Glass

Chapter four
Definition
A hard, brittle inorganic substance, usually transparent or
translucent substance, produced by fusing silica together with a
flux, and a stabilizer into a mass that cools to a rigid condition
without crystallization.

Architectural glass is glass that is used as a building material.

It is most typically used as transparent glazing material in the
building envelope, including windows in the external walls and
for internal partitions . 
 Production of Glass
Glass production involves two main methods –  
I. float glass :process that produces sheet glass,
II. glassblowing :that produces bottles and other containers.
 Float Glass Production Process
Float glass is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of
molten metal, typically tin, although lead and various low melting
point alloys were used in the past.
This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and very flat surfaces.
Modern windows are made from float glass.  the float glass process is
also known as the pilkington process, named after the British glass
manufacturer pilkington, who pioneered the technique (invented by
sir alastair pilkington) in the 1950s.
It consists of the following steps:
Stage 1- Melting & Refining
Fine grained ingredients closely controlled for quality, are mixed
to make a batch, which flows into the furnace, which is heated up
to 1500 degree Celsius.
The raw materials that go into the manufacturing of clear float
glass are:
•Sio2 – silica sand
•Na2o – sodium oxide from soda ash
•Cao – calcium oxide from limestone / dolomite
•Mgo – dolomite
•Al2o3 – feldspar
Stage 2 - Float Bath:

Glass from the furnace gently flows over the refractory spout
on to the mirror-like surface of molten tin, starting at 1100
degree Celsius and leaving the float bath as solid ribbon at 600
degree Celsius.
Stage 3 - Coating (for making reflective
glasses):
Coatings that make profound changes in optical properties can
be applied by advanced high temperature technology to the
cooling ribbon of glass. Online chemical vapour deposition
(CVD) is the most significant advance in the float process since
it was invented.
CVD can be used to lay down a variety of coatings, a few
microns thick, for reflect visible and infra-red radiance for
instance. Multiple coatings can be deposited in the few seconds
available as the glass flows beneath the coater.
Stage 4 - Annealing:

Despite the tranquility with which the glass is formed,

considerable stresses are developed in the ribbon as the glass
cools. The glass is made to move through the annealing lehr
where such internal stresses are removed, as the glass is cooled
gradually, to make the glass more prone to cutting.
Stage 5 - Inspection:

To ensure the highest quality inspection takes place at every

stage. Occasionally a bubble that is not removed during
refining, a sand grain that refuses to melt or a tremor in the tin
puts ripples in the glass ribbon.
Stage 6 - Cutting To Order:
Diamond steels trim off selvedge – stressed edges- and cut
ribbon to size dictated by the computer. Glass is finally sold
only in square meters.
 
 TYPES OF GLASSES
Today, flat glass comes in many highly specialized forms
intended for different products and applications.
Flat glass produced by way of the float process is often
further processed to give it certain qualities or
specificities.
In this way, the industry can meet the various
requirements and needs of the construction, automotive
and solar energy industries:
 TYPES
•Flat glass •Coated glass
•Safety glass •Pattern glass
•Acoustic glass •Annealed glass
•Coloured glass •Acid etched glass
•Special glass •Etched glass
•Extra clear glass •Fire rated glass
•Mirror glass
Flat Glass
There are 2 types of flat glass
1. The float
2. The printed glass
Float glass
Float glass is a transparent,
colorless or colored glass, with
uniform thickness and
homogeneous mass.
It is the ideal glass for
application that demand
perfect visibility.
 It is used in automotive
industry, of household
appliances, civil construction,
furniture and decoration.
Printed glass
The printed glass is a translucent flat glass,
colourless or coloured, which receives the printing
of a pattern (drawing) when is leaving the furnace.
It is used in civil construction, household
appliances, furniture and decoration.
Safety glass
Produced from the float glass, aiming to reduce the risks in
case of accident and accidental break.
The safety glasses are “those that, when broken, produce
fragments less susceptible to cause serious injuries”.
SAFETY GLASS TYPES
1. Tempered glass
2. Laminated glass
Tempered glass
The tempered glass is a float
glass that receives a thermal
treatment (it is heated and
cooled quickly), which
makes it more rigid and
resistant to breakage.
If it breaks it produces tips
and edges less cutting, and it
fragments in small round
pieces.
Laminated glass
The laminated glass is composed by two glass plates
intercalated by a plastic skin of great resistance.
The laminated glass is used as cover, facades, balconies,
guardrail, doors, windows, partitions, showcase, floorings and
others.
The laminated glass has other benefits, as the reduction of
external noise entrance (when compared to the common
glasses) and the protection against UV (Ultraviolet) rays.
Broken tempered laminated
glass
"wet blanket effect"
Acoustic glass
the acoustic glasses that
impede the noise from
passing from one
environment to the other.
This sound comfort can be
obtained through two
solutions: acoustic laminated
glass and the double glass (or
insulated).
ACOUSTIC GLASS
TYPES
1. Acoustic laminated glass
2. Double glass or insulated
 Acoustic
laminated glass
It is a glass laminated
with a special PVB
(acoustic)
Because of this it works
as an excellent acoustic
insulator.
It is an innovative
product that ensures a
powerful protection
against noises.
Insulated glass
It is the set of two glasses separated by an air or gas layer,
conferring a reduction in the sound propagation, in the entrance
of heat and endless decorative combinations.
the double glass is present in our daily life, as for instance, in
freezers and refrigerators doors (with the thermal insulation
function).
The double glazing can be composed by any type of glass,
improving the thermal and acoustic performance.
Besides that, it can be equipped with internal blinds that give
the set a differentiated aesthetic effect.
 Coloured glass
There are two types of
colored glasses:
1.painted
2. screen-printed.
Painted glass

Produced from a float glass, it

receives in the production line
a special painting, which gives
to it, besides the coloured and
shiny finishing, greater
resistance.
Its versatility makes it
possible to use in furniture,
residences, offices, hotels,
stores and museums.
Screen printed glass
Screen-printed glasses are glasses one
side of which is covered with
permanent decorative designs.
Special glass
With the technological advance in the creation of micro layers,
several special types of glasses have come up.
Actually, theses glasses have layers of diverse type of
materials, these layers of microscopic dimension that offer
several differentiated characteristics to the glass.
SPECIAL GLASS TYPES
• Sun protection glass
• Self-cleaning glass
• Low reflection glass
• Low-emissivity glass
Sun protection glass
Also known as reflective glass or solar control glass.
Being indicated for places where there is great incidence of
solar rays, like facade of buildings, windows, doors, balconies
and cover, as it provides a better thermal comfort.
 Function to reduce the entrance of heat inside the
environment, besides producing a control in the entrance of
light for the interior of the buildings
Self cleaning glass
The self-cleaning glass is visual identical to the normal glasses.
It ensures a clear vision in all the situations, even on rainy
days; and the self-cleaning layer is integrated to the glass and
because of this has a high level of durability, and do not wear
out over the time.
It shall be applied always in the external part of the buildings
like facades, covers, windows, doors, balconies and other in
highly polluted areas.
A nanometre-scale coating of titanium dioxide on the outer
surface of glass.
Low reflection glass
It is an extra clear float glass
Ideal for showcases, showrooms,
museums, authorized dealers,
displays and other types of
applications that need to avoid the
discomfort of the light reflection
in the glass, which many times
forces the person to create a
shadow in front to observe the
object that is behind the glass.
Low emissivity glass
It does not enables the heat exchange between the internal and
external environment.
It has the appearance of a colourless float glass, reducing the
entrance of heat or cold.
Used in the commercial refrigerating market and on civil
construction, in facades and covers.
Extra clear glass
It is an extremely transparent glass, that is, without the green
shade common to the colourless glasses.
This happens because in its composition there is one less
concentration of iron oxide.
Used in civil construction, decoration and household
appliances.
Acid etched glass
They are glasses treated with acid
and with whitish appearance.
It offers several aesthetic options
for architect and decorators.
Fire rated glass
The fire-rated glasses,
without the metal mesh,
are laminated glasses
composed by several
intercalated plates with
transparent chemical
material that melts and
dilates(expand) in case
of fire.
Annealed glass

It is common glass that tends to

break into large, jagged shards.
It is used in some end products
and often in double-glazed
windows.
It is also the starting material
used to produce more advanced
products through further
processing such as laminating,
toughening, coating, etc. 
Mirror glass
To produce mirrored glass,
a metal coating is applied
to one side of the glass.
The coating is generally
made of silver, Aluminum,
gold or chrome.

Mirrored glass is gaining a

more prominent place in
architecture, for important
functional reasons as well as
for the aesthetic effect.
 Pattern glass
Patterned glass is flat glass
whose surfaces display a
regular pattern.
Patterned glass is mostly
used in internal decoration
and internal architecture.
Glass block
Glass block, also known as glass brick, is an architectural
element made from glass used in areas where privacy or visual
obscuration is desired while admitting light, such as
underground parking garages, washrooms, and municipal
swimming baths.
Glass block was originally developed in the early 1900s to
provide natural light in industrial factories.
Coated glass
Surface coatings can be applied to glass to modify its appearance
and give it many of the advanced characteristics and functions
available in today's flat glass products, such as low maintenance,
special reflection/transmission/absorption properties, scratch
resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.
Examples

The Botanical Garden of Curitiba

Kanagawa Institute of Technology Workshop,

Tokyo
 The Farnsworth House, Plano

Louvre Pyramid, Paris

Thank you
 Quiz
1. write down the process of glass production.
2. List down and discuss at least five types of glasses used for
buildings.
3. What are the main ingredients of concrete?
4. What is the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous
metals?
5. What do we mean by ‘seasoning of timber’ and why do we
season timber?