfr. §3.1.3.1) on
which the Prony series are based, implies the presence of a finite value of each
modulus upon which the material settles for an infinite amount of time31 [243].
Nonetheless, the shape of experimental mastercurves suggest that, if tests had been
performed for higher temperatures or if the same tests had been carried out for
longer times, the shape of the curves may have continued a descending trend,
rather than reaching a steady value (Figure 5.30). To avoid extracting inaccurate
value from the series, reliability limits for which values are reliable are given as a
function of time and temperature :
where and are the maximum and minimum reliability times for the
mastercurve at the reference temperature (Figure 5.30 and Table 5.9) and ,
are the WLF coefficients.
31
Coefficients and in Table 5.8 stand for this infinite modulus value (cfr. §3.1.3.1), for
relaxation and creep functions respectively.
150/237
Table 5.9 – reliability times in seconds
SG DG41 PVB
relax. creep relax. creep relax. creep
Note how the shape of the reliability limits is closely correlated to the shape of the
WLF equation; in fact, the same technique used to define the reliability limits can
be applied to plot the results on simple graphs, correlating time, temperature and
materials moduli. These graphical results are also shown in Appendix G.
An important aspect to evaluate concerns short-term properties of tested materials,
namely their known load/strain rate dependent properties (cfr. §3.2 and §4.2).
Analyses performed with LG specimens are dedicated to study viscous effects,
which are increasingly important with passing of time. Hence, the goal of
proposed viscoelastic models is to reliably replicate the effects of long-term
constant actions, while the rate at which these actions are applied has a limited
influence on the test outcome. Conversely, analyses described in §5.1.1 for the
tensile response of thermoplastic interlayers showed that the stiffness of such
materials for short-term effects is highly non-linear and influenced by the rate at
which actions are applied.
Instantaneous elastic properties are always superimposed to the viscoelastic effects
[114,282,291,292], therefore outcomes of viscoelastic analyses should always be
looked at with a critical eye. Results given in terms of Prony series mastercurves
and WLF coefficients are not meant to describe short-term properties of the
materials (indicatively, not much shorter than 5-10 minutes). Therefore, short-term
relaxation and creep moduli found with a linear viscoelastic approach should be
considered as conservative lower bound values of both creep and relaxation, as if
actions were applied at an infinitesimal stress or strain rate. In reality, the stiffness
of the materials for short-term effects is influenced by the strain-rate hardening
response described with the GR model in 5.1.1.2. In fact, the actual short-term
response of LG elements can possibly be better anticipated using the results of
short-term tensile tests on interlayer specimens, neglecting all viscous effects.
5.1.3 TEMPERATURE-DEPENTENT ADHESIVE PROPERTIES
Adhesive properties of interlayers in glass lamination are usually investigated with
TCT tests 32 : the ends of two-layered LG specimens, whose glass has been
artificially cracked on both sides, are pulled with a constant displacement rate. The
peak load measured during these tests can be correlated to the adhesion among the
materials. Nonetheless, this interpretation is intrinsically correlated to the
geometry of specimens and is not prone to be easily generalized [125,293]. While
adhesion is represented in many ways, what is measured is really the “practical
adhesion” which is defined as the force or the work required to detach a film or
coating from its substrate [294]. K. L. Mittal wrote [295]:
“A frequently asked question is: What is the best method for measuring adhesion?
The answer is: the best, rather most appropriate, method is one that simulates
usage stress conditions.”
32
Through Crack Tensile test
151/237
To my knowledge, full loss of adhesion of glass-interlayers interface has never

been reported as an issue in the LG market. In most cases, a partial debonding (i.e.
a loss of adhesion which only affects a potion of the interface) is enough to deem
that the element has essentially failed its purpose: aesthetics and transparency, trait
features of LG, are henceforth compromised. Also, the perception of security of the
structural element is compromised from the end-user point of view, even though
the mechanical properties may not have been deeply affected. Therefore, a study is
shown on the conditions under which the adhesion has been observed to be
undermined in LG safety glass.
Interlayer materials are known to have crucial temperature-dependent properties

(cfr. §1.1.2), which are yet to be effectively correlated with the strength of the
adhesion bond with glass. Even though tests on LG specimens described in §4.2
were not purposely aimed to this analysis, results discussed in §4.2.4.5 and
described in Appendix C allow for some considerations. Far from attempting to a
detailed dissertation on this very articulate and complex topic, contents of this
paragraph can be looked at as a first step for the design a specific investigation,
should the circumstances demand for a better understanding of LG delamination.
Recent researches highlighted that the strain rate (i.e. the instant power
distribution over which the strain energy builds up) is a relevant factor in the onset
and progression of delamination [293]:
“Using the TCT test, we have shown that steady state delamination can be
obtained only in a limited range of temperature and applied velocity.”
Alas, for specimens where delamination was measured at the end of tests, there is
no reliable data indicating the exact time frame when delamination process has
started, and how it has evolved over time. Nonetheless, in some tests the climatic
chamber was open for very brief periods after the end of the loading phase (i.e.
when presses are loaded by fastening of the loading bolt Figure 4.11 p.73) to
perform small operations and to check the setup. Observations during those
operations showed that some delamination had already occurred shortly after the
end of the loading phase (about 10 minutes to one hour). While the extent of the
delamination could not be measured accurately in those phases, neither compared
to the final delamination described in Appendix C, the simple observation that
some had occurred allows to ascribe to the loading phase itself a role in setting the
conditions for the surpass of the fracture toughness threshold. With this
consideration, an estimate of adhesion thoughtless can be given in terms of
supplied energy throughout the loading phase, similarly to more traditional tensile
tests [125]. An analysis in that direction has been performed for all specimens with
numerical integration of recorded force and displacement data. Figure 5.31
presents a graphical interpretation of this analysis for one of the specimens 33.
33
To help correlating these results to other parts of this manuscript, data is shown for specimen
S12 (one of the SG-laminates), one among those that had been previously chosen as a case study
for the data analysis in §4.2.2 and respective subparagraphs.
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Figure 5.31 - a) displacement and b) load over time for specimen S12 (55°C), c)
instantaneous power and d) supplied energy by numerical integration
Figure 5.31.a shows the progression of the loading phase with the four imposed
displacement steps performed by design, to progressively load the specimens;
Figure 5.31.c highlights that the energy is supplied in the same number of
“chunks” corresponding to the manual bolts tightening.
Figure 5.32 - average delamination correlated with average loading energy density
Results show that most of the energy is supplied in the loading phase. The energy
density of the glass-interlayer interfaces can be computed dividing the supplied
energy for the area of the interlayers34. Details are in Appendix H.
34
approximately 2000 mm2, varying from one specimen to another for manufacturing tolerances.
153/237
Figure 5.32 condenses average data from the delamination analysis (Appendix C)
and outcomes of load energy density calculations (Appendix H); the resulting
correlation helps to draw some general conclusion on the fracture toughness of the
glass-interlayer interface. The maximum imposed shear stress in the loading
phase to the average extent of delamination for each material.
Table 5.10 – glass-interlayer fracture toughness estimate for varying temperatures
Temp. fracture toughness
PVB DG41 SG
0 >165 n/d n/d
10 >264 >100 n/d
14 n/d >100 n/d
17 n/d >97 n/d
20 >639 >106 >55
23 n/d >118 n/d
30 170 196 >788 >126
35 n/d n/d >148
40 <274 <518 >185
45 n/d n/d <115
50 <199 <333 160 190
55 n/d n/d <215
60 n/d n/d <161
Results agree with outcomes of other researches on PVB interlayers: about

at for (Elzière, 2017 [293]), stressing how temperature
plays a key role in defining the fracture toughness of the interface. Information on
the energy density alone seems to be insufficient to assess whether delamination
will arise: the interface in able to take in significant energy at lower temperatures
without compromising the integrity of the adhesion, on the other hand, while
temperature rises, lower energy levels are capable to onset partial delamination.
5.2 POST-FAILURE PROPERTIES OF LG
Experimental evidence discussed in §4.3 shows that both the increased stiffness
provided by damaged glass plies in PDLG and residual stiffness of FDLG beams is
significant. For given climatic conditions, because of the higher short-term stiffness
of new interlayer materials (cfr. §4.2 and §4.1), post-failure performance of LG
elements can be substantially enhanced compared to more traditional structures,
laminated with PVB interlayers.
5.2.1 ANALYSIS OF THE TENSION-STIFFENING EFFECT
A lower bound prediction of PDLG bending stiffness can be obtained by fully
neglecting the mechanical contribution of broken plies. Nonetheless, experimental
evidence suggests that after tempered glass shatters, it is still able to give a
contribution to the overall bending stiffness, through its adhesion to the
interlayers. Comparing experimental results to the minimum stiffness expected can
provide useful insight for understanding this tension stiffening (TS) effect,
quantifying the mechanical contribution of damaged glass plies.
This calculation requires once again the hypothesis that, glass being order of magnitudes stiffer
than interlayers, it can be considered relatively undeformable (cfr. §4.2.1). This hypothesis implies
that interlayer shear stress and strain can be approximated with uniform distributions.
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In PDLG specimens, a fictitious equivalent elastic modulus for fractured glass plies
can be estimated under two hypotheses: first, that fractured plies confined by
adherent interlayers can still be looked at as an isotropic material, able to bear
tensile and compressive stresses; the second, that the moment of inertia along the
strong axis of damaged and undamaged plies is the same. The validity the first
hypothesis is confirmed by experimental outcomes on the position of the neutral
axis in PDLG, at least when quasi-static imposed loads are modest (cfr. §4.3.3.2,
Table 4.9 p.110). For a simply supported LG beam having span , assembled with
three glass plies of thickness and inertia about the strongest axis,
with a concentrated load at mid-span, the equivalent modulus for one ( )
or two ( ) shattered plies is:
Table 5.11 - fictitious equivalent Young modulus [GPa] of damaged glass plies
unit A1 A2 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3
stage I
† 66.3 67.8 66.4 65.8 68.5 66.7 67.1 69.1
stage II
29.9 28.8 18.2 16.3 22.3 16.3 22.9 14.3
stiffness increase % 22.5 21.2 13.7 12.4 16.3 12.2 17.1 10.3
stage III
16.3 16.9 16.7 15.3 13.6 9.09 10.7 11.0
stiffness increase % 49.2 50.0 50.3 46.5 39.7 27.3 31.9 31.8
† cfr. Table 4.8
where is a correction factor accounting for torsional effects. With two broken
plies, PDLG beams are bent laterally because of the asymmetric glass failure. As a
result, applying a vertical force at midspan generates non-negligible torsional
effects along with flexural ones. Throughout tests III-5 (Table 4.7), torsional
restraints35 (cfr. Figure 4.42 p98) were used to keep specimens in vertical position.
Accounting for the exact position of the restraints and the extent of the lateral sag,
the correction factor has been calibrated with a 3D FE linear elastic model.
5.2.2 DYNAMIC TESTS
With the same simplified approach used for the analysis of three-point bending
tests, the lower bound of expected frequencies for specimens in PDLG conditions
can be anticipated, by neglecting the mechanical contribution of broken glass plies
and interlayer while accounting for both of their masses 36 . An analytical
35
which have been installed as close as possible to midspan for those tests.
36
The exact weight of glass and interlayers has been determined experimentally with density tests
performed after of all the analyses described in §4.3. Density results are: glass
, SG and DG41 . The density of PC could
not be assessed experimentally, the literature value of was used [350] (although, for
this specific case study the volume of PC is so small that it could have been assimilated to DG41
interlayer with very limited consequences).
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formulation is known for the frequency of the first modal form of a uniform beam
of span and modulus , simply supported at both ends with uniform weight per
unit length (or mass per unit length ) with 37 [107,296]:
The expected natural frequency of specimens can be calculated in Table 5.12, using
experimental values of the glass elastic modulus from quasi-static three-point
bending tests (Table 4.8), along with material properties36 and geometries
described in §4.3.2. Such values have been compared to experimental data from
bending tests. An analysis of the influence of boundary conditions is performed in
Appendix F.
Table 5.12 - expected frequencies based on ULG three-point bending tests stiffness
†
L freq
A1 66,3 74,3
1,71 6,48 0,55 2,44 9,68 0,164 2,35
A2 67,8 75,1
B1 66,4 86,9
B2 65,8 5,35 8,40 0,85 2,44 1,08 0,212 2,7 86,5
B3 68,5 88,3
C1 66,7 85,1
C2 67,1 5,35 8,40 1,83* 2,44 1,08 0,225 2,7 85,3
C3 69,1 86,6
†
cfr. Table 4.8.
* an equivalent area of homogeneous DG41 interlayer is used, to account for the different
density of PC embedded within the interlayer matrix.
The approach used to compute the expected natural frequency in the ULG state
can be tweaked, using additional hypotheses, and applied for both PDLG states
(Stages II&III).
The minimum frequency expected, shown in Figure 5.33, can be computed by
neglecting the mechanical contribution of damaged plies and interlayers (i.e.
neglecting the TS effect), while accounting for all masses.
A better estimate of the experimental PDLG natural frequencies can be produced,
based on data from three-point bending tests elaborated in §5.2.1, which quantify
the TS effect. With an equivalent Young modulus for damaged plies (Table 5.11),
an equivalent modulus can be computed for the entire cross section by
homogenising material properties according to proportions shown below. Using
instead of in the previous formulation for yields results of the Equivalent
Stiffness Model (ESM) for stages II & III shown in Figure 5.33.
for PDLG stage II (1 broken ply)
for PDLG stage III (2 broken plies)
37
Validation of this analytical formulation, with calibration of the correction factor for this case
study is provided in Appendix F.
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† cfr. Table 4.10

Figure 5.33 - experimental and model frequencies comparison
Although based on a small number of specimens and lacking statistical accuracy,

results of the comparison shown in Figure 5.33 exhibit several consistent patterns,
prompting to wide-ranging considerations.
Stage I – Undamaged Laminated Glass (ULG)
 The experimental natural frequency of undamaged LG specimens (Stage I) is
consistently lower than expected, based on the ESM with glass properties
descending from experimental three-point bending tests. Causes of this
phenomenon were investigated thoroughly, but the fundamental reason for
the discrepancy among the two measurements could not be tracked down.
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Recorded data and instruments were double-checked multiple times showing

no evidence of acquisition errors or unintended setup response.
 Dynamic test frequencies are always lower than the ESM ones.
 Comparison of dynamic and ESM for undamaged SG-laminated (Type A)
seem to be closer one another, with a difference of about 3%. On the other
hand, results for DG41-laminates (Type B & C), display a greater average
difference, around 7%, regardless the presence of the PC foil and interlayer
thickness.
Stage II & III– Partially Damaged Laminated Glass (PDLG)
 With the only exception of specimen C1, whose ESM frequency in Stage II is
slightly lower compared to experimentally measured one ( ), dynamic
tests experimental results can be consistently found within the minimum
expected frequency and equivalent stiffness model predictions.
 ESM model is more accurate for Stage II than for any other damage state, with
predictions consistently within 4% relative error.
 Results for specimens B & C in Stage III are consistently close to the average of
the ESM and minimum expected frequencies (e.g. for specimen B2
)
5.2.3 EQUIVALENT THERMAL EXPANSION MODEL
Tempered glass has strong compressive stresses on outer surfaces and tensile
stresses inside. For undamaged tempered glass, compressive and tensile stresses
are in equilibrium (cfr. §1.1.1); the outer surface of glass is plane and each portion
exchanges equal and opposite actions with all neighboring ones. Due to the elastic
behaviour of glass, when the glass fails, fragments release part of the stored
mechanical energy by expanding at the edges, releasing compressive stresses, and
contracting in the central part, releasing tensile stresses. A graphical interpretation
of this phenomenon on a small scale is shown in Figure 5.34.
If a system, like an interlayer with good adhesion, can keep fragments from
scattering away, the observed macroscopic behaviour of the fractured glass ply is
its tendency to expand in its own plane.
Figure 5.34 - fragmentation of broken tempered glass plies

An expansion originated by glass failure, such as the one illustrated in Figure 5.35,
is arguably not easy to model starting from a microscopic point of view. Repulsion
mechanisms originating the expansion are dependent on a variety of factors such
as the strength and depth of the tempering process, thickness of glass plies, crack
density and distribution, shape of the fragments, size of contact points between
fragments, etc.
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Figure 5.35 - expansion of a confined tempered glass ply upon failure

To model the mutual effects of broken tempered glass plies on undamaged ones, a
simple model was put to the test for PDLG specimens, reproducing the effects
measured with the onset of cracks using an Equivalent Thermal Expansion Model
(ETEM)38. One can postulate that for the transition between Stage I and Stage II, if
the interlayer shear stiffness was zero, the fractured glass size would increase
freely, not involving the adjacent plies (Figure 5.36.a). Besides, if the hypothesis
that plane sections remain plane still holds [164], a solution can be found with the
flexibility method39, as presented in Figure 5.36.
Figure 5.36 - flexibility method model for an expanding central fractured glass ply
An equivalent temperature variation can be defined as a function of the

previously defined fictitious equivalent modulus (cfr. §5.2.1) of the fractured
glass ply. If the stiffness of interlayers is negligible compared with glass, fractured
or not, and provided with the experimental measure of the axial strain on one
lateral – undamaged - glass ply40, it follows that:
38
The FE model was built using an equivalent non-isotropic temperature gradient: a numerical
gradient only applied in the two main dimensions of the specimen, but not across the thickness.
39
Also known as method of consistent deformations.
40
cfr. strain gauges for specimens Type B & C shown in Figure 4.45 p.104.
159/237
where and are cross-sectional areas of undamaged and fractured plies

respectively, is glass thermal expansion coefficient [5,19,38] and
is the longitudinal measured strain at mid-span on the outer undamaged plies
upon failure of the central ply41.
values have been calculated using results for of PDLG specimens with
one or two broken plies (Table 5.11)42.
Table 5.13 - equivalent modulus and gradient for PDLG models
unit B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3
†
66.4 65.8 68.5 66.7 67.1 69.1
‡
63.1 63.5 64.9 67.4 68.6 66.5
†
18.2 16.3 22.3 16.3 22.9 14.3
†
16.7 15.3 13.6 9.09 10.7 11.0
stage II 58 64 52 69 52 79
stage III 63 68 80 117 103 100
† ‡
cfr. Table 5.11 cfr. Figure 4.53
With ETEM, a prediction of effects transferred trough the interlayers from

shattered glass plies on undamaged ones is possible. With the calibrated thermal
expansion described above for Stage II, Figure 5.37 shows results of different strain
patterns on the outer surface of the external glass ply (Figure 5.37.a) and within the
interlayer (Figure 5.37.b), varying the stiffness of the interlayer itself.
Numerical results allow to study shear stresses transfer mechanism through the
interlayers. Regardless the stiffness of the material, the shear transfer zone from the
expanding central ply to the outer undamaged plies shows a peak between 50-
100mm from the edge ((Figure 5.37.b) This peak shrink over time, while the
transfer zone progressively expands towards the inner regions, for diminishing
interlayer shear modulus. The steady value of strain at midspan proves that the
total shear transfer is consistent over time (i.e. for a relaxing interlayer).
Numerical results have been validated in Figure 5.38 with experimental
measurements gathered with tests II-1 (cfr. Table 4.7 p.101) for Type B specimens.
Results of this comparison are consistent with a swiftly relaxing material: strain
gauges and , at mm distance from the lateral edges of the beams, show
considerably high strains at failure, rapidly dropping in the a few minutes. This
entails that on the outer edges the interlayer material rapidly loses the ability to
transfer a significant amount of stress from the central fractured ply to the lateral
ones. On the other hand, instruments , and are noticeably steady, an
observation in full agreement with results presented in Figure 5.37.a.
Numerical model results for the positions corresponding to instruments ,
and are in perfect agreement with experimental results around after the
41
Conventionally, the strain measured by instrument after thirty seconds from the failure of
the central ply was used. Figure 4.53 p.115 shows the progression of .
42
With the aforementioned hypotheses, such procedure is only rigorous for Stage II, a symmetrical
damage state. The same procedure is an approximation for the asymmetric Stage III, the curvature-
induced effects as with two broken plies are neglected.
160/237
failure of the class ply. This should come to no surprise, as the ETEM with whom
the numerical analysis was carried was calibrated with experimental readings at
after failure of the glass ply.
Figure 5.37 - Stage II linear elastic finite element results using ETEM
Figure 5.38 - numerical model compared to experimental strain measures

The slightly rising trend of those three instruments in the first minutes has to be
ascribed to the delay in the formation of some of the cracks: once tempered ply
fails, most cracks are generated almost instantly; however, experimental
observations showed that the number and density of cracks grew slightly over a
few hours. In point of fact, this agrees with the idea that interlayers exhibit a
stronger action in immediately after failure, meaning that they are more effective
in holding back the fragments. As the time passes, viscous deformations originate
a progressive drop in their ability to clasp the fragments and contain partially-
formed cracks from expanding further. Consequently, a few new cracks form over
time, contributing to the overall expansion of the fractured ply. From a
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macroscopic point of view, this behaviour results in a delayed expansion, a

phenomenon which was not taken into account in our model. Finally, the gradual
reduction of recorded strain over time, which was recorded after the first hour up
to 24 hours in Figure 4.51 p.106, can be instead ascribed to the relaxation of the
shear modulus of interlayer materials, due to viscous effects.
Consistently with results for creep and relaxation discussed in §5.1.2, this
comparison proves once again that DG41 interlayer modulus at room temperature
is very high for short and impulsive actions (about 1 to 2 GPa), but rapidly
diminishes for its inclination to viscous relaxation.
Furthermore, the ETEM can be used to analyze non-symmetrical damage states,
like Stage III specimens with central and one of lateral plies broken (cfr. Table 4.7
p.101). With data in Table 5.13, insight on the lateral deflection can be obtained and
compared with experimental measurements (Test III-2) Figure 5.39.
Figure 5.39 – Stage III lateral deflection comparison (view from above)
Results from the numerical model highlight that a decrease of the interlayer’s
stiffness 43 , does not translate in a significant variation of the lateral deflection,
which is mainly affected by geometrical properties (i.e. the numerical model
showed that the thickness of the plies and the length of the specimens are the main
factors affecting the lateral deflection). Nonetheless, while the numerical model
shows a progressively diminishing sag for diminishing interlayer stiffness,
experimental measurements show instead a slight sag increase. This inconsistency
may be explained by pointing out that the ETEM model doesn’t account for the
delayed increase in the number of cracks, which in fact contributes to expanding
the lateral and central broken plies, thus inducing a further sag increase.
5.2.4 FULLY DAMAGED LG MODELS
Uniaxial tests performed on SG-laminated samples (cfr. §4.3.4 p.113), cut out of
Type A specimens after all tests had been performed, allow for a better
understanding of both TS effect and compressive response of glass fragments.
Experimental results described in Figure 4.65 can be compared with simple models
known in literature [38,55,63] and experimental outcomes on interlayer specimens
analysed in §4.1, whose results can be seen in Figure 4.4 p.66. The latter
comparison is shown in Figure 5.40. While interlayer results are shown for a strain
rate which is almost double the strain rate for FDLG44 (i.e. results of dotted curves
43
Either for conspicuous viscous relaxation or a choice of a different, softer, interlayer material.
44
The strain rate of has been calculated knowing the speed rate (
) and the span of dog-bone specimens between the clamps ( , cfr. §4.1.1).
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are overestimating the response one would record for the same specimens at
), a very significant TS effect is measured, due to the presence of
adherent glass fragments. While tests on FDLG could not be carried out up to very
high strain to preserve the instruments (cfr. §4.3.4), plausible forecasts can be
hypothesized, if glass fragments adhesion is eventually lost and FDLG ultimately
deteriorates to the interlayer only.
Figure 5.40 - Experimental results of tensile tests on FDLG specimens

A different comparison can be performed using the effective modulus formula
[63,104], allowing to estimate the proportionality coefficient for the maximum
load bearing capacity of SG-laminated fractured glass at room temperature:
Table 5.14 – effective modulus in FDLG with SG interlayer [MPa]

as a function of total elapsed time
strain rate 5s 10 s 30 s 60 s
slow test 9300 8110 5864 4283
fast test 6320 4464 2153 1133
as a function of total accumulated strain
strain rate 0.0025 0.005 0.015 0.03
slow test 4662 3292 1686 899
fast test 6320 4464 2153 1133
Figure 5.41 – FDLG compression tests and proposed constitutive law

The size of a typical -thick tempered glass ply fragment was measured
between on average. Up to the maximum stress (around
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strain), the effective modulus appears to be higher than SG interlayer alone;

comparing numerical data on tensile tests for FDLG with the photographic follow-
up carried in §4.3.4, one can estimate the depth of the delaminated surface
around the size of the glass fragments, yielding . Table
5.14 lists values of the modulus for SG-laminated FDLG.
Compression tests performed on FDLG specimens are also described in §4.3.4,
showing a remarkable hardening behaviour. As experimental curves presented an
initial nonlinear branch, followed by a linear one (cfr. Figure 4.67 p.116 ), it was
observed that such stress-strain correlations could be well approximated through a
hardening polynomial up to , followed by a linear function for higher
strains, up to the ultimate failure.
The hardening behaviour, represented by the progressive change of slope of the
curves, is arguably due to closing of cracks and subsequent transmission of
compressive stresses through direct contact between glass fragments. Table 5.15
lists main mechanical parameters obtained from tensile and compression tests on
FDLG specimens for tensile and compressive actions.
Table 5.15 – mechanical parameters for SG-FDLG made with tempered plies
Tensile tests
Secant modulus at
†
Yielding stress
Yielding strain
Long term stress asymptote
Compression tests
Secant modulus at
Ultimate stress
Ultimate strain
†
The higher value refers to higher strain rate.
Stage IV tests (cfr. Table 4.7 p.101) highlighted that the load-bearing capacity of
FDLG beams is not entirely lost. Significant detrimental effects of time have been
observed, as they triggered a drastic reduction of both the stiffness and ultimate
strength in SG-laminated specimens (Type A) and total loss of shape and load-
carrying capacity for DG41-laminated ones (Type B). Reinforced DG41-laminates
(Type C) showed an intermediate behaviour.
Figure 5.42 - FDLG bending tests comparison to analytical model

For Type A specimens, both initial stiffness and ultimate strength decreased with
storage time: mechanical properties of FDLG beams appeared to have substantially
changed after five-month storage, compared to properties of observed a few hours
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after the failure of the last glass ply. The decrease in stiffness and strength can be
explained by considering that glass cracks allowed for a widespread exposition of
the interlayer to moisture during the storage interval, triggering a decay in the
chemical bonds between glass and interlayers around each glass fragment [45].
A simple FDLG analytical beam model was defined using stress-strain curves
drawn from tensile and compression tests. For tensile stresses, “slow tests” were
used (cfr. Figure 4.65.a p.115), as the strain rate of three-point tests on FDLG beams
was the same imposed in those tests. The FDLG model curve in Figure 5.42.a was
obtained by computing the moment-curvature diagram with
experimental constitutive equations for tensile and compressive actions (Figure
5.42.b), then integrating the curvature twice over the beam axis. Boundary
conditions of a simply supported three-point bending test were considered.
Figure 5.42 shows how the analytical model can accurately predict the response of
five-month old FLDG beams (which ought to be expected, as the material
specimens used to perform tensile and compressive tests and draw the
experimental stress-strain correlations were extracted from those LG beams and
tested a few days after). On the other hand, the analytical model seems to
overestimate the ultimate load-bearing capacity and stiffness after the initial part of
the curves.
Differences between the model and 5-month experimental results can be explained
by comparing the experimentally recorded strain at the bottom and at the top of
beams (through “omega” transducers in Figure 4.44 p.99) with those of “material
specimens” in tension and compression tests (Figure 5.43).
Figure 5.43 – experimental compressive and tensile strain on top and bottom of the beam at
midspan, compared to FDLG analytical model results
In the tensile region (to the right in Figure 5.43), the model quite accurately
predicts the strain pattern in 5-month old FDLG beams. On the contrary, the model
is only accurate in the initial part of the compressed region (to the left in Figure
5.43), for loads approximately on third the ultimate capacity, while it vastly
underestimates the strain at top fibres for higher loads. As an example, at a load of
(85% of the ultimate capacity) the error is around in the tensile region,
but is about one order of magnitude higher in the compressed region.
Very high differences in the compressed region can be explained considering the
greater confinement of glass fragments in uniaxial compression tests, rather than in
the compressed region on top of the FDLG beams in three-point tests. In the latter
case, a progressive expulsion of shards and fragments was observed from top of
the beams, which can explain both the lower stiffness and the reduced value of the
ultimate load capacity with respect to the model.
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5.2.5 DELAMINATION AND TS EFFECT

As the depth of the delamination grows, the tensile stiffness of the composite
material (glass fragments + interlayer) tends to the stiffness of the interlayer alone.
On the other hand, the interlayer exhibits an increased stiffness because of the
migration of stresses between glass fragments and the interlayer. This pattern
creates stress concentrations at the edge of the delamination surface, inducing
more delamination over time. To simulate the effect of the loss of bond adhesion
on the TS effect, an elastic FE model was developed. The width of glass fragments
in tested specimens has been observed to be comparable with the thickness of glass
plies, so fragments have been imagined as perfect cubes of side length 10 mm for
modelling purposes. Numerical simulations have been performed considering two
simplified cracking patterns. Figure 5.44 shows symmetric layout and maximum
offset between cracks of the two glass plies.
Figure 5.44 - Schematic crack patterns: a) symmetric layout, b) maximum offset
Figure 5.45 shows results of FE analyses, where it can be observed that mean TS
effect may be approximated using an exponential interpolation.
Figure 5.45 - increment in SG stiffness vs. delamination ratio from FE elastic analyses
For each delamination ratio, the figure shows the upper and lower values of the
stiffness increase of the interlayer due to TS, corresponding to the two cracking
patterns of Figure 5.44. For instance, the stiffness of the interlayer is about twice as
big for debonded surface ratios of ~40% and four times as big for ratios of ~15%. It
can be observed that at increasing debonded surface ratio the two limit values of
the stiffness increment approach one another and for high delamination ratios
(more than 80%) they are almost zero.
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5.2.6 SYNTHESIS OF POST FAILURE LG PROPERTIES

Table 5.16 presents general information which can be useful from a designer point
of view to understand and compare effects of progressive damage on LG elements.
Table 5.16 - noteworthy effects of progressive damage on LG beams
Type C
Type A Type B
(2x3.04 DG41
(2x1.52 SG) (2x1.52 DG41)
+2x0.2PC)
ULG
Interlayer role for in-plane bending negligible negligible negligible
Symmetrical PDLG (Stage II)
Longitudinal expansion limited† limited† limited†
Lateral deflection none none none
Effect on undamaged plies unk. non-negligible non-negligible
In-plane bending interlayer influence negligible negligible negligible
Tensile stresses relaxation rate unk. very slow slow
Asymmetrical PDLG (Stage III)
Longitudinal expansion limited/null ‡ limited/null ‡ Limited/null ‡
Lateral deflection non-negligible non-negligible non-negligible
Effect on undamaged plies unk. negligible negligible
Rotation at the end supports non-negligible non-negligible non-negligible
In-plane bending interlayer influence small negligible small
Tensile stresses relaxation rate unk. very slow slow
FDLG (Stage IV)
In-plane bending interlayer influence* high limited considerable
Long-term shape-preserving ability* good very limited good
Long-term fragments adhesion* good very limited good
†
generally negligible, provided there are no stiff constraints to elongation at both ends of the beam,
‡
because of the significant lateral deflection, the longitudinal relative displacement of beam ends can
result in a net contraction rather than an elongation.
* grades are assigned by comparison among the three specimen types.
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Chapter 6 – Applications
6 APPLICATIONS
To highlight and clarify some of the results discussed within this manuscript,
some examples are provided, showing how experimental findings can be used
to improve LG design. The following studies will try to focus on the main
aspects of novelty, whereas standard and well-established procedures may be
referenced and summarized but not dealt with extensively.
In the following paragraphs, two case-studies are shown: the first, dealing with a
cold-bending application of large glazing panes, the second with the post-failure
safety assessment of a compressed LG strut.
6.1 COLD-BENT GLAZING
A recent concept design for a museum in Parma, Italy is taken as a case study. A
ramp which contains part of an historical automotive exhibition grants access from
the ground floor to the 1st floor of the building. This part of the structure is
designed around two semi-circles: one for the external profile and one for an
internal court which serves as a light well (Figure 6.1).
Figure 6.1 - external rendering and sketch of the semi-circular ramp
The original design proposed the use of hot-bent LG panes (cfr. §1.1.1) to cover
both the internal and external glazing surfaces. The hot-bending-process being
very expensive and detrimental to the optical properties of glass, the aim of the
following analysis is to propose solutions for alternative cold-bent LG solution.
The geometry of both glazing elements is presented in Figure 6.2, Figure 6.3 and
Table 6.1.
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Figure 6.2 - layout of the case study with details on LG plates sizes and curvatures
Figure 6.3 - geometry of LG panes for the internal and external glazing
Table 6.1 - median axis geometry for the cold-bent laminated elements
external glazing internal glazing
height mm mm
arc length mm mm
vertical supports distance mm mm
maximum sag mm mm
radius mm mm
arc rad rad
6.1.1 DESIGN HYPOTHESES AND MATERIAL PROPERTIES

Some hypotheses are made to perform an analytical verification of both elements
and reliably apply the experimental results discussed in the previous chapters:
 LG panes are simply supported in the vertical direction, with supports placed
at the top and bottom edges, bending is induced by pulling the LG elements
towards the supports on the vertical edges (cfr. Figure 6.4.a),
 to evaluate the effects of horizontal actions, vertical portions of the cold-bent
element LG panes are extracted and studied as an infinitely long simply
supported pane1 (Figure 6.4.b),
 LG elements are made with tempered glass which is polished, has triangular
finishing on the edges and is thicker than 5 mm (UNI-EN-12150 [297]),
 the duration of the cold-bending phase is supposed to be higher than
1
The additional boundary effects on vertical edges and the bi-dimensional structure of the LG
plates are neglected for these analyses, both assumptions going towards safety.
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minutes and performed at ambient temperature higher than 2,
 installation must be performed before the end of June and the opening to the
public must not be allowed earlier than September or it must be checked that
over hours above elapse between installation and use 3,4,
 the building is a category C3 according to Eurocode 1, BSI 6399-1 and CNR-
DT210/2013, so that the horizontal design loads are: a uniformly distributed
and a linear load at a height ,
 distributed loads of wind, including safety factors and dynamic effects, account
for a total of according to Italian standards [298,299],
 the self-weight only induces a minor in-plane compression, whose effects will
be neglected for a safer design (slightly diminishing the tensile stress in glass).
The design maximum tensile stress in the glass plies is [38,300]:
with fixed , , , , ,
, and ; other coefficients may vary for different
load durations and are shown in Table 6.2 along with the final result for .
Table 6.2 – coefficients and values for the design tensile stress of tempered glass plies
service (50 yrs) bending (30’)* crowd (30”)* wind gust (5”)
0.26† 0.65† 0.78† 0.88†
0.80 0.80 1.00 1.00
0.89‡ 0.89‡ 0.89‡ 0.89‡
52 MPa 58 MPa 79 MPa 82 MPa
* a nominal duration of 30” is used for the crowd actions on balustrades in [38]
†
results from Linear Elastic Fracture Model (LEFM) are preferred to prEN16612
‡
values are different for the internal and external glazing; with a precautionary approach, the
lowest value is considered
2
This prescription as a design choice, to work with known values of the relaxation modulus.
3
This prescription in terms of months is intended to guarantee a minimum amount of time above
30°C between installation and opening to public. To this end, a comparison of weather station
LIMP (Parma Airport, N44°49.33' / E10°17.72', elevation 49.1 m MSL) data over the years 2015,
2016 and 2017 was performed. Daily logs for 2017 are shown:
4
For external glazing elements that are exposed to direct sunlight, this hypothesis is highly
conservative, considering that surface temperatures are likely to rise above ambient temperature.
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As an original contribution to the design, the shear modulus of the three

interlayer materials can now be calculated using the experimental results described
in §0, verifying the compliance to the limits in §5.1.2.6. Table 6.3 shows analytical
results compared to tabulated results provided in Appendix G of this manuscript.
Table 6.3 – interlayer relaxation modulus and tabulated results (in brackets) in [MPa]
phase/verification time & temperature SG DG41 PVB
installation 30 min. at 25°C 65.38 (75.6) 8.65 (14.3) 0.57 (0.66)
serviceability 200 hrs. at 30°C 10.79 (11.5) 0.46 (0.47) 0.17 (0.18)
crowd push 30 sec. at 35°C 61.5 (61.5) 5.47 (5.47) 0.57 (0.57)
wind gust 5 sec. at 35°C 77.3 (77.3) 13.5 (13.5) 0.72 (0.72)
The design values of the interlayer shear modulus have been calculated as:
where the safety coefficient was defined as:
6.1.2 DESIGN PROCEDURE AND VERIFICATIONS

Verifications are made in terms of maximum tensile stress in the glass plies of the
LG elements. Four cases are considered:
Case 1: installation (progressive cold-bending in 30 minutes),
Case 2: linear distribution of forces simulating the push of a crowd (pushing
outwards at 1.2m from the level of the floor plating, applied for 30” and
accounting for cold-bending effects after 2 months),
Case 3: distributed pressure simulating the push of a crowd (pushing outwards,
applied for 30” and accounting for cold-bending effects after 2 months),
Case 4: distributed pressure simulating the effects of wind (pushing inwards,
applied for 5” and accounting for cold-bending effects after 2 months).
Figure 6.4 - a) scheme of cold-bent LG and b) an extracted vertical stripe “beam”, used to
compute the effects of horizontal loads accounting for c) cold-bending pre-existing stresses
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For the Poisson effect, cold-bending generates compressive and tensile stresses in
perpendicular directions ( and in Figure 6.4c). Such stresses diminish over
time as an effect of the decaying shear modulus and coupling abilities of all
interlayers.
For load cases 2, 3 and 4, cold bending effects are accounted for as pre-stress:
tensile effects induced by cold-bending add up with those produced by the live
loads. On the other hand, to further increase safety, compressive stresses induced
by cold-bending will not be accounted for.
Figure 6.5 - schemes for studying the effects of live-loads in Cases 2, 3 & 4
Cases 2, 3 and 4 contain both actions of cold-bending and live loads on glass, two
effects which refer to different times. In accordance with the CNR standard [38], a
procedure analogous to the Palmer-Miner linear damage hypothesis for fatigue is
adopted [301,302]. Therefore, verifications are satisfied when:
where and are the -th imposed and resistant stresses respectively.
The Enhanced Effective Thickness (EET) method is used to calculate the equivalent
thickness of the LG sandwich structure [113] (cfr. §2.2.2).
An example of the procedure for cases 1 and 2 of the external LG plate is described,
all other cases and the internal glazing can be dealt with in an analogous manner.
Case 1
The LG plate is made with two glass plies of the same thickness ,
bonded with a thick SG interlayer. For cold-bending, a soft
interlayer goes towards safety, hence and .
Considering a stripe of LG of unitary amplitude and the glass elastic modulus
, the coupling coefficient can be calculated as:
where:
Such value of very close to 1, hints that the behaviour of the plate is very close to
the monolithic limit. The equivalent thickness which can be used to model the
bending stiffness of the plate is therefore:
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where:
The equivalent thickness for calculating the stresses in the -th glass ply is:
The curvature imposed with the cold-bending is ,

hence the –constant- bending moment induced is:
The horizontal stress and vertical stress for the -th ply in Case 1 are:
The verification in this case is possible by simple comparison of stresses and

with the design maximum tensile stress of .
Case 2
Effects of cold-bending after the design relaxation period are calculated with the
same procedure described for Case 1, the only difference is the diminished shear
relaxation modulus which is now:
Yielding the new –slightly lower- values for cold-bending induced stresses :
The procedure for calculating the stresses induced by the horizontal live loads of
the crowd are also computed similarly. The coupling coefficient for the extracted
vertical stripe in Figure 6.4b is calculated with the appropriate value of :
and are calculated with the same formulae, while the maximum bending
moment, which is reached at a height (cfr. Figure 6.4b) is:
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Vertical and horizontal stresses can be now calculated as:
The verification must now account for the pre-existing stresses due to the cold-
bending process, hence the Palmer-Miner criterion must be satisfied for the four
stresses , , and :
Multiplications per zero are the result of the procedure of neglecting the beneficial
effects of compressive stresses in the glass plies5. Altogether, verifications for Case
2 are successfully checked with a maximum 62% use of the design resistance of
glass (for the outer ply in the vertical direction).
Other cases
Checks for the other two cases and for all other interlayer materials are not
reported in full, as the procedures are alike those shown above. Nonetheless, while
tensile effects of cold-bending and live loads were not addictive in case 2 for the
external glazing, it must be pointed out that those can in fact induce addictive
effects, depending on the direction of the bending and live loads.
6.1.3 RESULTS, DESIGN OPTIONS AND INTERLAYERS COMPARISON
Table 6.4 shows the results of verifications were carried out for several
combinations of glass plies and interlayer thicknesses. Numbers under the
verification columns represent the percentage of use of the tensile glass
mechanical resources according to the Palmer-Miner superposition criterion, which
was generally observed either for case 2 (0 is no stress, 100 is failure). Results are
found to be dependent on the mechanical properties and thickness of the interlayer
materials. The following statements can be made:
5
With the exception for those induced by the tempering process.
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 when dealing with combinations of cold-bending effects and live loads, stiffer
interlayers are not always beneficial (e.g. SG-laminated glazing with 15+15 mm
plies cannot be used, while softer interlayers allow for multiple solutions)
 varying the interlayer thickness may or may not be beneficial (cfr. Table 6.4,
10+8 mm combinations using DG41 and PVB for external glazing: for DG41
stiffer is better, for PVB thinner is better).
Table 6.4 – analysis of glass/interlayer thickness (verifications are satisfied for )
internal glazing external glazing
V [%] V [%]
[mm] [mm] SG DG41 PVB SG DG41 PVB
3,04 97 97 fail 3,04 fail fail
10+10 1,52 fail fail fail 6+6 1,52 fail fail fail
0,76 fail fail fail 0,76 fail fail fail
3,04 88 86 fail 3,04 68 77 fail
10+12 1,52 93 94 fail 6+8 1,52 80 fail
0,76 98 98 fail 0,76 88 91 fail
3,04 88 84 fail 3,04 68 83 fail
12+10 1,52 93 fail 8+6 1,52 81 90 fail
0,76 98 98 fail 0,76 88 94 fail
3,04 92 76 99 3,04 54 66 fail
12+12 1,52 90 82 8+8 1,52 63 70 fail
0,76 89 86 94 0,76 68 72 96
3,04 98 71 89 3,04 49 52 80
12+15 1,52 95 78 84 8+10 1,52 51 56
0,76 94 84 81 0,76 55 57 72
3,04 98 76 78 3,04 49 56 96
15+12 1,52 96 82 77 10+8 1,52 51 58 90
0,76 95 86 80 0,76 55 59 82
3,04 fail 77 74 3,04 53 46 76
15+15 1,52 fail 84 74 10+10 1,52 50 47 71
0,76 fail 90 81 0,76 48 48 65
With such a vast array of design options, the final design can rely on different
criteria such as the economic edge or availability of interlayers; the most valuable
options have been circled in Table 6.4 6. Final options are then:
for internal glazing
 12+10/1.52DG41 minimizes overall thickness and glass cost,
 12+12/1.52 PVB minimizes interlayer cost,
6
Even if not always beneficial from a mechanical or economical standpoint, 1.52 mm interlayers
are most reliable, matching the thicknesses tested within the experimental campaigns described in
this work, and because scaling effects regarding interlayer thickness were not investigated.
Besides, this choice is made for most structural LG applications and has proven to be reliable.
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for external glazing

 6+6/3.04 SG minimizes overall thickness and glass cost,
 6+8/1.52 DG41 balances thickness/cost,
 10+8/1.52 PVB minimizes interlayer cost.
A comparison with a much simpler design, one that neglects the viscous properties
of interlayers, is useful to understand the relevance of the experimental results
provided in this work.
If reliable data on interlayer properties weren’t available, one could still attempt a
safe cold-bent LG design: the detrimental mechanical effects of cold-bending could
be studied using a monolithic cross section, a limit case which treats the interlayer
as being as stiff as the glass elements ( ); conversely, the effects of
horizontal live loads on glazing could be studied with the opposite layered limit
case, where the glass plies are considered juxtaposed and non-collaborating, as if
the interlayers had no stiffness ( ). Results of such analysis yield:
for internal glazing
 there is no combination of glass plies that successfully passes all checks,
for external glazing
 a combination of 10+10 mm glass plies satisfies the ULS verifications with any
interlayer thinness up to 3.04 mm.
6.2 POST-FAILURE ANALYSIS OF A LG ELEMENT
Results of the post-failure experimental results and models are applied to enhance
the design of LG struts, forming part of the structural backbone of a pedestrian
bridge7.
Figure 6.6 - rendering of the pedestrian bridge

The deck of the bridge is upheld by two double-curvature steel arches; a portion of
the structure close to midspan is shown in Figure 6.7. Not all portions of the deck
are provided with wind bracing trusses; nevertheless, to establish a pleasing
structural continuity, LG struts have been inserted from the beginning to the end
of the structure, even if some have no binding structural responsibility.
7
This structure of the bridge was studied in 2013 with Prof. S. G. Morano at University of
Florence. The first analysis of the LG struts, which serves as reference for the following analyses,
was performed in my master thesis, supervised by Prof. M. Orlando and Ph.D. E. Cagnacci [110].
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LG struts
arches
(hollow steel)
tie-rods
(steel cables)
transversal frames
(steel plates)
Figure 6.7 - portion of the deck showing the wind bracing made with LG struts and tie-rods
The object of this second case-study is the design of LG struts forming part of the
wind bracing trusses in the deck of the bridge. The design will account for the
event of accidental failure of any of the glass pies included in those elements.
The bridge is designed to be built in five phases, schematically illustrated in Figure
6.8. LG struts first, then LG plates for the causeway, are both designed to be
installed in the final part of the assembly. Therefore, the only actions on those
elements needing verification are referred to SLS and ULS of the finished structure.
Figure 6.8 –phase 1) groundwork and banks 2) assembly of main steel elements 3)
positioning by rotation 4) completion of the steel structure 5) LG elements installation
6.2.1 DATA, CONSTRAINTS AND PARAMETERS

The structural analysis of the bridge was performed with an analytically validated
SAP2000® LE FEM model with 17 different load cases for either SLS and ULS
including: temperature effects (2), wind pressure including the dynamic effect of
wind gusts (6) pedestrian distributions including dynamic effects (7), self-weight
and permanent loads (2). Within the global model, LG struts were modelled using
frame elements.
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Table 6.5 - design loads for LG struts verification

ULS (undamaged) SLS (partially damaged)
action type
axial force [kN] duration axial force [kN] duration
+1,90 12 hrs +1,20 12 hrs
tensile
+0,12 50 yrs +0,10 50 yrs
-27,0 30 sec -18,0 30 sec
compressive -2,80 12 hrs -1,80 12 hrs
-0,12 50 yrs -0,10 5 yrs
The design maximum tensile stress in the glass plies is calculated as previously
shown in §6.1, yielding the results shown in Table 6.6.
with , , , , ,
, and . Remaining coefficients may vary and are
reported in Table 6.2, along with the result for .
Table 6.6 –design tensile resistance of the glass plies in MPa used for the LG struts
glass 30 seconds 12 hours 50 years
tempered 81,7 74,5 68,4
float annealed 20,0 12,8 6,68
Figure 6.9 - view general scheme of the strut a) from above and b) in a lateral view
DG41 interlayer of thicknesses will be used, to allow for a reliable

application of the equivalent thermal expansion model which has been developed
for specimens of type B (cfr. §4.3 and §5.2).
The element was initially designed to be composed by three glass plies, a central 15
mm thick and two lateral 10 mm thick ones. It was pointed out that the choice of
inserting portions of non-laminated glass on the two sides (lateral regions of the
strut shown in Figure 6.9) is not optimal from a post-failure safety point of view, as
glass fragments will be expelled in the event of accidental failure. Instead, the two
lateral plies will be replaced with two 5+5 millimetres thick tempered plies bonded
with DG41 interlayer.
Figure 6.10 - a) old 3-plies design with PVB and b) new 5-plies design using DG41
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6.2.2 VALIDATION OF THE NUMERICAL MODEL

The EET method [38] doesn’t provide a solution for multi-laminates with more
than three plies with arbitrary thicknesses. Therefore, a validated SAP2000® LE FE
model will be used to work out the stress in the glass plies (Figure 6.11).
Figure 6.11 - a) scheme of the strut and conventional axes b) partition used for validation
The model is validated by studying the case of failure of the two external plies
(Figure 6.10b). For this validation, analytical calculations are carried out under the
hypothesis of perfect coupling among the glass plies ( ). This assumption
implies that , which has been shown to be here a reasonable hypothesis: a
parametric analysis for a multi-layered LG of similar total thickness (composed by
five 7-mm thick glass plies and four 1.52-mm thick interlayers) was performed
with the EET method. Results show that a relative error between layered and
monolithic models of 5% for (Figure 6.12).
Figure 6.12 - effect of interlayer stiffness on the equivalent moment of inertia
The action in Figure 6.13a, which annuls the expansion of the broken glass plies,
can be calculated using the equivalent thermal expansion model (cfr. §5.2.3). With
the average values of for type B specimens and corresponding average
for stage III (cfr. Table 5.13), one finds:
Figure 6.13 - external action equilibrating the expansion b) effects on the undamaged plies
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The centroid of the homogenised cross-section is found in ,

accounting for the equivalent stiffness of the broken plies. The monolithic moment
of inertia with respect of the axis is then .
To study effects of glass fragments expansion, stresses are calculated at points
and in Figure 6.13b. With respect of the centroid , is applied at a distance
inducing a moment . For equilibrium along , results in a
compressive action for the broken plies 4 & 5 and a tensile one for the undamaged
1, 2 & 3 of total cross-sectional area . Distances and of
points and from the centroid along allow for calculating:
The numerical model is assembled using the same properties for the glass plies
and an elastic modulus of , corresponding to with
. Results are shown in Figure 6.14, yielding:
Figure 6.14 - numerical model used for validation

Accounting for a known discrepancy around 5% for having considered a
monolithic analytical model, results of the numerical model seem to be still 2% off
for and 10% off for . This result comes with no surprise for two reasons:
first, mechanical contributions of interlayers themselves are not accounted for in
the EET model (it only considers coupling effects), second, the equivalent thickness
for stress calculation [38,113] is proportional to the plies thickness, hence larger
plies will be more affected than thin ones when comparing monolithic and layered
responses. Both observations being consistent with the validation comparison, the
numerical model is considered acceptable for the following analyses.
6.2.3 VERIFICATIONS AND DESIGN
With the addition to the numerical model of the protruding parts of the external
plies and the steel frames of the anchorages, post-failure effects are investigated on
the actual geometry of the LG struts. Verifications are carried out for:
 maximum stress in the intact plies after partial failure,
 maximum stress in the intact plies after partial failure with external loads,
Maximum stress in the intact plies after partial failure
Figure 6.15 displays a scheme and a graphical model output for the failure of the
external tempered plies, one of the three-post-failure scenarios considered.
Figure 6.15 – stresses after 50 yrs in half beam model in the event of failure of ply 5
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Table 6.7 and Figure 6.16 show the results at midspan 8 for stresses in the
undamaged plies, because of the failure of one or both external plies.
Table 6.7 - maximum and minimum stresses at midspan in [MPa] and lateral sag
case ply 5 fails ply 4 fails plies 4 & 5 fail
time 30” 12h 50y 30” 12h 50y 30” 12h 50y
min -3.69 -1.88 -0.75 -1.16 -0.75 -1.07 -8.05 -4.63 -2.39
1
max -2.22 -0.26 +0.34 -0.41 +0.14 +0.47 -4.32 -0.12 +1.02
min -1.81 -1.44 -0.94 -0.26 +0.47 +0.58 -3.44 -1.75 -0.52
2
max -0.34 +0.17 +0.15 +0.49 +1.38 +2.13 +0.27 +2.74 +2.90
min +0.04 -1.79 -0.54 +0.60 -0.41 -1.77 +1.06 -3.84 -4.19
3
max +4.42 +3.03 +1.72 +2.86 +2.27 +2.83 +12.1 +9.56 +6.00
min +4.81 +5.86 +3.69
4
max +6.28 +7.49 +4.78
min +4.18 +4.67 +2.58
5
max +4.94 +5.57 +4.13
sag [mm] 0.817 0.824 0.533 0.420 0.650 1.27 2.18 2.55 2.35
Figure 6.16 – graphical representation of the evolution of stresses over time in the
intact glass plies (dotted lines are placed to signpost the position of damaged plies)
Verification of maximum tensile stresses in plies 1, 2, 4 and 5 (when intact) are

fulfilled with a large margin: stresses are always lower than , which is
more than one order of magnitude lower than the lowest design tensile stress of
tempered glass (cfr. Table 6.6). For the central ply, maximum tensile stresses are
found in the case of failure of plies 4 & 5: either for 30 seconds, 12 hours and 50
years effects. For these three times, tensile stresses consistent with the maximum
allowable in annealed glass.
Maximum stress in the intact plies after partial failure with external loads
All checks of the strut in the post-failure phases with external compressive actions
can be met with the verification of the worst-case scenario: the failure of plies 4 & 5
8
It has been observed that different geometries and mechanical properties of the anchorages can
produce high concentrated stresses (e.g. Figure 6.15, left part of the model). While these may be
significant, the analysis of local effects is deeply connected to the specific anchoring technology,
the study of which goes beyond the purpose of both this work and this specific example.
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combined with a compressive action of or a tensile one of (cfr.

Table 6.5).
To account for second order effects, a bending moment has been applied at both
ends on the anchorages (Figure 6.17).
Figure 6.17 - scheme for maximum stresses verification in a loaded strut after partial failure
The resulting bending moment at midspan has been calculated with a step
by step analysis, whose results are shown in the figure below. Increments of the
compressive action are applied on a deformed configuration, which transitions
from a configuration to an equilibrium configuration . For the final FE
analysis the final midspan moment is then applied at both anchorages
as shown in Figure 6.17, which is a choice on the side of safety.
Figure 6.18 - result of the step-by-step non-linear analysis on the compressed strut
Despite the -small- bending moment, compressive actions are beneficial in this case
from the point of view of tensile stresses in the intact plies. On the other side, the
tensile force , induces stresses so small that the final effects are
almost indistinguishable from those found after the fractured glass expansion
alone. In light of these considerations, all verifications are met for loaded elements
in post-failure conditions.
For a bent strut such as the damaged LG element, a compressive action on doesn’t
lead to the risk of loss of stability, as the element is already in a deformed
configuration . Therefore, the compressive action will progressively
magnify the existing sag with no sudden changes of conformation. Nevertheless,
as the sag produced by failure of the external plies is indeed very small (cfr. Table
6.7), a verification with respect of the Euler’s critical load was performed
accounting for the three intact plies in the worst post-failure case scenario. The
equivalent stiffness was calculated using both the EET method and the FE model
using a safety coefficient of two for the interlayer modulus at 30”, with similar
results for both models: and . The
critical load is therefore , much higher than any design load
envisaged for these elements.
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This analysis concluded that effects of failure of any of the lateral tempered glass
plies are not a threat to the safety for both ULS and SLS. Provided that failure only
occurs on one side of the LG strut, replacement of damaged elements can be
scheduled with no urgency from the point of view of structural safety.
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Chapter 7 – Thesis and Developments
7 THESIS
AND DEVELOPMENTS
Performance of laminated glass and post-failure safety assessments both

address various issues, related to material properties and peculiar mechanics.
Therefore, such investigations inevitably involve different research fields:
from material science to standardization techniques, industrial development
and structural engineering. After critical analyses and discussions, this
conclusive thesis tries to share more light on some of the aspects which were
deemed to be the most wanting, keeping in mind that results are directed to
an area of research which is very diverse interdisciplinary in nature.
7.1 CONCLUSIONS OF THE RESEARCH

The experimental analyses and forthcoming discussions carried on throughout this
manuscript yielded several results, models and consideration, carrying elements of
novelty. The initial goals of the research were to investigate and model the
viscoelastic properties of some of the most common interlayer materials, together
with the assessment of post-failure performance of structural LG elements. Results
concerning these two broad topics constitute the key elements of this conclusive
thesis, and are described in the following at points 3, 5 and 6. Nevertheless,
analyses on a large body of experimental outcomes allowed to produce
unanticipated and results of interest for this field of research, despite not being the
primary focus of this work. Namely, studies on tensile tests, delamination and
ageing of LG provided several elements of novelty in this field of research.
Short-term tensile response of interlayers and standardization
1. A generalized response model was proposed, to provide a better description of
thermoplastic materials behaviour in uniaxial tensile tests. Through a
mathematical formulation inspired by the work of Haward and Thackray [76],
this model allows to separate the contribution of intermolecular cross-links and
network entanglement of molecules. The proposed solution has proven to be
able to fit a wide range experimental results, from heavily to poorly cross-
linked materials, with a small number of coefficients. A simple hyperelastic
model was used to study the network entanglement response in the three
investigated interlayer materials, but the procedure allows to include more
complex and well-established hyperelastic models, should different
experimental data suggest doing so (cfr. §5.1.1.2 p.120). Conversion of
experimental data on tensile tests from the engineering stress-strain curves to
their true counterpart has proved to be a useful tool, to provide a more rigorous
interpretation of the tensile tests. This translation also opened for a simpler
decomposition in terms of intermolecular and network entanglement effects,
compared to previously suggested techniques. From an engineering point of
view, when dealing with thermoplastics for LG design, engineering correlations
can be chosen, being far easier to obtain and close to the true response for the
whole range of strains which is meaningful for the overwhelming majority of
practical LG applications.
From a LG design standpoint, tensile properties of interlayers may be relevant
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especially for fully-damaged elements; in fact, the results of tensile tests were
used later in the experimental analyses1. While this part of the research may
seem less connected with practical LG applications, the study of tensile
properties and models is relevant as key draft standards propose a subdivision
of interlayers in “stiffness families”, based uniquely on the results of similar
tests (prEN 16613:2013 [303] and FprEN 16613:2016 [303]).
To some extent, results based on short-term tensile properties could be used for
LG design if loads have a duration comparable to the duration of the tests.
However, studies on viscous properties of interlayers allow to compare short-
term to long-term effects, suggesting that it would be unadvisable to extend
tensile test results to extrapolate the long-time response. In fact, such choice
would involve overlooking some of the most relevant mechanics governing the
interlayers response, possibly overestimating their properties.
2. A simple method for defining the pseudo-yielding limit of thermoplastics is
discussed, a definition providing an alternative to the one proposed in
standards such as “ISO 527:2012 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties” [264]
and “ASTM D638-14 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics” [66].
The proposed criterion allows to define a point on the engineering stress-strain
curves where the properties change abruptly, and can be applied even to those
materials which do not show a peak in the measured stress with a subsequent
softening branch (§5.1.1.3 p.128).
Converging on a definition for the pseudo-yielding criterion would allow to
identify limits in terms of stress and strain under which tensile results on
interlayers can be used in LG design using LE models.
Viscoelastic, long-term and adhesive properties of interlayers
3. Most applications and designs of LG involve actions and effects which take
place over a large amount of time. Thermoplastic materials are known to build
up conspicuous viscous effects which are in turn greatly dependent on the
operating temperatures. Tensile tests on interlayers are unfit to study the long-
term response of such materials within the layered structure of LG. Therefore,
the long-term viscoelastic properties have been studied with small specimens of
LG using three of the most widespread interlayers within the LG industry: PVB,
SG and DG41. The analyses ultimately provided analytical results in the form of
Prony series mastercurves and time-temperature superposition functions,
allowing to predict the effects of viscoelastic flow within well-defined reliability
limits. Results were provided in terms of both stress relaxation and creep
compliance moduli as a function of time and temperature. This double
formulation is needed for the design of structural LG elements: while these
quantities are often confused one another, they represent in fact two different
physical effects. As rigorous procedures for converting relaxation to creep
functions (and vice-versa) involve the introduction of Laplace transforms,
which are arguably not suited for practical engineering, separate formulations
based on empirical measurements have been deemed to be the most reliable
and effective way of proceeding.
The direct the method used within this work to derive viscoelastic properties of
interlayers 2 can be compared with a few other researches which used dynamic
1
To study the tension stiffening effect in fully-damaged LG specimens (cfr. §5.2.4 p.181).
2
A direct approach to this problem was called for by D. Delincé in his work [7], and by a handful
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techniques instead. While new results roughly agree with the –limited-
previously available data, the proposed approach is believed to be more reliable
and consistent with operating conditions of interlayers in LG elements (cfr. §0
p.148 and §5.1.2.6 p.149).
Experimental results gathered within the analyses of viscoelastic properties of
interlayers have been used in a case study for a cold-bending LG design
application, allowing for a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of
different materials (cfr. §6.1 p.169).
Some researchers suggested that a high glass transition temperature for
interlayers is be desirable, to take advantage of a full range of applications in
the architectural industry [69]: “a higher glass transition temperature is suitable for
more demanding architectural applications”. While this belief has been observed to
be quite common throughout the pertinent literature, this research has shown
that one can hardly rely on this parameter alone to anticipate the effectiveness
of the coupling abilities of interlayers. For instance, the glass transition
temperature of DG41 is much closer to SG rather than it is to traditional PVB;
nevertheless, for medium- to long-time applied actions, the response of DG41 is
much closer to PVB than it is to SG for a wide range of temperatures.
4. The loss of adhesion between glass and interlayers, also known as delamination,
is a factor of major concern for LG, affecting durability, mechanical properties
and aesthetics. Within this work, a correlation between the strain energy and
the glass-interlayer interface fracture toughness is provided, based on
phenomenological observations. The correlation allows to assess the risk of
delamination between glass and different interlayer materials at varying
temperatures (cfr. §5.1.3 p.151).
Additional analyses on adhesive properties have been carried out for fully
damaged LG specimens, to provide a correlation between the loss of adhesion
which comes with the tension stiffening effect using numerical models.
Post-failure properties of LG elements
5. The response of three-ply, progressively damaged LG beams was investigated
with static and dynamic in-plane experimental analyses. Results showed that
the choice of interlayers does not have a significant influence for the in-plane
response in the pre-failure phase. On the other hand, the post-failure response
depends on the coupling ability of interlayers and glass fragments. In partial
damage conditions, the beams stiffness did not reduce to the stiffness of intact
glass plies alone; likewise, for fully damaged elements, the glass stiffness did
not vanish completely, but the small tempered glass fragments of were able to
effectively contribute to the stiffens and residual load-bearing capacity. This
behaviour was ascribed to the coupling of glass fragments and interlayers, a
phenomenon called tension stiffening effect, which has been observed to suffer a
reduction with the progression of the debonding. Experimental results
highlighted that SG and DG41 provide a similarly remarkable contribution to
the overall stiffness in partial damage conditions, while for fully damaged
conditions the ionoplast SG interlayer is vastly superior. Static and dynamic
tests have been compared in terms of in-plane bending stiffness, allowing to
validate an equivalent stiffness model for partially damaged LG beams.
of other researchers which also have tackled this problem in the past; such suggestion has been
firmly embraced and followed through in this work.
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6. Experimental measurements which allowed to interpolate the position of the

neutral axis in bending tests, showed that its depth is consistently close to mid-
height in all partially damaged conditions. This finding resulted in the proposal
and validation of an equivalent thermal expansion model, which uses previous
results on equivalent stiffness, to reproduce the macroscopic effect of shattered
tempered glass plies (cfr. §5.2.3 p.158). The post-failure tempered glass
expansion results in an internal state of stress which affects the intact plies in
partially damaged conditions.
As a case-study, the equivalent thermal expansion model is used to assess the
post-failure safety of a LG strut within the deck of a pedestrian bridge (cfr. §6.2
p.177).
7. Studies on ageing of fully damaged LG were performed by comparison of
bending tests after five months, showing a drastic reduction on the tension
stiffening effect. This is due to the combined effects of interlayer relaxation
diminishing the internal state of compression of the glass fragments and to the
progression of delamination. Due to the adhesion decay moisture can reach the
interlayer-glass interface diffusely through cracks. The ageing process has been
observed to be much more pronounced on beams stored in natural external
weathering conditions (cfr. §5.2.4 p.162).
7.2 OPEN TOPICS FOR FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS
Relying on the combination of tests at different scales, the conclusions provided in
this work -°summarized in the previous paragraph°- expand the knowledge on
several issues regarding LG structural elements. Nevertheless, aside from these
main outcomes, several other interesting pathways emerged from the analyses
such a vast body of experimental evidence. Consequently, elements of doubt and
unresolved issues remain or have not yet been properly considered; either for not
being the primary focus of this work, either for having emerged late throughout
the research and thus requiring the planning of additional experimental analyses.
An overview of the topics deemed to be of greater interest for future analyses is
presented and discussed in the following. Hopefully, some of those matters will be
addressed soon in upcoming researches, conveying increased confidence on the
results of this work.
The “dream” of a unified model
The ultimate goal in polymer science applied to LG design is arguably to provide a
unified mechanical model, capable of describing all properties of thermoplastics
emerging from their microscopic nature:
microscopic properties emerging properties
network entanglement, elasticity, plasticity, viscosity,
cross-link interactions ultimate strength and adhesion (to glass)
For practical LG design, this would lead to defining cases under which certain
properties can be neglected or when these are more relevant. For instance, the
response of thermoplastics far below their glass transition temperature is known to
be often similar to brittle materials. Conversely, at higher temperatures, the same
material could behave as a very viscous fluid. Therefore, it is unsurprising that
equations allowing to model the response of such materials change dramatically
for varying boundary conditions. Ultimately, the macroscopic behaviour has to do
with the nature of microscopic interactions among these long molecules.
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While this vision still seems to be out of reach, new researches should always go in
the direction of bridging the gap between different fields of inquiry. With a unified
model, simplified equations could also be brought up to quantify one specific
aspect of the polymer response that is of interest for one specific application, while
knowingly disregarding others.
In this work, a few wide-ranging conclusions can be given in the direction of a
unified model, with some advices for future developments.
Decomposition of intermolecular and network effects
Aside from the different hyperelastic models, two approaches have been follower
in material science for plastics and rubbers, to replicate the short-term correlations
between stress and strain: one is a statistical approach 3, in which elastic constraints
are linked to the distribution of interactions between polymer chains (i.e. crosslinks
density and chains length), the second is an empirical one, where experimental
data is used as a regression base for fitting functions that are exclusively based on
experience and intuition [304,305].
Arguments can be made to support the adoption of a mixed model, which
empirically accounts for the statistical distribution of cross-links within polymer
molecules. In that direction, the GR model provides an option for dividing in two
parts the response of thermoplastic materials, which are only supposedly ascribed
to intermolecular forces and network entanglement of molecules. While our results
fit perfectly within a the framework of such theory, there is currently no clear
evidence on whether or not such speculations are an accurate representation of
these micromechanical interactions. As such, it is useful to remind that our
calibrations are not yet meant to divide the materials response in that sense, but
only aim to a faithful reconstruction of the intrinsic response.
If it is proven that the reversible part of deformation can be ascribed to the network
effects and the plastic ones to the rupture of intermolecular cross-links, a
calibration of the decomposition could be achieved using cyclic load/hold/unload
tests at various speed rates and temperatures, using a pattern similar the one
shown in Figure 7.1.
Figure 7.1 - cyclic tests for determination of plastic deformations4
Calibration of the generalized response model

The procedure to build the GR model (cfr. §5.1.1.2) has proven to be versatile and
capable to mimic the response of very different materials. Nevertheless, a few
3
Also referred to as the “Gaussian” or “molecular” approach.
4
Applicable Standards are ASTM D638 [66] and ISO 527 [264].
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parameters have been observed to be poorly dependent from some conditions

investigated within our analyses. For instance, the hyperelastic part of the response
of DG41 is almost independent from the strain rate, similarly to the short-range
intermolecular interactions for PVB (Table 5.4 and Figure 5.9). A more in-depth
analysis on such correlations will lead to better understanding the fundamental
causes of different materials response.
A comparison with the results of our analyses can be made using the work of Kott
and Vogel [306], which also investigated the response of PVB at different
temperatures and strain rates (Figure 7.2). Their study showed that below PVB
exhibits a behaviour which is very similar compared to our results for DG41 and
more even so SG at room temperature in the temperature-controlled room).
This outcome is consistent with the evidence provided within this manuscript for
the part concerning viscoelastic properties at different temperatures (i.e. “softer”
materials behave similarly to “harder” ones, only at lower temperatures).
Figure 7.2 - uniaxial tests on PVB for a) at various displacement rates (0.037 to 5.000
mm/s) and b) 0.33 mm/s for temperatures between -15 and +22°C (Kott and Vogel 2003)
These observations hints that the coefficients of the newly introduced GR model
may be in turn conveniently described as functions of strain rate, temperature and
possibly other parameters, to consistently replicate the outcome of tensile tests
with the same mathematical formulation.
Varying properties of patented interlayer materials

Tensile tests on SG5 referred by I. Belis et al. in 2009 [307] show a similar behaviour
at higher strain rates compared to tests performed with our experimental analyses
(Figure 7.3). On the other hand, lower strain rates do not exhibit the same peak
stress drop, making it worth investigating if the composition of the product has
changed within the last decade, or if other factors may affect its properties (e.g.
production method, storage time or conditions, etc.).
It is known that interlayer materials can be affected by changes in their chemical
composition over time, namely for the direct contact of air and moisture on the
edges of LG elements and solar radiation on surfaces exposed to direct sunlight.
Results provided in this work in terms of Prony series and WLF coefficients (cfr.
§5.1.2.5), regarding the viscoelastic properties of PVB, SG and DG41, could
potentially be used to forecast the mechanical response of such materials over a
5
At the time, the commercial acronym was SGP, rather than today’s SG (-P for “Plus”).
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very long amount of time. Nevertheless, predictions should always keep in mind
that properties of the materials are likely to change over the course of many years.
Therefore, predictions for years should be looked at with a critical eye,
acknowledging that changes in the chemical compositions of the materials could
lead to inaccurate predictions of the mechanical response.
Figure 7.3 - tensile tests on SG at room temperature (engineering curves) [307]
Comparison of dynamic tests and shear tests

The direct shear testing procedure, which has been followed through within this
work to study the viscoelastic properties of interlayers, represents an element of
novelty for this field of research. Traditionally, viscoelastic parameters are given by
manufacturers as a result of dynamic testing techniques, like as those described in
§3.1.3.4. It has been pointed out, both in this work and by other researchers, that
such tests are not optimal when trying to extend the results for LG design, as the
uncoiling of the polymer chains and the modification of cross-link network are
effects that inherently requires time to develop [240]. The high strain-rate response
of thermoplastics (i.e. high frequencies) is believed to be mostly governed by short-
range intermolecular actions, a belief strengthened by the fact that a different
response is observed for tensile tests at different strain rates. As intermolecular
effects are less relevant upon longer time spans, this may ultimately lead the
dynamic procedures to overestimate the long-term response of thermoplastic
materials [7,10,237,240].
A comparative experimental campaign direct using both direct and dynamic tests
would share more light on this open question. To be effective, both analyses must
separately aim to assess the same viscoelastic properties of identical materials
using the two methodologies. A final cross-examination of the outcomes will lead
to a better understanding of the limits under which both procedures are reliable for
LG design purposes.
Defining yielding (pseudo-yielding) for thermoplastics
A universally accepted definition of the pseudo-yielding limit is believed to be an
essential step in research advancement regarding structural applications plastic
materials. Trying to encompass most response typologies, an original – simple -
proposal for this definition was made within this paper. Nonetheless, while
contemplating the outcomes of numerous other researches, the current proposition
is based on a limited number of tests and materials.
A study on the point where the properties of the material change dramatically
could end up in defining the limits under which linear theories are acceptable, both
for linear elasticity and linear viscoelasticity.
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Convergence and uniqueness for WLF regression method

The convergence of the proposed WLF regression procedure has been only verified
for the six distributions of shift factors that were of interest for our analyses.
Proving mathematical proof of the convergence of this method, along with the
uniqueness of the solution, will allow to implement the procedure in a
straightforward way, without a posteriori verifications.
A genetic algorithm for WLF-mastercurve optimization
An iterative procedure has been proposed to provide the coefficients of the
experimental mastercurves and the corresponding time-temperature superposition
coefficients. The analyses carried out in this work between §5.1.2.1 and §5.1.2.4
involve inevitably a degree of arbitrariness in what is considered an “acceptable”
fit of the mastercurves and the WLF equations; to generalise this procedure in an
efficient routine, a genetic algorithm could be set up to optimize the iteration:
Feed: load the experimental branches for all investigated temperatures (3

minimum), define the desired number of terms for the mastercurves, the
maximum number of generations and the survival ratio.
Step 1 create a pre-determined number N of random distributions of shift factors

. Shift the branches accordingly for each distribution.
Step 2 find mastercurve coefficients using the DOI method, then compute the
sum of square differences for each for each of the distributions.
Step 3 use the WLF regression procedure on the random distributions of shift
factors and store final sum of least squares for each one.
Step 4 Arrange the distributions for increasing values of and save

the best ones for the next generation according to the survival ratio.
Step 5 Produce small random variations of the saved distributions to fill the
population of the next generation with new shift factors distributions and
repeat from step 2 until the last generation is complete.
Contribution of damaged plies to ultimate failure of partially damaged LG

The research has presented advances with respect of the enhanced response of in-
plane loaded structural LG elements after partial failure, due to the stiffening effect
provided by adherent tempered glass fragments. The progressive failure being
artificially induced on non-loaded conditions, our analyses covered the topic of
“stiffening” rather than the “reinforcing”. Little is yet known regarding the effect
of glass fragments on the ultimate failure of partially damaged elements.
Does the presence of glass fragments increase the load-bearing capacity? To what
extent? These two questions are yet without satisfying answers. Of all bending
tests carried during the analyses in §4.3, only one was extended up to the ultimate
failure of the beam (specimen C2, cfr. Table 4.7). That test, which recorded the
ultimate failure at , can be compared to the expected strength of a single
undamaged ply which turns out to be approximately 6. Far from having any
statistical ambition, this single result hints that the contribution of glass fragments
to the ultimate strength can be almost as significant as the contribution to stiffness.
6
Calculated using the characteristic strength for glass .
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Numerical models for partially-damaged LG

Non-linear Discrete Element Models (DEMs) have been used with good results by
other researchers for fully-damaged LG [215]. The outcomes of our research,
namely the parts regarding the observed macroscopic expansion induced by
failure of tempered glass, could be implemented in such numerical analyses for
partial levels of damage to assess the intermediate damage state compliance of fail-
safe requirements.
The successful implementation of similar numerical models ultimately depend on
the dependable representation the mutual interactions among tempered glass
fragments, which arise from the discharge of internal stresses.
Out-of plane properties of partially-damaged LG
Both for static and dynamic properties of partially damaged LG elements have
been extensively investigated in this work with respect of in-plane actions.
Therefore, damaged plies were always imposed both compressive actions (on top)
and tensile ones (at the bottom) during our analyses. Except for the lateral sag
produced upon failure (cfr. §4.3.3.2 and §5.2.3), this procedure implies that the
order with which the plies fail has a limited effect on the global response. Namely,
the in-plane bending properties are not expected to vary whether the left or right
ply fails.
On the other hand, the stiffness and residual load-bearing capacity of damaged LG
to which out-of-plane loads are assigned, is likely to be largely influenced by the
circumstances governing the damage progression. For the anisotropic nature of the
response of glass fragments, which was highlighted by uniaxial tests in §4.3.4,
there is reason to believe that the mechanical properties of partially damaged LG
may vary significantly, according to which ply fails first: regardless the number of
plies and assuming to deal with simply supported LG elements with vertical loads,
if the ply on top fails first, an increasing load will induce compressive effects
among fragments and reduce the amplitude of cracks. Vice-versa, if the bottom ply
fails, increasing vertical loads will tend to open the cracks. The different
contribution of damaged plies in both scenarios deserves an in-depth investigation,
both from an experimental and numerical point of view.
Figure 7.4 - different scenarios for out-of plane bending of partially damaged LG:
a) top ply fractured and b) bottom ply fractured
Cold-bent insulated glazing

An application for cold-bent glazing has been shown using LG elements with
different thickness of the glass plies and different interlayers (cfr. §6.1). Issues
regarding the mechanical properties of LG in such conditions have been examined
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and solutions have been proposed. Yet, in many architectural applications, glazing
used for the envelope of buildings are made with insulated glass 7 rather than
single blocks of LG. In turn, the inner and outer panes comprising the insulated
element can be made with LG.
To my knowledge, cold-bent insulated glazing has not yet been studied nor tested.
The extension of results brought in this work to such applications call for an
analysis of the mechanical properties of edge seal spacers used for insulated glass
units. A first analysis in that direction has been performed by A. Hagl [308], but the
focus of that research was put to relative rotations of the edges, rather than the
shear displacements that can be induced by cold-bending (Figure 7.5).
Provided that the mechanical properties of the sealing unit can be correctly
understood, the mutual effects among LG panes can be modelled and added to the
cold-bending effects on the single panes.
Figure 7.5 - a) insulated glass components, b) analyses by A. Hagl [308],

c) case-study of interest for cold-bending applications
7
Typicallt two glass panes separated by a vacuum or gas filled space, to reduce heat transfer.
194/237
Appendices
APPENDIX A
A theoretical approach is proposed for modelling the readings of the load
recording device during the opening of the climatic chamber. The problem is
related to thermal deformations of parts composing the device: dynamometric
ring, aluminium pads and LVDT transducer, which is itself composed by several
elements (external case, shaft, inner core, etc.). Parts are presented in Figure A.1.
Figure A.1 - layout of the elements in the load-measuring devices
Effects of temperature can then be studied with general thermodynamic model:
where is the heat loss function, and are the mass of the object and the
specific heat capacity of the material and is the varying temperature over time .
In the case Newton's law for convective heat transfer applies, one can assume:
The loss heat function is defined as the rate of transferred heat . On the right
side of the equation, is the heat transfer coefficient, the external surface of the
object generating the convective flow and the ambient temperature. With the
applied convention the heat flow is positive when directed from the object to the
surrounding fluid (in our situation, an infinite volume of freely convective air).
Solving the differential equation with assigned boundary condition
and rearranging for yields:
where is the original temperature of the object at time .

The equation describes the temperature variation of an object at temperature
in a convective surrounding fluid at temperature (the superscript on the
temperature on the left side of the equation has been added only to differentiate it
195/237
Appendices
with respect of symbols used in the following). If the surrounding ambient

temperature is abruptly brought back to the original temperature (in our case the
temperature ) at a given time , one can calculate the effect which
previous temperature change would have induced starting at for :
By subtracting this effect to the previous, one finds the cumulative effect for an
object subject to and temperature cycle between and between and :
The analysis of the thermodynamic properties of the elements accountable for

varying readings in the dynamometric ring system ought to consider two key
elements with very different properties: the steel ring itself and the LVDT
transducer. Some assumptions are made on the properties of the system:
 constant heat transfer coefficient,
 purely convective heat transfer in still air,
 instantaneous (fast) temperature changes in the climatic chamber,
 aluminium pads thermal deformations are negligible,
 extension shaft and LVDT transducer are in thermal equilibrium,
 parts inside the transducer are always in thermal equilibrium,
 different elements do not exchange a significant amount of heat.
Table A.1 - thermal properties for the parts of the system
Sym. Unit Ring LVDT
mass
specific heat capacity 490 490
heat transfer coefficient 30 30
external surface area
† considering the presence of the protrusions of various elements to the actual steel case
To calibrate a model for the readings of the load recording devices in the effective
test situation, we can consider a conditioned test which has reached a steady
temperature of (i.e. the temperature of all the parts of the device, of
the chamber internal wall surface and the air contained inside the chamber itself
have all reached the set-point temperature for tests, therefore all parts are in
thermal equilibrium). The temperature of the air surrounding the metal parts at the
instant of the chamber opening is considered to be immediately dropping from
to 1 . The temperature at the closing of the chamber is
considered to rise back rapidly to the previous 2.
1
This is not an unreasonable hypothesis, given that the hot air flow is free to leave the volume of
the climatic chamber and spread into the surrounding room. The surrounding ambient being
extremely large, it will be considered uninfluenced by the mixture of the hot air coming from the
open chamber, in such a way that its temperature can be considered constant at all times.
2 This hypothesis may seem less rigorous than the previous, as the chamber needs time to build up
the climatic condition defined by the set-point. Nonetheless, readings of the in-built sensors of the
chamber suggest that the time needed to bring back the temperature to the set-point for a
previously conditioned chamber is very limited, in the range of to seconds, depending
on the temperature difference between the set-point and the ambient temperature.
196/237
Appendices
Assuming and (time interval intended to match the opening

time of the chamber corresponding to the loading phase of the specimens),
together with all the data presented above, the solution of the equations for
are presented in Figure A.2. For each part in the load-measuring device, the dotted
lined line represents temperature variation of the objects (i.e. the
temperature variation upon opening, if the chamber is not closed back).
Figure A.2 - temperature variation for test at 50°C
Results show that the thermal inertia of the ring is higher compared to the
transducer. Hence, the temperature variation of the transducer is greater, but this
elemental is also faster in coming back to the temperature and the effects of
the chamber opening are negligible approximately 10 minutes after it is closed.
Based on the separate temperature variations of the parts, we investigated whether
load readings were affected with positive or negative correlations between
temperature variations and load measurements. Starting from the dynamometric
ring itself, the correlation is clearly negative: if the temperature of the ring
diminishes, the structure contracts simulating a compression load, yielding a
positive value. However, this point of view alone may be misleading, as the
dynamometric ring and the transducer share one fixed point (on the upper side of
the ring). From the reference system originated from the shared fixed point: as
temperature lowers, the ring contracts, but because the transducer cools faster it
contracts even more. From the point of view of the measuring device this
phenomenon is perceived as an actual expansion, rather than a contraction (the
same logic applies in reverse if the elements are heating rather than cooling).
Therefore, it is safe to say that the load readings of the system ring-transducer
are affected by a negative correlation. This may be presented in the form of:
Where is the (negative) correlation factor between the relative temperature

effects of transducer and ring with load readings.
The second correlation to be understood is the internal correlation between the
moving parts of the transducer: the steel case, the metallic shaft and the moveable
core. Although the accurate description of the mutual effects and heat transfers
inside the transducer are a very complex problem (they may probably be the
subject of a separate research on their own), we are lucky enough to have at our
disposal data which is only related to the global effects of the thermal interaction of
elements inside the transducer: the ones set to measure the displacement at the
base of the specimens. Data shows that a rapid cooling of the instrument results in
a - virtual - measured expansion of the shaft. Therefore, for the mere purpose of
finding the correlation inside the load measurement device, this also results in
197/237
Appendices
knowing this is a negative correlation: the diminishing temperature of the

instrument results in an increasing virtual load recorded. If is the correlation
coefficient between the transducer temperature and the load readings:
The last step of the calibration procedure is finding the correlation among
coefficients and using the experimental data. Readings of the “virtual” load
registered upon chamber opening may be written as:
Hence, the calibration of the coefficients with experimental data yields

and . Figure A.3 shows the validation of the model results compared to
experimental data. The meaning of those coefficients is to yield the proportion
between a given temperature variation and the corresponding load reading. To
better illustrate how those have been calibrated, values for and are also
presented in Table A.2, for each temperature tests have been ran at. As shown in
Table A.2, ambient temperature may vary significantly among tests, but this is not
surprising: some chamber openings were performed during early morning hours,
when temperatures were generally lower, whereas most were performed in the
afternoon, when temperatures reached peaks of to .
Table A.2 - ambient temperature and duration of the opening for tests
60 55 50 45 40 35 30 23 20 17 10 0
21.5 21.0 21.0 23.5 23.0 22.0 22.5 24.0 19.0 20.5 17.5 17.0
357 390 440 246 332 345 327 430 301 459 399 607
Figure A.3 - validation of the thermodynamic model for the load-recording devices
198/237
Appendices
APPENDIX B
A few criteria have been evaluated to model the response of testing devices used
for the campaign on long-term viscoelastic properties of interlayer materials (cfr.
§4.2). The problem is defined in terms of finding suitable mathematical models for
reproducing the response of the base contrast elements shown in Figure 4.22 in
terms of load over displacement curves. The final result of the analyses described
in the following in shown in Figure 4.23.
Many attempts for modelling the response of the setup did not immediately yield
satisfactory results, either for being poorly able to represent the shape of
experimental results shown in or for creating numerical glitches. Among others,
the following were evaluated:
 polynomial order < 8 (vastly inaccurate fit),

 polynomial order 9-11 (oscillating results around data points),
 polynomial order > 12 (badly conditioned problem
 exponential order 1 (unable to model the first part of the curve),
 exponential order 2 (different shapes for different devices, poorly able to model
the first part of the curves, no reliability outside the interpolation span).
In the light of these results, a combined polynomial-exponential equation was

deemed to be the best solution, combining the best features of both models while
working around their limits. The fitting function was chosen to be in the form of:
δ δ
Where and δ are the loads and displacements, while , , , and are five
coefficients to be found to minimize the least-squares problem for assigned :
δ δ
This can be also be expressed as the root finding problem of the partial derivatives
of the function with respects of the coefficients to :
δ δ
Presented in this form, the problem is partially non-linear and cannot be solved
straightforwardly. To work around this issue, a slightly different approach has
been undertaken.
Data in the first part of the experimental curves was more suited for a polynomial
fit, while an exponential model is more appropriate in the final part. A polynomial
interpolation was performed on the initial part alone from the entire data set. After
several attempts, the boundaries for this - arbitrarily fixed - reduced data set have
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Appendices
been set from zero to a maximum displacement equal to of the average

displacement measured at for each device. The value of has been
chosen according to the actual use of this interpolation procedure in the following
data analysis, as the tests on LG specimens never went above by design, so
any model only requires to be well calibrated up to that value. Nonetheless, to gain
full insight on the behaviour of the base contrast steel elements, a slightly higher
value of was chosen. A 2nd degree polynomial least-squares interpolation
was performed on the reduced data set. In the following figure B1, black dots
represent the reduced dataset for the initial part of the curves, which
are interpolated by the polynomial best fit (red line in the following figures).
The polynomial fit is intended as the solution of the linear problem issued by:
Yielding the values of the variables , and and thus the function:
δ δ
With this part of the interpolation, values calculated with the function
have been subtracted from the original dataset, producing a new dataset
which was used to interpolate the exponential part of the curves:
The is presented in the following figures by the gray dot clouds. The
remaining part of the procedure was to interpolate the new set of data with the
exponential function using a - now possible - least square interpolation:
The problem can be made linear by recognizing that one can take the natural
logarithm of both sides of the equation, so that various methods of polynomial fit
approaches can be used:
Taking and :
The least-square interpolation problem is given as a minimum-finding problem:
Solving this system yields the values of the constants and . Values of the
constants have been calculated for the three devices used.
Table B.1 - constants for best fitting curves of testing devices

A B C D E
device 048 3.776e-06 116.4 194.2 25.72 0.1364
device 054 2.712e-06 83.23 72.32 30.75 0.1894
device 052 2.509e-04 74.75 244.0 19.76 0.0948
The final curves for modeling the response of the setup are shown in Figure B.2 for
the three devices.
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Appendices
Figure B.1 - calibration of the nonlinear elastic correlation for device 048
Figure B.2 - calibration of the nonlinear elastic correlation all testing devices
201/237
Appendices
APPENDIX C
While specimens delamination was visible to the naked eye, photographing it
properly proved to be a very challenging task. Several techniques were put to the
test varying lighting, backgrounds and angles. Taking pictures from a square angle
proved to be an impractical solution, as there seems to be no way to avoid having a
disturbing camera reflection on the final image. A solution was found with the
setup in Figure C.1, using a dark blue cloth background, which helps the
delamination reflections to stand out, and a white paper sheet to intercept the
reflection from the glass surface.
Figure C.1 - setup for imaging delamination
Pictures were straightend up correcting for perspective with an image processing

software (Figure C.2.a) and the result then manually analysed using AutoCAD to
recreate the delamination patterns (Figure C.2.b).
b)
Figure C.2 - delamination analysis for specimen S09
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Appendices
PVB Temp. Specimen Delaminated area [mm2 / %]

P03 0,0 / 0,00
0°C P04 0,0 / 0,00
P05 0,0 / 0,00
P14 0,0 / 0,00
10°C
P15 0,0 / 0,00
P16 0,0 / 0,00
20°C
P17 0,0 / 0,00
P11 0,0 / 0,00
30°C P12 235,5 / 1,18
P13 593,3 / 2,97
P08 270,2 / 1,35
40°C P09 263,6 / 1,32
P10 20,9 / 0,10
P06 0,0 / 0,00
50°C P07 107,6 / 0,54
P02 56,7 / 0,28
30°C 40°C 50°C
P11 - 0.00% P08 - 1.35% P06 - 0.00%
P12 - 1.18% P09 – 1.32% P07 – 0.54%
P13 - 2.97% P10 - 0.10% P08 – 0.28%
203/237
Appendices
DG41 Temp. Specimen Delaminated area [mm2 / %]

D13 0,0 / 0,00
10°C D14 0,0 / 0,00
D15 0,0 / 0,00
D19 0,0 / 0,00
14°C D20 0,0 / 0,00
D22 0,0 / 0,00
D23 0,0 / 0,00
17°C D25 0,0 / 0,00
D26 0,0 / 0,00
D16 0,0 / 0,00
20°C D17 0,0 / 0,00
D18 0,0 / 0,00
D10 0,0 / 0,00
23°C D11 0,0 / 0,00
D12 0,0 / 0,00
D06 0,0 / 0,00
30°C D07 0,0 / 0,00
D08 0,0 / 0,00
D01 750,2 / 3,75
40°C
D02 1458,8 / 7,29
D03 304,9 / 1,52
50°C D04 345,7 / 1,73
D05 255,5 / 1,28
40°C 50°C
D01 – 3.75% D03 – 1.52%
D02 – 7.29% D04 – 1.73%
D05 – 1.28%
204/237
Appendices
SG Temp. Specimen Delaminated area [mm2 / %]

S27 0,0 / 0,00
20°C S28 0,0 / 0,00
S29 0,0 / 0,00
S24 4,3 / 0,02
30°C
S25 0,0 / 0,00
S17 0,0 / 0,00
35°C S18 0,0 / 0,00
S19 0,0 / 0,00
S23 0,0 / 0,00
40°C
S26 0,0 / 0,00
S13 193,0 / 0,97
45°C
S15 224,0 / 1,12
S20 499,8 / 2,50
50°C S21 0,0 / 0,00
S22 43,1 / 0,22
S09 1529,0 / 7,65
55°C
S12 38,0 / 0,19
S14 1212,0 / 6,06
60°C
S16 1727,3 / 8,64
45°C 50°C 55°C 60°C
S13 – 0,97% S20 – 2,50% S09 – 7,65% S14 – 6,06%
S15 – 1,12% S21 – 0,00% S12 – 0,19% S16 – 8,64%
S22 – 0,22%
205/237
Appendices
APPENDIX D
Saflex®DG41 Young Modulus (www.saflex.com)
Kuraray SentryGlas® (SG) Shear Modulus(www.kuraray.com)
206/237
Appendices
APPENDIX E
Photogrammetric strain analysis for SG interlayer, compared to instrument

readings for three different testing speeds (cfr. §5.1.1.1 page 118).
207/237
Appendices
APPENDIX F
Hypothesis for the analytical formulation provided by W. Young and R. Budynas
[296], whose results were used for the modal analysis in §5.2.1, are not an exact
match of experimental conditions. Namely, supports at the ends of the specimen
are not located along the axis, but are supporting the bottom edge instead.
Moreover, a thin aluminium pad is attached do the glass plies, to serve as an
interface with the steel rollers and protect the specimen from the risk of local stress
concentrations. Moreover, the proposed analytical formulation neglects the
presence of – small – lateral protrusions of the specimens beyond the supports at
both ends.
Two LE numerical models were built: one to replicate the conditions under the
theoretical hypotheses and one that corresponds to the setup configurations. The
models were identical in every single aspect with the exception of the insertion of
the aluminium pads (the central mass was calibrated to replicate the mass of the
accelerometers).
A comparison of the results concluded that the differences between the two models
response in terms of natural frequencies are very limited.
Type A B C
calibrated using specimen data A1 B1 C1
Model 1 frequency [Hz] 75.03 88.01 86.15
Model 2 frequency [Hz] 74.97 87.97 86.08
correction factor 0.9992 0.9995 0.9991
208/237
Appendices
APPENDIX G
Part1 : tabulated results
Table G.1 - SG relaxation modulus G
Temp°C 5s 30s 10m 11h 1w 3mo. 6mo. 50yrs.
20 83,1* 56,5 35,9 19,2 15,3 4,56
25 75,6 41,8 23,6 9,90 7,82 3,71
†
30 83,0 57,6 27,3 11,5 5,51 4,89 2,99
35 77,3† 61,5† 38,6 12,6 5,62 3,98 3,71 2,42
40 53,5† 39,6† 20,0 5,48 3,86 2,98 2,78 1,86
45 29,3† 17,8† 6,53 3,63 2,76 2,25 2,11 1,34
†
50 8,29 5,35† 3,71 2,49 1,97 1,53 1,43 0,92
† †
55 3,71 3,11 2,39 1,60 1,23 0,96 0,91 0,86*
† †
60 2,18 1,82 1,36 0,92
Table G.2 - SG inverse creep compliance modulus

20 91,4* 61,2 44,4 31,5 29,1 12,3
†
25 91,3 69,8 43,2 30,0 20,3 17,5 7,19
30 85,7† 67,8† 48,3 28,4 17,5 10,3 8,99 5,24
† †
35 55,7 45,1 30,4 14,4 8,52 6,08 5,67 4,07
† †
40 33,9 27,5 15,4 7,05 5,38 4,54 4,30 3,04
45 17,1† 11,7† 6,91 4,82 3,93 3,25 3,10 2,19
50 6,88† 5,71† 4,64 3,36 2,75 2,27 2,15 1,52
† †
55 4,44 3,83 3,09 2,26 1,80 1,51 1,45*
† †
60 2,79 2,44 1,93 1,45*
Table G.3 - DG41 relaxation modulus G

10 48,6* 36,1 22,3 8,07 5,55 0,65
†
15 48,5 41,8 21,4 6,85 1,41 0,98 0,47
20 47,6† 42,7† 29,3 6,77 1,27 0,63 0,58 0,36
† †
25 39,4 31,1 14,3 1,34 0,62 0,47 0,43 0,28
† †
30 27,4 17,1 3,92 0,64 0,47 0,36 0,34 0,26
† †
35 13,5 5,47 0,93 0,49 0,37 0,29 0,27 0,25*
40 4,03† 1,28† 0,60 0,38 0,29 0,26 0,25*
45 1,02† 0,66† 0,47 0,31 0,26 0,25*
50 0,63† 0,51† 0,38 0,26 0,25*
____________________________
†
Numbers shown for and should always be looked at as lower conservative values, as
actual moduli are possibly significantly higher (cfr. §5.1.2.6)
* Higher and lower moduli that should be extracted from the mastercurve (cfr. §5.1.2.6).
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Appendices
Table G.4 - DG41 inverse creep compliance modulus

10 49,1* 43,9 41,1 38,0 37,1 30,6
15 40,9† 37,2 31,3 26,1 19,9 18,22 7,41
† †
20 33,6 30,8 24,8 14,9 8,30 3,70 2,95 0,75
† †
25 22,2 17,9 10,9 3,14 1,14 0,72 0,69 0,52
† †
30 11,3 7,16 2,78 0,76 0,64 0,54 0,52 0,38
35 3,90† 2,17† 0,80 0,60 0,50 0,42 0,40 0,33*
40 1,25† 0,78† 0,64 0,49 0,40 0,35 0,33*
45 0,73† 0,65† 0,54 0,40 0,35 0,33*
† †
50 0,64 0,57 0,47 0,36 0,33*
Table G.5 - PVB relaxation modulus G

0 17,5* 7,87 3,70 1,58 1,22 0,50
5 17,5† 11,0 3,62 1,45 0,70 0,63 0,33
† †
10 16,7 12,1 5,69 1,49 0,69 0,49 0,44 0,23
15 9,97† 6,47† 2,68 0,71 0,49 0,34 0,31 0,15
† †
20 5,50 3,23 1,14 0,52 0,35 0,24 0,22 0,11
25 2,79† 1,49† 0,66 0,37 0,25 0,17 0,15 0,09
30 1,30† 0,76† 0,50 0,27 0,18 0,13 0,11 0,08*
35 0,72† 0,57† 0,37 0,20 0,13 0,09 0,09
†
40 0,55 0,43† 0,28 0,15 0,10 0,08*
45 0,42† 0,33† 0,21 0,11 0,08*
†
50 0,33 0,25† 0,16 0,08*
Table G.6 - PVB inverse creep compliance modulus

0 14,6* 9,94 6,40 3,59 3,11 1,42
†
5 13,7 9,88 4,63 2,55 1,69 1,51 0,68
10 10,6† 8,41† 4,72 2,07 1,29 0,78 0,71 0,49
† †
15 5,59 3,72 2,14 1,01 0,66 0,54 0,51 0,35
20 2,45† 1,86† 1,07 0,61 0,49 0,39 0,37 0,25
25 1,33† 0,93† 0,63 0,45 0,35 0,29 0,27 0,18
† †
30 0,70 0,60 0,47 0,33 0,26 0,21 0,19 0,13
35 0,53† 0,45† 0,35 0,24 0,19 0,15 0,15
40 0,39† 0,34† 0,26 0,18 0,14 0,12
†
45 0,30 0,25† 0,19 0,14 0,11
50 0,22† 0,19† 0,15 0,10*
____________________________
†
Numbers shown for and should always be looked at as lower conservative values, as
actual moduli are possibly significantly higher (cfr. §5.1.2.6)
* Higher and lower moduli that should be extracted from the mastercurve (cfr. §5.1.2.6).
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Appendices
Part2 : graphical results
Figure G.1 - SG relaxation modulus in
Figure G.2 - SG inverse creep compliance modulus in
211/237
Appendices
Figure G.3 - DG41 relaxation modulus in
Figure G.4 - DG41 inverse creep compliance modulus in
212/237
Appendices
Figure G.5 - PVB relaxation modulus in
Figure G.6 - PVB inverse creep compliance modulus in
213/237
Appendices
APPENDIX H
Average energy density for PVB, DG41 and SG specimens (continues to next page)
mat. temp. spec. delaminated area* [%] energy density average
PVB P03 - 165
0°C P04 - 154 154
P05 - 141
P14 - 264
10°C 251
P15 - 239
P16 - 639
20°C 634
P17 - 630
P11 - 170
30°C P12 1,18 196 197
P13 2,97 226
P08 1,35 175
40°C P09 1,32 243 231
P10 0,10 274
P06 - 251
50°C P07 0,54 199 226
P02 0,28 229
DG41 D13 - 66
10°C D14 - 84 83
D15 - 100
D19 - 100
14°C D20 - 78 81
D22 - 66
D23 - 97
17°C D25 - 88 85
D26 - 70
D16 - 76
20°C D17 - 95 92
D18 - 106
D10 - 109
23°C D11 - 118 110
D12 - 102
D06 - 696
30°C D07 - 760 748
D08 - 788
D01 3,75 612
40°C 565
D02 7,29 518
D03 1,52 510
50°C D04 1,73 333 408
D05 1,28 382
SG S27 - 48
20°C S28 - 55 52
S29 - 53
S24 0,02 125
30°C 126
S25 - 126
S17 - 118
35°C S18 - 130 132
S19 - 148
S23 - 185
40°C 181
S26 - 178
S13 0,97 115
45°C 146
S15 1,12 178
S20 2,50 227
50°C S21 - 160 192
S22 0,22 190
S09 7,65 260
55°C 237
S12 0,19 215
S14 6,06 161
60°C 196
S16 8,64 232
*cfr. Appendix C
214/237
Appendices
APPENDIX I
Step-by-step DOI method for building a Prony series, given experimental data set
, monotonous, decreasing, with an horizontal asymptote for .
Step 1 Step 8
Define the interval within which the Find the characteristic time of the -th
single exponential terms operate in group with linear interpolation among
terms of (the greater this value, the two consecutive log10-time values
the fewer elements are in the series). and which encompass the value of
Step 2 :
For each experimental data point

compute the base-10 logarithm of time
.
Step 9
Step 3
Identify the value of total data variation
Compute the differences: for each group .
δ Step 10
Step 4 The infinite modulus can be interpreted
Divide the array of data after point , in as the average of the last terms of the
such a way that for each group : data array ( usually yealds
good results):
δ
where is the -th point of the -th

group. Step 11
Step 5 Scale the values using the
Repeat points 3 and 4 until the data exponential function and the
array is divided in N groups, taking the characteristic time for each group:
-th point as the first point of the
-th group (The final result will me a
division in groups such that the log10-
time distance between the first and last
Step 12
point is always lower than ).
The N values of and define the
Step 6
terms in the Prony series sum, the
Compute the absolute variation of data constant term (infinite time modulus) is
among each group: given by :
Step 7
For each group, normalize the variation
as:
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Appendices
216/237
INDEX OF FIGURES
Chapter I – Structural glass introduction
Figure 1.1 - a) North Rose of Notre Dame (Paris), 1270 […] 1
Figure 1.2 - a) & b) Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie greenhouses […] 2
Figure 1.3 - “The Snow House” concept by Santambrogio & Arosio […] 3
Figure 1.4 - worldwide interest in time for the query “laminated glass” 4
Figure 1.5 - stress distribution in chemically or thermal tempered glass 8
Figure 1.6 - typical failure patterns for a) annealed, b) heat-strenghtened […] 9
Figure 1.7 - tempered glass fragments expelled […] 9
Figure 1.8 - scheme of a) entanglement and b) intermolecular cross-links 12
Figure 1.9 - thermo-mechanical curves for a) elastic modulus [67] […] 13
Figure 1.10 - stress decomposition by Haward and Thackray [76] 14
Figure 1.11 - PVB-glass bonding mechanism (Keller and Mortelmans 1999 [79]) 17
Chapter II - State-of-the-art and aim of the research
Figure 2.1 - specimens used in the tensile tests (Santarsiero, 2017 [128]) 25
Figure 2.2 - scheme of the setup for shear tests by C Vallabhan et al. [135] 26
Figure 2.3 - schematic representation of the interlayer studies […] 27
Figure 2.4 - intermolecular and network interaction scenarios, Vegt 2002 [59] 28
Figure 2.5 - stress decomposition, Klompen 2005 [156] 29
Figure 2.6 - scheme of four-point bending tests […] 31
Figure 2.7 - 3D FE model by C. Bedon, 2017 [184] […] 33
Figure 2.8 - a) & b) embedded hollow/plain steel c) steel or GFRP […] 34
Figure 2.9 - the “ZAPPI1” beam specimen after a 4-points bend testing [201] 34
Figure 2.10 - five-points bending tests for SG-laminated beams […] 35
Figure 2.11 - cross section of the GFRP-reinforced FL […] 36
Figure 2.12 - results for four-point bending tests on P-FG (left) […] 36
Figure 2.13 - a) cross-section and lateral view of LG reinforced […] 37
Figure 2.14 - method for bonding the pre-tensioned tendons […] 37
Figure 2.15 - stress distribution in pre-stressed LG beams (Louter, 2014 [186]) 38
Figure 2.16 - desired load-carrying behaviour for LG beams […] 38
Figure 2.17 - qualitative stress distribution in cold-bent LG at short (left) […] 38
Figure 2.18 - Roof over the IJsei bus station in Amsterdam […] 39
Figure 2.19 - a) homogenized model problem by Galuppi-Royer […] 41
Figure 2.20 - a) interlayer specimens for tensile tests […] 42
Chapter III - Mechanics
Figure 3.1 - typical linear elastic and hyperelastic response 45
Figure 3.2 - hyperelastic models used within this manuscript […] 46
Figure 3.3 - a) function for varying , and b) hyperelastic NH models 48
Figure 3.4 - hyperelastic Mooney-Rivlin models for varying over ratio 48
Figure 3.5 - hyperelastic Yeoh model dependency from coefficients and 49
Figure 3.6 - conceptual visualization of a) creep and b) stress relaxation 51
Figure 3.7 - spring and dashpot elements 52
Figure 3.8 - rheological representation of a) the Maxwell element […] 52
Figure 3.9 – LG specimen and testing in a torsional rheometer […] 57
Figure 3.10 - relaxation & storage moduli plotted against and axes […] 57
Figure 3.11 - one-dimensional constitutive models for viscoplasticity [242,258] 59
Figure 3.12 - geometry of common adhesive joints for LG […] 61
Figure 3.13 - a) shear stress distribution in SG for varying temperatures […] 62
Figure 3.14 - tri-linear adhesion diagram, 2010 Cottone et al. [262] 62
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Chapter IV - Experimental tests
Figure 4.1 - a) cutting of the specimens and b) manual finishing 64
Figure 4.2 - Type IV dog-bone specimen according to ASTM D638-14 64
Figure 4.3 - progression of tensile tests on PVB 66
Figure 4.4 - stress-strain curves: a) SG, b) DG41, c) PVB and d) averages 66
Figure 4.5 - construction for a) chord- and b) regression-slope tensile modulus 67
Figure 4.6 - mean engineering stress-strain curves […] 68
Figure 4.7 - experimental observations on non-homogeneous deformations 70
Figure 4.8 - setup for time-lapse photogrammetry 71
Figure 4.9 - measurement lines used for photogrammetric analysis 71
Figure 4.10 - SG tensile test at 500 mm/min time lapse, all shots 72
Figure 4.11 - testing frames 73
Figure 4.12 - testing devices inside the climatic chamber 74
Figure 4.13 - design two-phases test output for stress and strain […] 75
Figure 4.14 - scheme of the elements in contact with LG specimens 78
Figure 4.15 - four phases (clockwise) of installation of angular shims 78
Figure 4.16 - guiding dowels a) on a tested specimen and b) before a test 79
Figure 4.17 - thermal effects recorded by load-monitoring devices 80
Figure 4.18 - typical position and evolution of cracks […] 80
Figure 4.19 - displacement monitoring for the adjustment cycles 81
Figure 4.20 - a) setup for adjustment of deformations in lead foils […] 82
Figure 4.21 - setup for calibration of rings and base contrast elements 82
Figure 4.22 - a) load and b) displacement curves for base elements calibration 83
Figure 4.23 - non-linear deformations of the base contrast elements 83
Figure 4.24 - Gantt diagram of performed tests 85
Figure 4.25 - recorded loads trough dynamometric rings 86
Figure 4.26 - recorded displacements at the bottom of the central ply 86
Figure 4.27 - load measured by the reference dynamometric ring […] 87
Figure 4.28 - linear drift superimposed to load readings 87
Figure 4.29 - load readings corrected for linear drift 88
Figure 4.30 - displacement readings corrected for initial measurements 88
Figure 4.31 - displacement readings corrected for base deformation 89
Figure 4.32 - correction for thermal effects on dynamometric rings 89
Figure 4.33 - a) stress and b) strain in loading and viscoelastic recovery phases 90
Figure 4.34 - relaxation and creep compliance moduli for the case-study 91
Figure 4.35 - a) relaxation and b) inverse compliance moduli for SG interlayer† 92
Figure 4.36 - a) relaxation and b) inverse compliance moduli for DG41 92
Figure 4.37 - a) relaxation and b) inverse compliance moduli for PVB 92
Figure 4.38 - example of delamination analysis for specimen S09 93
Figure 4.39 - full-scale LG beams specimens type A, B and C [mm] 95
Figure 4.40 - damage progression imposed by design 96
Figure 4.41 - lateral setup scheme for a) type A and b) type B or C specimens 97
Figure 4.42 - picture of the setup arranged for specimen B1 98
Figure 4.43 –pads used for the setup interfaces (on stage II PDLG specimen B2) 98
Figure 4.44 - measure instruments installed on type A beams 99
Figure 4.45 - measure instruments installed on type B and C beams 100
Figure 4.46 - omega transducers installed for FDLG tests 101
Figure 4.47 - glass modulus evaluation over the 2nd load ramp […] 103
Figure 4.48 - normalized FFT response spectrum for undamaged specimen A2 104
Figure 4.49 - normalized FFT response spectrum for undamaged specimen B2 105
Figure 4.50 - a) measured strain for undamaged specimen B1 […] 105
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Figure 4.51 - measured strain at failure of the central ply 106
Figure 4.52 - measured strain at failure of the first lateral ply 107
Figure 4.53 - short-term effects after central ply failure on specimens type B&C 107
Figure 4.54 – normalized spectral density for specimen B2 PDLG stages 108
Figure 4.55 - load-displacement curves for PDLG specimen B1 108
Figure 4.56 - a) snapshot of interpolated strain distribution […] 109
Figure 4.57 - neutral axis evolution for specimen C2 in test IV-1 110
Figure 4.58 - normalized moment over midspan sag for all specimens 111
Figure 4.59 - ageing effects for FDLG specimens for bending tests 111
Figure 4.60 - neutral axis interpolation over FDLG bending tests 112
Figure 4.61 - evolution of the depth of the neutral axis in all FDLG specimens 112
Figure 4.62 - long-term weathering effects on FDLG 113
Figure 4.63 - specimens extracted for tensile and compression tests […] 114
Figure 4.64 - setup for a) tensile and b) compression tests […] 114
Figure 4.65 - experimental curves of tensile tests on material specimens 115
Figure 4.66 - delamination observed from tensile tests photographic follow-up 115
Figure 4.67 - experimental curves of compressive tests on material specimens 116
Chapter V - Critical analysis and discussion
Figure 5.1 - photogrammetric strain analysis (SG at ) 119
Figure 5.2 - true stress-strain diagrams compared to engineering 119
Figure 5.3 - hyperelastic models for a) SG, b) DG41 and c) PVB 121
Figure 5.4 - initial response detail for very small strain 123
Figure 5.5 - intermolecular series model results 124
Figure 5.6 - obtained by subtraction for a) SG, b) DG41 and c) PVB 125
Figure 5.7 - scheme of the process used to produce the final models 126
Figure 5.8 - model true stress-strain results for a) SG b) DG41 and c) PVB 127
Figure 5.9 - model engineering stress-strain results for a) SG b) DG41 c) PVB 127
Figure 5.10 - a proposed criterion for defining the pseudo-yielding limit 130
Figure 5.11 - pseudo-yielding limit for the performed tests 130
Figure 5.12 - example of shifted experimental branches for SG creep modulus 132
Figure 5.13 - process used to define WLF and mastercurve coefficients 132
Figure 5.14 - shift factors for a) relaxation and b) creep 26 133
Figure 5.15 - shifted branches for a) relaxation, b) creep and c) averages 134
Figure 5.16 - arrangements for consecutive experimental branches 135
Figure 5.17 - procedure for overlapping areas 136
Figure 5.18 - scheme of the linking procedure27 137
Figure 5.19 - target points for linking branches 138
Figure 5.20 - example of a thirty-points re-sampling 139
Figure 5.21 - WLF functions for a) relaxation and b) creep mastercurves 142
Figure 5.22 - convergence of the WLF regression algorithm 142
Figure 5.23 - detail of data polish procedure outcome 143
Figure 5.24 - final mastercurve and elements of the series […] 144
Figure 5.25 - Prony fit comparison with different term series 144
Figure 5.26 - error for a) 5- , b) 10- , c) 15 -, d) 20- and e) 40-term series 145
Figure 5.27 - error evaluation for Prony series with increasing number of terms 146
Figure 5.28 - final 20-terms Prony series mastercurves 147
Figure 5.29 - DG41 relaxation modulus over time for 149
Figure 5.30 - reliability limits for mastercurves Prony series 150
Figure 5.31 - a) displacement and b) load over time for specimen S12 […] 153
Figure 5.32 - delamination correlated with average loading energy density 153
Figure 5.33 - experimental and model frequencies comparison 157
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Figure 5.34 - fragmentation of broken tempered glass plies 158
Figure 5.35 - expansion of a confined tempered glass ply upon failure 159
Figure 5.36 - flexibility method for an expanding central fractured glass ply 159
Figure 5.37 - Stage II linear elastic finite element results using ETEM 161
Figure 5.38 - numerical model compared to experimental strain measures 161
Figure 5.39 - Stage III lateral deflection comparison (view from above) 162
Figure 5.40 - Experimental results of tensile tests on FDLG specimens 163
Figure 5.41 - FDLG compression tests and proposed constitutive law 163
Figure 5.42 - FDLG bending tests comparison to analytical model 164
Figure 5.43 - experimental compressive and tensile strain […] 165
Figure 5.44 - Schematic crack patterns: a) symmetric layout, b) maximum offset 166
Figure 5.45 - increment in SG stiffness vs. delamination ratio […] 166
Chapter VI - Applications
Figure 6.1 - external rendering and sketch of the semi-circular ramp 169
Figure 6.2 - layout of the case study with details on LG plates […] 170
Figure 6.3 - geometry of LG panes for the internal and external glazing 170
Figure 6.4 - a) scheme of cold-bent LG and b) an extracted vertical stripe […] 172
Figure 6.5 - schemes for studying the effects of live-loads in Cases 2, 3 & 4 173
Figure 6.6 - rendering of the pedestrian bridge 177
Figure 6.7 - portion of the deck showing the wind bracing […] 178
Figure 6.8 - phase 1) groundwork and banks 2) assembly […] 178
Figure 6.9 - view general scheme of the strut a) from above and b) lateral view 179
Figure 6.10 - a) old 3-plies design with PVB and b) new 5-plies design […] 179
Figure 6.11 - a) scheme of the strut and conventional axes […] 180
Figure 6.12 - external action equilibrating the expansion […] 180
Figure 6.13 - numerical model used for validation 181
Figure 6.14 – stresses after 50 yrs in half beam model […] 181
Figure 6.15 – graphical representation of the evolution of stresses […] 182
Figure 6.16 - scheme for maximum stresses verification in a loaded strut […] 183
Chapter VII - Thesis and developments
Figure 7.1 - cyclic tests for determination of plastic deformations 189
Figure 7.2 - uniaxial tests on PVB for a) at various displacement rates […] 190
Figure 7.3 - tensile tests on SG at room temperature (engineering) [307] 191
Figure 7.4 - scenarios for out-of plane bending of partially damaged LG […] 193
Figure 7.5 - a) insulated glass components, b) analyses […] 194
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INDEX OF TABLES
Chapter I - Structural glass introduction
Table 1.1 - standard glass plies sizes and thicknesses in construction indstry 7
Table 1.2 - characteristic tensile strength for glass (min. required [38]) 8
Table 1.3 – list of the main properties of glass useful for LG design 9
Table 1.4 – glass transition and (melt) temperature for some interlayer materials 13
Chapter III - Mechanics
Table 3.1 - stress in uniaxial elongation for a Neo-Hookean material 47
Table 3.2 - uniaxial elongation stress for incompressible Mooney-Rivlin material 48
Table 3.3 - uniaxial elongation stress for incompressible Yeoh material 49
Table 3.4 - uniaxial elongation stress for incompressible Ogden material 50
Chapter IV- Experimental tests
Table 4.1 - number of specimens per material per test velocity 65
Table 4.2 – experimental minimum ultimate strain and engineering stress 67
Table 4.3 – mean chord- and (regression)-slope tensile modulus in MPa 69
Table 4.4 – SG tensile tests photographic time-lapse shooting details 71
Table 4.5 - list of performed tests and tested specimens 84
Table 4.6 - specimens type and nomenclature 95
Table 4.7 - tests performed on LG beam specimens 101
Table 4.8 – experimental elastic modulus of glass 104
Table 4.9 - neutral axis rise for bending tests 110
Table 4.10 - experimental natural frequencies [Hz] 113
Table 4.11 – tensile and compressive properties of FDLG 116
Chapter V - Critical analysis and discussion
Table 5.1 – 1h Poisson ratio for interlayers at 23°C/50%RH 118
Table 5.2 – accuracy of hyperelastic models for first and final parts of the curves 121
Table 5.3 - coefficients for hyperelastic Yeoh model 122
Table 5.4 - GR model coefficients for true stress-strain 126
Table 5.5 - pseudo-yielding limit for the performed tests 130
Table 5.6 - shift factors 133
Table 5.7 - WLF coefficients 141
Table 5.8 – mastercurves at , time in seconds, moduli in MPa 148
Table 5.9 – reliability times in seconds 151
Table 5.10 - glass-interlayer fracture toughness for varying temperatures 154
Table 5.11 - fictitious equivalent Young modulus [GPa] of damaged glass plies 155
Table 5.12 - expected frequencies based on ULG 3-point bending tests stiffness 156
Table 5.13 - equivalent modulus and gradient for PDLG models 160
Table 5.14 – effective modulus in FDLG with SG interlayer [MPa] 163
Table 5.15 – mechanical parameters for SG-FDLG made with tempered plies 164
Table 5.16 - noteworthy effects of progressive damage on LG beams 167
Chapter VI - Applications
Table 6.1 - median axis geometry for the cold-bent laminated elements 170
Table 6.2 - design tensile stress of tempered glass plies 171
Table 6.3 - interlayer relaxation modulus and tabulated results in [MPa] 172
Table 6.4 – analysis of glass/interlayer thickness […] 176
Table 6.5 - design loads for LG struts verification 179
Table 6.6 –design tensile resistance of the glass plies in MPa […] 179
Table 6.7 - maximum and minimum stresses at midspan and lateral sag 182
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Serviceability and post-failure behaviour

of laminated glass structural elements

Department of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

in candidacy for the degree of a

Dott. Lorenzo Ruggero Piscitelli

Richard Phillips Feynman 2

1 Structural glass introduction 1

2 State-of-the-art and aim of the research 19

7 Thesis and developments 185

Index of figures 217

Aim Of The Research

Investigation on long-term viscous effects

CHAPTER · VI CHAPTER · VII

DEM Discrete Element Model

per il significato che ha dato

1 STRUCTURAL GLASS INTRODUCTION

transparent architectures to instil in the general public or potential customers the

Glass Interface Interlayer

* only for post-failure, † temperature-dependent, ‡ time-dependent $ climatic-conditions dependent.

harnessed to improve the mechanical properties of many glass products through a

Chemical bonds comprising glass elements are extremely strong, in a way,

safety-perspective, large fragments produced by failure of float annealed elements

As tempered glass products can be installed on very high buildings, it is useful to

by extrusion, which is a cost-effective procedure but requires low viscosity in the

approach on molecular properties 27 . Moreover, when used as interlayers, pure

Figure 1.8 - a) entanglement and b) intermolecular cross-links (Delincé, 2014 [7])

Key properties for understanding the mechanical response of interlayer materials

traditional building materials: experimentally-derived constitutive equations have

Viscoplasticity is the theory that describes the rate-dependent inelastic behaviour

1.1.2.4 OTHER INTERLAYER MATERIALS AND MULTILAYER INTERLAYERS

A first discussion on non-mechanical factors influencing adhesion has been carried

At point in time, most of the architectural LG is being manufactured by using PVB

While standards take on the linear viscoelastic approach and time-temperature

2.2 SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE OVERVIEW

“The necessity is stressed to converge to as limited a number of test methods as

The article provides a detailed discussion on methods used to determine the

Form a conclusive analysis, having looked at most of the researches on the

Figure 2.5 - stress decomposition (Klompen, 2005 [156])

2.2.2 LG MODELS AND FULL-SCALE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSES

(Vallabhan, Minor & Nagalla)

By means of similar tests, K. Pankhardt and G. L. Balázs investigated the effects of

The state-of-the-art of analytical models for LG sandwich structures is set by two

 visco-elastic decay due to interlayers mechanics,

Among the first to methodically take on the challenge of glass reinforcements,

using glass as a sort of transparent concrete using steel reinforcements 27 . This

Promising results in terms of ductility were obtained by E. Speranzini and S

officially announced in the inaugural speech in 1992.

While the study of pre-stressed LG is inherently connected to reinforced LG (cfr.

Figure 2.15 - stress distribution in pre-stressed LG beams (Louter, 2014 [186])

While long-term effects of cold-bending have yet to be properly understood [146],

Despite its complicated behaviour, cold-bending is an alluring prospect for glass

2.3 AIM OF THE RESEARCH

extrapolate long-term viscoelastic properties from imposed sinusoidal actions may

2: Investigating the progressive damage effects of LG beams

Laminated glass is a composite material whose components present several

combination of forces. In short, mechanical work needed to transition from the

Figure 3.1 – typical linear elastic and hyperelastic response

applications in LG elements. The compressibility of a material is a functional which

For many engineering purposes, is consistently close to 1 for any stretching