A recently published ASTM standard outlines procedures for determining the
strength of glass products used in buildings as windows and cladding. The n
ew standard uses structural mechanics relationships to define the strength
of a wide range of products, including monolithic glass, laminated glass an
d insulating glass. While the new standard is thorough and accurate, it is
also complex. The authors offer a simple approach to the design of these gl
ass products that applies to most building conditions, leaving only the exc
eptions to be treated by the complex process. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd
. All rights reserved.