Building codes are changing rapidly to encompass architectural structures in coastal areas. One major element that buildings in coastal regions must have is an envelope for protection from potential hurricanes. All components of the building shell must be able to resist the effects of windborne debris as well as sustained turbulent winds lasting several hours. Hurricane Resistant Glass / hurricane proof glass is a type of  glass that is becoming increasingly popular for this requirement. 

Hurricane-resistant glass helps preserve the building envelope, keeping wind, rain, excess air pressure and noise out. Even when used in skylights, this glass does not shatter or break apart in case of a hurricane.

Hurricane proof glass can altogether eliminate the need for hurricane shutters. The cost of retrofitting an old building with this glass has a significant cost. Modern code requirements, which include hurricane shutters or similar protection for new houses in coastal areas, make the glass a more practical option at the time of construction. The best hurricane glass is similar to a car windshield, with a durable plastic-like layer sandwiched between two sheets of glass. The outside layers break, but the centre remains intact and prevents further damage.

Manufacturing Process

A method for producing hurricane-resistant glass, mainly includes the steps of: cutting and abrading the edges of a glass; feeding the glass into a tempering furnace and heating the glass to a critical state of the softening point; feeding the glass heated to a critical state of the softening point at a speed of 25-50 cm/s into a cooling chamber, to allow the glass to develop a surface compressive stress of not less than 150 MPa; etching the cooled glass with an etching solution; and rinsing surfaces of the glass.

Hurricane-resistant insulating glass

Hurricane-resistant insulating glass is made of heat strengthened low-E lites permanently bonded with one or more layers of durable PVB (polyvinyl butyral) resin sheeting. In exhaustive impact tests, broken glass fragments are adhered to the bonded plastic vinyl interlayer, reducing the risk of injury, shattering of glass and breaching the building envelope.

Modern Hurricane Proof Glass with P.E.T Films

Hurricane resistant glass with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film is a superior alternative to conventional hurricane resistant methods. There is also another kind of hurricane resistant glass which has a combination of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, components which improve impact resistance, safety, retention, energy efficiency, sound attenuation and UV blocking. In addition, if the glass incorporates a Low-E coating on one of the surfaces, it enhances solar performance by 25% compared to an uncoated glass laminate.

Points to be Remembered

When choosing the right hurricane resistant glass for your application, use the following checklist:

1. Determine the applicable building code and test method
2. Determine the required design pressure/wind load
3. Qualify the missile requirement - large and/or small missile
4. Identify the largest glass size
5. If using a tested or certified framing system, confirm the laminated glass qualified with the particular manufacturer^s product
6. If not using a tested or certified frame, evaluate system design details, such as:
   
   1. Glazing method - conventional or structurally glazed
   2. Glass bite - Often large missile applications require a minimum edge engagement of 5/8" to augment performance.
   3. Anchorage and hardware requirements - typically large missile applications require an enhanced design.