2E5 Glass Structures L6 2014 VU

ADVANCED DESIGN OF GLASS STRUCTURES
Lecture 6 Fracture strength and testing

methods
Viorel Ungureanu
European Erasmus Mundus Master Course
Sustainable Constructions
under Natural Hazards and Catastrophic Events
520121-1-2011-1-CZ-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC
Introduction
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Glass is not able to yield plastically (no stress redistribution) thus its fracture strength is very
sensitive to stress concentrations. Since surface flaws cause high stress concentrations, the
characterization of the fracture strength of glass must incorporate the behaviour of such flaws.
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
BEAM
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
European Erasmus Mundus

Master Course
under Natural Hazards
and Catastrophic Events
Surface flaw on an accessible glazing

Edge
flaw caused
byand
grounding
L6 Fracture
strength
testing methods
Glass fracture mechanics

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
The initial acceleration of a flaw starts on a relatively smooth surface known as the mirror
zone. As the flaw continues to accelerate, the higher stress and greater energy release
produce some form of micro mechanical activity close to the crack tip, producing severe
surface roughening that finally causes the crack to bifurcate or branch along its front. An
elevation of the crack surface will reveal a progressive increase in the roughness of the
fracture surface from mirror to mist to hackle.
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
The mirror radius R is
approximately 8 to 16
times larger than the
initial flaw depth a
R
Master Course
a
L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
one (critical) flaw
flaw population
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
INERT STRENGTH
LEFM
(short-term)
LEFM + PROB
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
AMBIENT STRENGTH
LEFM + SCG
(long-term)
LEFM + SCG + PROB
LEFM : Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

SCG: Subcritical Crack Growth

Master Course
PROB: Theory of Probability

Linear elastic fracture mechanics

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture
Mechanics
STEEL or CONCRETE:
homogenous
TIMBER or GLASS:
not homogenous: defects
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
test strength = strength of the material
n < critical stress

Master Course
n: uniform stress
test strength << strength of material
n .Y.(.a)0.5 < critical value

n: uniform stress
Y: correction factor (defects)
a: depth of defects (flaws)
critical value: material constant
5

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
There is stress magnification near the tip of a crack.

The stress intensity factor KI: elastic stress intensity near a crack tip. Provides a means to
characterize the material in terms of its fracture toughness.
K I = Y . n . .a
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Master Course
KI : stress intensity factor
[MPa.m0.5]
Y : geometry factor
[-]
n : stress normal to the flaws plane [MPa]

a : flaw depth
[m]
Instantaneous failure of glass occurs when the elastic stress intensity KI, due to tensile
stress at the tip of a crack, reaches or exceeds a critical value. This critical value is a
material constant known as the fracture toughness or the critical stress intensity factor KIC.

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
K I = Y . n . .a
[MPa.m0.5]
Y : geometry factor
[-]
n : stress normal to the flaws plane [MPa]
Linear Elastic
Fracture
Mechanics
a : flaw depth
[m]
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Y = 1.12
a
Ground edge flaw
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
Annealed glass
n = E + r
Tempered glass
Surface flaw
Y=0.80
Master Course
a
n = E
Cut edge flaw
The fracture toughness or the critical

stress intensity factor KIC can be
considered to be a material constant
known with a high level of precision. Its
value for SLSG is around 0.75 MPam0.5.

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Inert conditions
Linear Elastic
Fracture
Mechanics
Failure when:
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
K I = K Ic

KIC : critical stress intensity factor
Y . f inert . .ac = 0.75 MPa.m0.5

Y=
0.75
f inert . .ac
f inert
0.75
=
MPa
Y . .ac
Characteristic
values in design
Stress causing failure of a crack of depth ac

(ac: critical flaw depth)
Resistance of a crack to instantaneous failure
(not triggered by sub critical crack growth)

Master Course
Stress corrosion
& Sub critical crack growth
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Instantaneous failure of glass occurs when the elastic stress intensity KI due to tensile
stress at the tip of a crack reaches or exceeds or the critical stress intensity factor KIC.
In vacuum (inert conditions), the strength of glass is time independent. In the presence of
humidity, however, stress corrosion causes flaws to grow slowly when they are exposed to
a positive crack opening stress. This happens for values of stress intensity at the crack tip
lower than KIC (sub critical crack growth).
Si-O-Si+H2O Si-OH+HO-Si
Stress corrosion is the chemical
reaction of a water molecule with silica
at the crack tip.
Glass
Water
Characteristic
values in design
Si
Si
H
H
Si
O
H
H
O
Si
H
O
Si
Si

Master Course
Stress corrosion - chemical phenomenon
Sub-critical crack growth - consequence of stress corrosion

Stress corrosion
& Sub critical crack growth
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
The growth of a surface flaw depends on the properties of the flaw and the glass, the stress
history and the relationship between crack velocity and stress intensity.
The crack velocity scales with the kinetics of the
chemical equation for the stress corrosion (region I).
Used for lifetime
predictions
In region II the kinetics of the chemical reaction

at the crack tip are no longer controlled by the
activation of the chemical process but by the
supply rate of water (water rate cant keep up
when the crack speed increases very fast)
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
For usual conditions, only region I (extremely

slow sub-critical crack growth) is relevant for
determining the design life of a glass element.
Characteristic
values in design
Stress intensity factor, KI
n, v0 - crack velocity parameters for structural design n=16
is reasonable and v0 =6mm*/s should be conservative
Master Course
In region III, close to KIC is independent of the

environment and approaches a characteristic
propagation speed very rapidly ( 1500m/s).
KIC Fracture toughness (material constant = 0.75

Mpa m0.5 for SLSG)).
Kth Threshold below which no crack growth occurs
0.55 Mpa m0.5 for SLSG.
Parameters affecting the relation between

and stress intensity facroe KI :
Humidity, temperature, PH value.
Loading rate (if it is too fast the water supply
suffer a shortage and the stress corrosion is
slow down).
Chemical composition of glass (affects all the
parameters in sub critical crack growth).
10
Lifetime of a glass element

single flaw
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Integration of the crack growth law, da = v0 .( K I ) n

dt
K Ic
considering a constant stress history, constant n and K I = Y . n (t ). .a (t )
1/ n
yields: f ct =
n ( n-2 ) / 2
t f .(n - 2 ).v0 . Y . / K Ic .ai
Given a stress story enables the calculation of:

the lifetime of a crack given its initial depth
or
the allowable initial crack depth given its required lifetime
Risk integral or Browns integral

(to characterize damage
accumulation in glass)
Characteristic
values in design
This is asymptotic to inert
strength, i.e.(tf tr) 0 as ai
af , and asymptotic to the
threshold strength,
i.e. (tf tr) as ai aTH

Master Course
Lifetime of a glass element

random surface flaw population (RSFP)
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
The single flaw model is adequate when the critical flaw is known and it is sure that it will
lead to failure. In situations other than that a random surface flaw population has to be
considered.
If the physical characteristics of the surface
cracks are unknown, the characteristic
tensile strength of glass is evaluated
statistically, from the 2-parameter Weibull
distribution of test specimens.
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Pf = 1 exp

Pf - Cumulative probability of failure

Failure stress of specimens which the surface area A is exposed to tensile stress.
Master Course
Scale parameter (depends on A)

Shape parameter of the Weibull distribution

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
one(critical) flaw
flaw population
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
INERT STRENGTH
LEFM
(short-term)
LEFM + PROB
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
AMBIENT STRENGTH
LEFM + SCG
(long-term)
LEFM + SCG + PROB
LEFM : Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

SCG: Subcritical Crack Growth

Master Course
PROB: Theory of Probability

13

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Flaw characteristics known

One flaw
finert
Flaw and environment characteristics known
Flaw population
One flaw
Pf,inert
(Weibull)
fambient
Flaw population
Pf,ambient
(Weibull)
Flaw characteristics known and environment characteristics not known
Testing methods
Testing
Characteristic
values in design
Testing
Testing
Inert + micr.
ambient
Y, a:
flaw
parameters
n, 0:
crack velocity
parameters
Inert
Test results
(fitting Weibull)
Pf,inert
or
ambient
Test results
(fitting Weibull)
Pf,ambient

Master Course
14
Testing methods
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
The (characteristic) strength of glass can be estimated experimentally with the coaxial
double ring (CDR) or the four point bending (4PB) test setup.
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
load
glass
specimen
loading ring
reaction ring
reaction
Testing methods
Coaxial double ring test

Characteristic
values in design
load
glass specimen

Master Course
reaction
reaction
Four point bending test

15
Testing methods
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Three point bending test:
Four point bending test:
one flaw is tested
a flaw population is tested
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Master Course
16
Testing methods
Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Technische Universitt Darmstadt,
Germany
standardized in EN 1288-1
large (EN 1288-2: 240000 mm) or
small (EN 1288-5: 254 mm) test surface area
stress rate: 2 MPa/s 0,4 MPa/s
rel. humidity: 40 % to 70 %
equibiaxial stress field (1 = 2)
the failure strength is influenced by the
surface conditions only
Characteristic
values in design
1 Load ring
Master Course
2 Specimen
3 Supporting ring
17
Testing methods
Introduction
Four point bending test
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
standardized in EN 1288-3
MPA Darmstadt,
Germany
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
size of the specimens: 1100 x 360 mm

stress rate: 2 MPa/s 0,4 MPa/s
rel. humidity: 40 % to 70 %
uniaxial stress field
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
the failure strength is influenced by the edge

and the surface conditions
the failure can occur from the edge or from
the surface
the test results outside the load span are
excluded

Master Course
Ls = 1000 mm
Lb = 200 mm
18
Characteristic values in design

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
The characteristic value corresponds to a fractile of 5%, and

can be determined according to EN 1990, EN 12603 and the
relevant product standards .
Glass type
Characteristic bending strength

fg;k i
[N/mm2]
Annealed glass
45
Testing methods
Heat strengthened glass
70
Characteristic
values in design
Fully tempered glass
120
Chemical strengthened glass
150*)
*)
depends on the surface conditions

Glasbau /Wrner et al.

Master Course
19

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Example: Determination of a the characteristic value in the drilled area of a flat glass.
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Parameters (specimens):
Glass type: Annealed glass
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Nominal size: 250 mm x 250 mm

Diameter of the central borehole: 50 mm
Lifetime of a glass
element
Nominal glass thickness: 6 mm
Testing methods
Parameters (testing):
Characteristic
values in design
Stress rate: 2 MPa/s 0,4 MPa/s

Rel. humidity: 50 %

Master Course
20

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
From the coaxial double ring test, the following values were obtained:
Measured
failure
stress
[N/mm2]
Measured failure
stress
[N/mm2]
Measured failure
stress
[N/mm2]
67.70
11
69.96
21
66.67
74.12
12
68.29
22
72.04
62.05
13
55.05
23
69.86
73.09
14
74.24
24
69.91
73.99
15
72.1
25
69.8
71.35
16
75.32
26
72.92
73.84
17
66.46
27
77.63
70.87
18
67.34
28
69.90
68.18
19
60.46
29
64.57
10
83.27
20
59.88
30
70.55
Stress corrosion &

SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Master Course
measured failure
stress
MPA Darmstadt, Germany

21

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Histogram and 2p-Weibull fitting:

Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
For brittle materials, the Weibull distribution is measured

the most
failure
stress
appropriate statistical strength distribution. In Europe, the
standard EN 12603 specifies procedures on evaluation of
test results with the 2p-Weibull distribution.
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Master Course
22

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
For brittle materials, the Weibull distribution is the most appropriate statistical strength
distribution. In Europe, the standard EN 12603 specifies procedures on evaluation of test
results with the 2p-Weibull distribution.
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
The cumulative distribution function of the 2p-Weibull distribution is given by:
Stress corrosion &

SCG
x
F ( x ) = 1 - exp( -( ) )
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
The experimental results were fitted to the 2p-Weibull distribution, using the Maximum
Likelihood Estimation method.
(The method according to EN 12603 can be used alternatively)
Using Matlab, the Weibull parameters were estimated:

Master Course
= 72.18 MPa
and
= 13.64
23

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
A probality plot shows the failure probability Pf of the measured data, which were fitted
to a 2p-Weibull distribution (large deviations at the lower bound!!!)
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Master Course
24

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
A probality plot shows the failure

probability Pf of the measured data, which
are fitted to a 2p-Weibull, Normal and 2pLognormal distribution: for these data the
tail fits best to the Weibull distribution
Lifetime of a glass
element
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design

Master Course
25

Introduction
Glass Fracture
Mechanics
Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Stress corrosion &
SCG
Lifetime of a glass
element
The probability of failure for the fitted 2p-Weibull distribution:
Pf = 1 - exp( -(
fg
) )
The characteristic strength fg;k corresponds to Pf = 0.05:
0.05 = 1 - exp( -(
fg;k
) )
Testing methods
Characteristic
values in design
= 72.18 MPa and = 13.64 are the estimated Weibull parameters.
Under the assumption, that the count of specimens is high, the characteristic strength
fg;k can be calculated approximately:
fg ;k = 72.18MPa* ( -ln(1 - 0.05))1 / 13.64 = 58.06MPa

Master Course
26
References
Anderson, T.L., Fracture mechanics, Fundamentals and Applications, Taylor & Francis Group, 2005.
Evans A.G., A method for evaluating the time-dependent failure characteristics of brittle materials and its application to
polycrystalline alumina. Journal of materials science 7: 1137-1146, 1972.
Fink A., Dissertation D17: Ein Beitrag zum Einsatz von Floatglas als Dauerhaft tragender Konstruktionswerkstoff im
Bauwesen. Technische Universitt Darmstadt, Institut fr Statik, Bericht Nr. 21, 2000.
Griffith A. A., The Phenomena of Rupture and Flow in Solids. Philosophical Transactions, Series A, 1920, 221: 163-198.
Haldimann M., Thse n3671: Fracture strength of structural glass elements analytical and numerical modelling, testing and
design. EPFL, Lausanne, 2006.
Haldimann M, Luible A, Overend M., Structural Engineering Document 10: Structural use of glass. IABSE / ETH Zrich,
Zrich, 2008.
Irwin G., Analysis of Stresses and Strains near the End of a Crack Traversing a Plate. Journal of Applied Mechanics, 1957,
24: 361-364.
Irwin, G.R., Crack-extension force for a part-through crack in a place. Journal of Applied Mechanics, 1962, pp. 651-654.
Porter M., Thesis: Aspects of Structural Design with Glass. Trinity, Oxford, 2001.
Schneider, J., Schula, S., Weinhold, W.P. (2010) Characterisation of the scratch resistance of annealed and tempered
architectural glass. Thin Solid Films - article in press, doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2011.04.104.
Schneider, J., Schula, S., Burmeister, A. (2011) Two mechanical design concepts for simulating the soft body impact at
glazings Part 1: Numerical, transient Finite Element simulation and simplified concept with equivalent static loads. Stahlbau
Spezial 2011 Glasbau/Glass in Building 80 (1) pp. 81 87.
Veer F.A., Rodichev Y.M., The structural strength of glass: hidden damage. Strength of materials, May 2011, Vol. 43, nr. 3.
Weller B., Nicklisch F., Thieme S., Weimar T., Glasbau-Praxis: Konstruktion und Bemessung. 2 Aufl. Berlin: Bauwerk, 2010.
Master Course
Wiederhorn S.M., Bolz L.H., Stress corrosion and static fatigue of glass. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 1970,
Vol. 53, p. 543 548.
Wrner, J.-D., Schneider, J., Fink, A. (2001) Glasbau: Grundlagen, Berechnung, Konstruktion. Springer, Berlin.
27
References
EN 1288-1 Glass in building - Determination of the bending strength of glass - Part 1: Fundamentals of testing glass
EN 1288-3 Glass in building - Determination of the bending strength of glass - Part 3: Test with specimen supported at two
points (four point bending)
EN 1288-5 Glass in building - Determination of the bending strength of glass - Part 5: Coaxial double ring test on flat
specimens with small test surface areas
EN 1990 Eurocode: Basis of structural design
EN 12600 Glass in building - Pendulum tests - Impact test method and classification for flat glass
EN 12603 Glass in building Procedures for goodness of fit and confidence intervals for Weibull distributed glass strenght
data
DIN 18008-1 Glass in Building - Design and construction rules - Part 1: Terms and general bases
DIN 18008-2 Glass in Building - Design and construction rules - Part 2: Linearly supported glazings
DIN 18008-3 Glass in Building - Design and construction rules - Part 3:Point fixed glazing
DIN 18008-4 Glass in Building - Design and construction rules - Part 4: Additional requirements for anti-drop device
DIN 18008-5 Glass in Building - Design and construction rules - Part 5: Accessible glazing

Master Course
28
This lecture was prepared for the 1st Edition of SUSCOS

(2012/14) by Prof. Sandra Jordo (UC).
Adaptations brought by Prof. Viorel Ungureanu (UPT) for

2nd Edition of SUSCOS

Master Course
29

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ADVANCED DESIGN OF GLASS STRUCTURES

Lecture 6 Fracture strength and testing

European Erasmus Mundus

Surface flaw on an accessible glazing

Glass fracture mechanics

Stress corrosion &

Glass fracture mechanics

one (critical) flaw

LEFM + SCG + PROB

LEFM : Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

European Erasmus Mundus

PROB: Theory of Probability

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

Linear elastic fracture mechanics

Stress corrosion &

test strength = strength of the material

n < critical stress

European Erasmus Mundus

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

test strength << strength of material

n .Y.(.a)0.5 < critical value

Linear elastic fracture mechanics

There is stress magnification near the tip of a crack.

Stress corrosion &

European Erasmus Mundus

KI : stress intensity factor

n : stress normal to the flaws plane [MPa]

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

Linear elastic fracture mechanics

KI : stress intensity factor

n : stress normal to the flaws plane [MPa]

Stress corrosion &

Ground edge flaw

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

Cut edge flaw

The fracture toughness or the critical

Linear elastic fracture mechanics

Stress corrosion &

KI : stress intensity factor

Y . f inert . .ac = 0.75 MPa.m0.5

Stress causing failure of a crack of depth ac

European Erasmus Mundus

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

& Sub critical crack growth

European Erasmus Mundus

Stress corrosion - chemical phenomenon

Sub-critical crack growth - consequence of stress corrosion

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

& Sub critical crack growth

In region II the kinetics of the chemical reaction

For usual conditions, only region I (extremely

In region III, close to KIC is independent of the

KIC Fracture toughness (material constant = 0.75

Parameters affecting the relation between

Lifetime of a glass element

Integration of the crack growth law, da = v0 .( K I ) n

Given a stress story enables the calculation of:

Risk integral or Browns integral

European Erasmus Mundus

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods

Lifetime of a glass element

Pf - Cumulative probability of failure

Scale parameter (depends on A)

L6 Fracture strength and testing methods