Glass as a Building Material PDF

GLASS AS A BUILDING MATERIAL Glass Building Material is a mixture of raw materials like silica, sodium potassium carbonate, lime or lead oxide, manganese oxide which are grounded, sieved, and mixed in specific proportion to make glass. Glass Building Material has unique properties a...

GLASS AS A BUILDING MATERIAL Glass Building Material is a mixture of raw materials like silica, sodium potassium carbonate, lime or lead oxide, manganese oxide which are grounded, sieved, and mixed in specific proportion to make glass. Glass Building Material has unique properties as a transparent glazing material in the construction industry. It has various architectural applications in doors, windows, partitions, etc. WHAT IS GLASS? Glass Building Material is one of the oldest & multifaceted materials utilizing in the building industry. Glass has been used to enhance the aesthetic view of structure and is fascinating material ever since it was discovered It is an open hard substance created by giving heat to sand or quartz, glass forms an inorganic, transparent, or translucent material which can be molded into any shape. Glass is a hard substance which may be transparent or translucent and brittle. The fusion process used to manufacture glasses. In this process, sand is fused with lime, soda, and some other admixtures and then cooled rapidly. Glasses used in construction purposes and architectural purposes in engineering. It is a transparent glazing material, providing the architect’s new designs and possibilities to enhance the look and features of the building. It is one of the most versatile materials to be used in the construction industry. TYPES OF GLASS USED IN CONSTRUCTION There are 11 types of glass used in construction industries, 1. Sheet or Flat Glass 2. Float Glass 3. Laminated Glass 4. Shatterproof Glass 5. Energy-efficient Glass 6. Wired Glass 7. Tinted Glass 8. Toughened Glass 9. Chromatic Glass 10. Glass Blocks 1. Sheet or Flat Glass Building Material Sheet glass is produced by having molten glass pass through the rollers to manufacture a nearly flat finish. Sheet glass can be cut via a glass cutter and no special equipment is needed. It’s generally available in the market in a range of standard sizes/thicknesses. Due to the comparatively low cost of this glass and its lack of distortion, flat glass is mainly used in glazing greenhouses and where the visual distortion isn’t an issue as opposed to domestic windows, etc. 2. Float Glass Building Material Float glass is made from sodium silicate and calcium silicate, it is also known as soda-lime glass. It is clear and flat, so it causes glare. Thickness of the float glass is available from 2mm to 20mm. The “Float” name suggests the method used to manufacture it, where the molten glass is floated onto a bed of molten tin. This gives us a flat, clear, distortion-free glass. Float glass can be cut by utilizing a glass cutter without a need for special equipment. The functions of this type of glass include fixed & opening windows above waist height, shop fronts, as well as in public places. 3. Laminated Glass As the name refers, this glass comprises layers of ordinary glass bonded by a transparent, flexible material. As it is a sandwich made up of two or more sheets of glass. This glass comprising of 2 sheets of toughened glass and a laminate in the middle portion. This is typically 6mm toughened/2.28mm laminate/6mm toughened. This type of glass is commonly UV and soundproof, which explains its applications in the construction of bridges, stairs and aquariums. It is mostly the best suited for making glass canopies as it can reduce harmful rays. 4. Shatterproof Glass Shatterproof glass is a type of glass that is resistant to shattering. In other words, it doesn’t break into pieces in the event of destruction. Making up of shatterproof glass includes the addition of a plastic polyvinyl butyral resin to prevent it from forming sharp pieces. It is commonly used in windows, floors, and skylights. 5. Energy-efficient Glass This type of glass building material is manufactured by glazing float glass with a special thin coating on one side. This glazing allows solar energy to pass through in only one direction while minimizing the transfer of thermal energy in the other direction. 6. Wired Glass Building Material Wired glass glass building material has a wire mesh provided in the middle portion of the structure of glass. The main objective of the wire is to hold the glass together in the event of cracking or breaking, however, it doesn’t stop the glass from forming sharp pieces when broken. Wired glass is available as clear or obscured, wired glass is generally used in more industrial areas or structures such as garages. 7. Tinted Glass Building Material Tinted glass is nothing but colored glass. A color producing ingredients is mixed to the normal glass mix to produce colored glass which does not affect other properties of glass.  Different color-producing ingredients are tabulated below: Colouring ion Color Iron oxide Green Sulphur Blue Manganese dioxide Black Cobalt Blue Chromium Dark green Titanium Yellowish brown Uranium Yellow Table 1: Different Types of Ions Used to Produce Various Colors in Glasses 8. Toughened Glass Toughened glass is used extensively throughout the industry for its ability to resist breaking, also called safety or tempered glass. If it breaks, it does so into much smaller called ‘safer’ pieces as opposed to large shards (like float glass). Toughened glass is typically used in home interiors such as the kitchen (for its heat resistance), and shower screens, glass balustrade, and swimming pool fencing. It can also be utilized in laminated panels where extra safety precautions should be taken. 9. Chromatic Glass Chromatic glass is used in ICU’s, meeting rooms etc. it can control the transparent efficiency of glass and protects the interior from daylight. The chromatic glass may be photochromic which has light sensitive lamination, thermos-chromatic which has heat sensitive lamination and electrochromic which has electric lamination over it. 10. Glass Blocks Glass block or glass bricks are manufactured from two different halves and they are pressed and annealed together while melting process of glass. These are used as architectural purpose in the construction of walls, skylights etc. They provide aesthetic appearance when light is passed through it. 12. Glass Wool Glass wool is made of fibers of glass and acts as an insulating filler. It is fire-resistant glass. PROPERTIES OF GLASS Glass has 5 main engineering properties due to which utilization of glass has become vast in construction industries; 1. Transparency: Transparency is the main and primary engineering property of glass that allows us to see through it. Due to this property glass can be transparent from both sides or from one side only and the other side acts like a mirror. 2. Work-ability and Recycle Property: Glass has superior workability as it can be molded into countless shapes or blown during melting. Also, any type of glass can be 100% recyclable and used as a raw material in construction. 3. Strength: Glass’s strength is measured by its modulus of rupture value. Glass is generally brittle or tends to break easily but we can made it stronger by adding admixtures and laminates. 4. Transmittance: This property of glass refers the visible fraction of light passing through the glass. 5. U Value: This represents how much heat is transferred through the glass. Insulated glass units provide a low U value. ADVANTAGES OF GLASS The following are major advantages of glass, 1. Transparency Is Good Glass is a unique transparent material that allows light to pass through it so that the objects behind the glass are visible clearly. This property of glass allows you to connect with the outer world visually, even when the door and windows are closed, it enables the light to flow in. Thus, it saves energy and reduces electricity bills. 2. Dust-proof and Waterproof Glass has a glossy and smooth surface, so it becomes dustproof and can be cleaned efficiently. Unlike other materials, it is easy to maintain. Another advantage is, it is waterproof. Due to such dual advantageous benefits of glass as the dustproof & waterproof material, it is mostly preferred in the areas often clad with dust and sand in the air. 3. Color Availability Glass is available in a wide range of colors, and when we combine the glass sheet in laminated or insulated units, it changes in color and enhances the beauty of appearance. Laminated glass can be made with a wide range of colored interlayers to provide exceptional lighting effects. 4. Aesthetically Appealing Glass enables an ideal way to show off a product aesthetically. The glassy effect it can make the structure look more stunning, sophisticated and adds beauty to the building. 5. Recyclable The other benefits we can gain from glass recycling are, energy can be saved, it is cost-effective, it reduces water pollution and air pollution to a certain extent and it also conserves natural resources, etc. Glass material is 100% recyclable, and it does not degrade during the recycling process. Thus, it can be recycled more time without compromising on quality or purity. 6. UV Stable Glass is UV stable since it is not affected by ultraviolet radiation and hence cracks, discoloration or disintegration will not occur. 7. Weather and Rust resistant Among all of the materials utilized in building, glass is anti-corrosive material, and only under certain conditions, the glass is chemically attacked. Glass is fully weather resistant. It can give greater support against the effects of the wind, rain, or the sun and can retain its appearance and integrity in most of the given conditions. 8. Easily Molded Glass building material is a transparent, hard material that can be easily molded into desired shapes. It is manufactured by the application of heat into the sand. So, glass can be drawn and pressed to any desired shape and thus used for general glazing purposes in building, shop fronts, building doors, windows, and workshops. 9. Insulator of Electricity Glass building material is an excellent insulator. It does not readily conduct electricity. It makes sure that you are safe from any electrical hazards. Due to these unique and advantageous properties, glass can be used for the formation of ceiling light, decorating wall light, and various other electrical appliances. DISADVANTAGES OF GLASS The following are major cons of glass, 1. Cost Is High The manufacturing of glass is a highly energy-consuming process due to the high temperatures required for processing the raw materials. Using glass in a building increases the total cost of security & privacy because of the transparency that it offers. 2. Glass Is a Brittleness Glass is a stiff, rigid, and brittle material. When glass is subjected to stress, it fails/breaks without any significant strain. Cracked pieces of glass may be very sharp, and the chances of injury to humans become very high. 3. Impact Resistant Is Low The Glass is less resistant against impact load, so the capability of the glass to withstand an immediately applied load is very poor. It will immediately break under impact. 4. Corrosion Due To Alkali Solution The Glass is affected by alkalis ions. Alkali solution dilutes a glass surface, and if the supply of alkali is more, this type of corrosion takes place at a uniform rate. 5. Unsafe for Earthquake-prone Areas Structures that are located in earthquake-prone areas require to be specially designed to take horizontal loads and movements. The material of glass is more brittle than other material, hence it tends to break or collapse quickly. 6. Maintenance Cost Is High In more dust-prone regions & humid areas, dust particles will stick to the glass surface and hence it will not only look dirty and shabby but the internal lighting, as well as transparency, will be poor. APPLICATION OF GLASS Packaging (jars for food, bottles for drinks, flacon for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals) Tableware (drinking glasses, plate, cups, bowls) Housing and buildings (windows, doors, facades, conservatory, insulation, reinforcement structures, Green house) Interior design and furniture (mirrors, partitions, balustrades, tables, shelves, lighting) Appliances and Electronics (oven doors, cook top, TV, computer screens, smart- phones) Automotive and transport (windscreens, backlights, light weight but reinforced structural components of cars, aircrafts, ships, etc.) Medical technology, biotechnology, life science engineering, optical glass Radiation protection from X-Rays (radiology) and gamma-rays (nuclear) Fibre optic cables (phones, TV, computer: to carry information) Renewable energy (solar-energy glass, wind turbines) All of this is made possible by the countless properties of the glass substance. Is Glass a Good Building Material? In modern days glass is gaining its popularity as a good and efficient building material. For both High rise buildings and local construction glass has been used widely these days. Glass can add beauty to the structures regarding its property to transmit, absorb or refract light in possible direction. Hence could be considered as a good building material. Why is Glass important in Construction? Having a property as transparent glazing material it is used in many components of the structure. It has various architectural applications in doors, windows, partitions, etc. It enables to connect with the outer world visually, at the same time providing safety, security, and privacy.