Building a skyscraper, waterfront villa, or a structurally glazed façade? All these high-rise buildings have a chance of being exposed to powerful winds, so it would help to understand how glass responds to wind loads and pressure changes. Incorrect glass thickness or improper glass type can be a bad choice because they pose serious safety risks in environments where you have high wind loads, extreme pressure changes, even seismic activity.
This is where Sunrise Glass, trusted glass works companies in Oman come in because they can help you make informed decisions about glass specifications.
Standard Glass Fails Under Load In Demanding Projects
Standard float glass does not have the strength to handle heavy winds, and they are likely to break or bend. If you are building in Oman, you must be aware of the powerful Shamal winds, and sudden temperature shifts. The pressure exerted on a large glass panel can be too much for its capacity, even for a small building. This risk is unpredictably higher in high-rise buildings because wind speed and negative pressure increase.
What you need to counter this situation would be specialized fabrication glass, because that would be able to handle the winds and the pressure.
Ideal Glass Choices From Glass works companies in Oman
Here are some glass options that you can consider based on the building type and location
Toughened (tempered) glass: Toughened glass is stronger than annealed glass and thus suitable for places where there are strong winds. Even if they break, they will only break into small, less dangerous fragments, but the chances are low because they do have safety glazing.
Laminated glass: Known for its safety, Laminated glass is storm-proof. It offers safety from breaking, structural strength, and UV blocking.Laminated glass has a durable PVB interlayer that holds the glass together even when shattered, and holds the impact from flying debris. This kind of glass is essential in storm zones and for safety/security.
Insulating Glass Units (double-glazed): IGUs are popular because they improve stiffness, have incredible acoustic performance and thermal properties. Their multi-pane construction creates a very strong barrier that significantly reduces wind-driven noise. Their structural stability provides protection against pressure fluctuations and strong gusts.
Composite solutions: Often combining the different features in different glass can bring the desired results. For example, you can combine tempered and laminated glass for both strength and integrity after breakage.
Glass Thickness Calculations Assistance By The Decorative Glass Suppliers
When determining appropriate glass thickness for your building, you need to consider these five key concepts because they can affect the wind and snow load calculations on a project:
- Type of glass
- Specified design load
- Relative strength of glass
- Load share factor
- Load resistance
And of course, glass dimensions matter significantly. It is pertinent that a larger pane requires thicker glass when compared to a small one, to achieve the same wind resistance. Once installed, the number of supported edges also determines the strength of the installation. You will need a four-sided supported pane to withstand higher loads.
Conclusion
Sunrise Technical, double glazed glass suppliers, recommend insulated glass units (IGUs) in high-pressure applications because they can handle sustained pressure changes, and they offer superior thermal and acoustic insulation as well. Get in touch with them to know more.