Comparative study of glass products used in facades and their behaviour in fire

Glass products very often make part of facades as well as compartments inside buildings. Their behaviour in fire is complex and still not well understood. The aim of the following study was to compare the behaviour of float glass, laminated glass with and without a low-E coating, and fire-resistant glass when exposed to high temperatures. In total 27 samples 20x20cm2, initially around 8mm thick, were tested using a radiant panel consisting of electrical heating pads and the heat fluxes imposed were 15, 30 and 50 kW/m2. Temperature evolutions on the unexposed side were recorded and compared with those of other glass products exposed to the same regimes. The behaviour of laminated glass, fire-resistant glass and the effects of coating were analysed considering the reactions of interlayers at high temperatures. All three glass products: uncoated and coated laminated glass and fire-resistant glass performed better than standard float glass. The maximum temperature reached on the unexposed side of coated laminated glass was comparable to that of fire-resistant glass for lower heat fluxes. For higher heat fluxes, the fire-resistant glass was the most insulating. However, the behaviour of laminated glass strongly depended on the presence of coating, glass breakage and oxygen penetration in the interlayer.