6.

0 DETERMINATION OF SAFE THICKNESS OF GLASS

6.1 General

Once the type of glass to be used is selected, section deals with the
determination of appropriate thickness of glass. The thickness of the glass to be
used in window panels is governed by the following factors:

i. Area to be covered by the window panel.

ii. Support conditions (supported on two sides or four sides).
iii. Aspect ratio of window panel (length / breadth).
iv. Effective wind pressure at the window height
v. Strength/load bearing capacity of glass to be used.

A simplified procedure is described in the following sections for the

determination of appropriate thickness of glass in a window panel. In general,
the provisions of Australian Code AS 1288-1994, British Code BS 6262 (Part-3)
- 1996 and IS 3548-1988 have been considered. The wind pressure
computation is based on the procedure given in IS: 875 (Part –3) 1987,
(Reaffirmed 1997).

The salient features of the procedure are as follows:

• The maximum area of glass panel is restricted to 15 m2.

• The maximum span of window is restricted to 4 m.
• Aspect ratio of the glass panel should be greater than 1.5. If it is less than
1.5, next higher available thickness should be selected.
• The factor of safety used is 2.5 considering the variability in strength of
glass.
• Applicable to normal, reflective, laminated, tempered and insulating glass.
• Applicable to rectangular panels properly fixed.
• Design minimum thickness of the glass will be the maximum value of the
thickness arrived at under article 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5.

The numerical examples for computation of glass thickness for various locations
and glass specifications are given in the article 6.6.
6.2 Standard Nominal Thickness (SNT)

The glass sheets may have different thickness at different locations. Table 6.1
shows acceptable thickness limits for different types of the glass.

Table 6.1: Thickness Limits for Standard Nominal Thickness of Glass (mm)
Type of glass Standard nominal Thickness limits
thickness Minimum Maximum

Normal Reflective& 3 2.8 3.2

Tempered glass 4 3.8 4.2
5 4.8 5.2
6 5.8 6.2
8 7.7 8.3
10 9.7 10.3
12 11.7 12.3
15 14.5 15.5
19 18.0 20.0
25 23.5 26.5

Laminated glass 5.38 4.95 5.81

6.38 5.95 6.81
8.38 7.95 8.81
10.38 9.95 10.81
12.38 11.95 12.81
16.38 15.75 17.01

6.3 Design Considerations

This article deals with the design strength of the glass and the empirical relation
to evaluate the minimum thickness or the maximum allowable area of the glass
panel for a particular glass type for given set of design wind pressure, support
condition and aspect ratio.

6.3.1 Design Flexural Tensile Strength of Glass

The required thickness of the glass depends upon the design strength obtained
after applying a factor of safety of 2.5. The minimum design strength of normal
glass for thickness ≤ 6mm is 16.7 N/mm2 and for thickness > 6mm is 15.2
N/mm2.
6.3.2 Empirical Relationship
Assuming that the normal glass has design strength in accordance with article
6.3.1, following empirical relation between the wind pressure, area of the glass
panel and the required glass thickness can be used:

Pnet * A = 200.0 * Tk (T ≤ 6 mm) … (6.1)

Pnet * A = 200.0 * Tk + 1900 (T > 6 mm) … (6.2)

where,
Pnet = Net design wind pressure (N/m2) as per article
6.5
A = area of glass panel (m2)
T = SNT of the normal glass (mm),
k = a constant as shown in table 6.2.

Table 6.2: SNT and Corresponding ‘k’ values

‘T’ ‘k’ ‘T’ ‘k’
3 mm 1.683 10 mm 1.578
4 mm 1.732 12 mm 1.583
5 mm 1.753 15 mm 1.579
6 mm 1.765 19 mm 1.569
8 mm 1.570 25 mm 1.569

6.3.3 Limiting Aspect Ratio (ARmax)

The design of the thickness using empirical relation in accordance with article
6.3.2 will be valid upto a limiting aspect ratio ARmax. The value of ARmax for
different SNT of glass is shown in the following table 6.3.

Table 6.3: SNT and Corresponding ARmax values

SNT ARmax SNT ARmax
3 mm 7.3 10 mm 4.9
4 mm 6.8 12 mm 4.3
5 mm 6.5 15 mm 3.8
6 mm 6.3 19mm 3.3
8 mm 5.9 25 mm 2.9

6.4 Determination of Minimum Glass Thickness

The determination of minimum glass thickness of panels of different types of
glass supported on four sides as well as two opposite sides is discussed in the
following sections.
6.4.1 Glass Panels Supported on all four sides
The thickness of panels of normal glass can be obtained using the empirical
relation explained in article 6.3.2. This relation is valid for the glass having the
minimum design strength of the material as mentioned in article 6.3.1 and the
maximum aspect ratio limited to a value in accordance with article 6.3.3.
However, if the aspect ratio exceeds the prescribed values under article 6.3.3,
the design will be carried out in accordance with the article 6.4.2 applicable to
glass supported on two opposite sides.

6.4.1.1 Normal (Annealed) /Reflective Glass

The minimum thickness of normal/reflective glass for a particular value of net
design wind pressure Pnet can be evaluated as per the procedure given in article
6.3. User can refer table 6.5 or the figure 6.1 to directly obtain the minimum
thickness or the allowable maximum area of the glass panel.

6.4.1.2 Laminated/Tempered/Insulating Glass

To determine the thickness of laminated / tempered / insulating glass, the design
wind pressure Pnet is modified as below:
Pnet = Pnet/Pf
where, Pf is the pressure factor dependent on the type of glass.

The values of the pressure factor Pf can be taken from table 6.4 as below:

Table 6.4: The values of the pressure factor Pf

S. No Glass type Pf
1. Normal (Annealed) 1.00
2. Laminated 0.80
3. Tempered 2.5
4. Insulating 1.50
5. Heat Strengthen 1.60

Using the modified value of Pnet as explained in this article, the thickness of other
types of glass can be obtained in accordance with article 6.3. However, tables
6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9 or figures 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 may be referred to directly get the
minimum thickness or the allowable maximum area of glass panel for laminated,
tempered, insulated and heat strengthen glass respectively.
6.4.2 Glass Supported on two opposite sides
Normal and laminated glass panels supported on two opposite sides can be
designed using following empirical relations:

For T ≤ 6 mm
4.39 × T
b= … (6.3)
Pnet / Pf

For T > 6 mm
4.22 × T
b= … (6.4)
Pnet / Pf

Tempered glass panels supported on two opposite sides can be designed using
following empirical relations:

For T ≤ 6 mm
3.2688 × T
b= … (6.5)
Pnet / Pf

For T > 6 mm
2.9069 × T
b= … (6.6)
Pnet / Pf

Where,

b = Span in meters
Pnet = Net design wind pressure in N/m2 as per article 6.5
Pf = Pressure factor as given in Table 6.4.
T = SNT of glass (mm)

• For laminated glass, thickness of PVB, 0.38 mm should be reduced i.e. T

= SNT – 0.38
• For insulating glass, thickness of only one glass pane shall be considered.
If the glass panes are of different thickness, the minimum of the two
thicknesses shall be considered.

Above empirical relation may be used to calculate thickness of different types of

glass for given pressure and span.
Table 6.10 / figure 6.6 for normal glass, table 6.11 / figure 6.7 for laminated
glass and table 6.12 / figure 6.8 for tempered glass 6.13 / figure 6.9 for heat
strengthen glass may also be used directly.

6.5 Design Wind Pressure (Pnet)

Net design wind pressure (Pnet) is an important parameter governing the
thickness of glass to be used in the window panels. It depends on several
factors i.e location of building (wind zone), construction patterns around
buildings (terrain category), topography of site, building plan and height etc.

Net design wind pressure (Pnet), may be defined using the following equation:

Pnet = Pz x Cp ………. (6.7)

where, Cp = Net pressure coefficient as per IS: 875 (part. 3) 1987

Pz = Design wind pressure at height
‘z’ (N/m2) as per IS: 875 (part. 3) 1987.

6.6 Examples to determine the appropriate thickness of glass panel for an

Office Building in Delhi Region.
The procedure to calculate the appropriate thickness of the glass panel has
been explained under previous articles. The wind pressure has been calculated
using IS 875 (Part 3) 1987. In order to illustrate the steps, some examples are
solved as follows:

Example - 1:
The design of tempered glass panel of size 3.0 x 1.5 m supported on four sides
for a 60 m high office building located in Delhi in terrain category II. The plan of
building is rectangular with the size as 50 x 60 m. The permeability of building is
between 5% to 20%.

Design:
The step-by-step procedure to obtain the minimum thickness of the glass panel
for a building with above mentioned parameters is explained below:
Step 1 : Selection of Design Wind Pressure Pz
Select value of wind pressure for Delhi, Wind Zone-IV, terrain category - II and
height of window 60 m above ground. This can be taken from I.S: 875 (Part3)
and the value is 2127.25 N/m2

Step 2: Selection of Net pressure coefficient Cp

The value of Cp for permeability in the range of 5% - 20 % and h/w = 60/50 = 1.2
being between ½ & 6, is 1.7 as per IS 875 (Part 3) 1987.

Step 3: Computation of net wind Pressure Pnet.

Delhi is in wind zone IV where the basic wind speed is 47 m/s. For this wind
speed, I.S: 875 (Part3) gives the value of wind pressure at various heights &
terrain categories. For 60m height, terrain category II, the value of wind pressure
is 2127.25 N/m2.

Net Pressure Pnet = Pz x Cp

= 2127.25 x 1.7
= 3616.33 N/m2

Step 4: Calculation of minimum thickness in accordance with article 6.4

(supported on all sides)
Aspect ratio = 3.0 / 1.5 = 2.00
Area of panel = 3.0 x 1.5 = 4.5 m2

Now referring table 6.7 for the Tempered glass, it is clear that 8 mm thickness is
required for the wind pressure 3616 N/m2 & 7.5 m2 glass area. Hence, the glass
thickness of 8 mm shall be used. The same thickness is arrived at using the fig.
6.3 also.

Following the above procedure and keeping all other parameters same as in
example-1, the thickness for reduced window panel size of 1.0 x 1.8 m comes
out to be 5 mm of tempered glass.

Example: 2
Design of a glass panel supported on two opposite sides, 1.5 m apart with all
other parameters same as on example 1.
Design:
Under such support conditions, the thickness of a tempered glass will be
calculated using equation 6.6 as given below:

4.22 × T
b=
Pnet / Pf

T = 13.5 mm

where, b = span of glass

= 1.5 m
Pnet = Net design wind pressure
Pf = 2.5 for tempered glass thickness greater than 6mm (Table – 6.4)
Pnet = 3616.33 / 2.5
= 1446.53 N/m2

Substituting values of Pnet & b, the thickness of glass panel comes out to be, T =
13.5 mm. As 13.5 mm glass thickness is not commercially available, 15 mm
glass thickness shall be used.
For 1.0 x 1.8m size window supported on two edges, 1.0m apart and for same
wind pressure, thickness of tempered glass panel comes out to be 9.01 mm.
However, 10 mm size will have to be provided due to non-availability of 9.01 mm
thickness. This is due to the fact that thickness of glass may decrease with
decrease in span.

Example 3:
Same as Example 1 with a change in the location of the glass panel at a height
of 45 m.

Design:
All the steps explained under example 1 will be followed and some of the
important calculations are being shown below:

Design wind pressure Pz for terrain category II is 2033 N/m2

Coefficient Cp = 1.7
Net Pressure Pnet = Pz x Cp
= 2033 x 1.7 = 3456 N /m2

From table 6.7, it is clear that the thickness of 8 mm tempered glass is sufficient
to cater a pressure of 3456 N/m2 for 4.5 m2 panel area.

Example 4 :
Same as in Example 1 with a change in the location of the glass panel at a
height of 20 m.

Design:
All the steps explained in example 1 will be followed and some of the important
calculations are being shown below:

Design Wind Pressure Pz for Terrain Category II is 1737 N/ m2.

Coefficient Cp = 1.7
Net Pressure Pnet = Pz x Cp = 1737 x 1.7
= 2952.9 N /m2

From table 6.7, the maximum allowable area for 8 mm thick tempered glass
panel is 5.90m2, which is greater than the area of 4.5m2 glass panel. Hence, 8
mm thick tempered glass panel can also be used at this height.

Example 5 :
Same as Example 1 with a change in the location of the glass panel at a height
10 m.

Design:
All the steps explained under example 1 will be followed and some of the
important calculations are being shown below:

Design Wind Pressure Pz for Terrain Category II is 1517 N/ m2

Coefficient Cp = 1.7

Net Pressure Pnet = Pz x Cp = 1517x 1.7 = 2578.9 N /m2

From table 6.7, it is clear that the required thickness of the tempered glass for 4.5
m2 panel will be 6 mm.

Considering above examples, a summary of the required thickness of tempered

glass for glass panel sizes of 3.0 x 1.5m fixed on all sides is shown in the
following table:

Height of window above Glass types SNT

the ground level
Height 10 m Tempered 6 mm
Height 20 m Tempered 8 mm
Height 45 m Tempered 8 mm
Height 60 m Tempered 8 mm

In order to use normal glass instead of tempered glass, the thickness of glass
panel comes out as given in the following table.

Height of window above Glass types SNT

the ground level
Height 10 m Normal 12 mm
Height 20 m Normal 15 mm
Height 45 m Normal 15 mm
Height 60 m Normal 19 mm

From the above exercise it is inferred that the required thickness of the glass
panel may reduce with the reduction in the height as well as reduction in size of
the window panel.
 Table 6.5 : Maximum Areas (m2) for Normal (Annealed) Glass Fixed on all four sides.
Design
Wind Pr. Standard Nominal Thickness of glass in mm
(N/m2)
3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 15.00 19.00 25.00
500 2.540 4.410 6.720 9.450 14.270 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
550 2.310 4.010 6.110 8.590 12.970 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
600 2.120 3.680 5.600 7.880 11.890 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
650 1.950 3.400 5.170 7.270 10.980 14.570 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
700 1.820 3.150 4.800 6.750 10.190 13.530 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
750 1.690 2.940 4.480 6.300 9.510 12.630 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
800 1.590 2.760 4.200 5.910 8.920 11.840 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
850 1.490 2.600 3.950 5.560 8.390 11.140 14.260 15.000 15.000 15.000
900 1.410 2.450 3.730 5.250 7.930 10.520 13.460 15.000 15.000 15.000
950 1.340 2.320 3.540 4.970 7.510 9.970 12.760 15.000 15.000 15.000
1000 1.270 2.210 3.360 4.730 7.130 9.470 12.120 15.000 15.000 15.000
1050 1.210 2.100 3.200 4.500 6.790 9.020 11.540 15.000 15.000 15.000
1100 1.160 2.010 3.050 4.300 6.490 8.610 11.020 14.810 15.000 15.000
1150 1.100 1.920 2.920 4.110 6.200 8.230 10.540 14.170 15.000 15.000
1200 1.060 1.840 2.800 3.940 5.950 7.890 10.100 13.580 15.000 15.000
1250 1.020 1.770 2.690 3.780 5.710 7.580 9.690 13.030 15.000 15.000
1300 0.980 1.700 2.580 3.640 5.490 7.280 9.320 12.530 15.000 15.000
1350 0.940 1.630 2.490 3.500 5.280 7.010 8.980 12.070 15.000 15.000
1400 0.910 1.580 2.400 3.380 5.100 6.760 8.660 11.640 15.000 15.000
1450 0.880 1.520 2.320 3.260 4.920 6.530 8.360 11.230 15.000 15.000
1500 0.850 1.470 2.240 3.150 4.760 6.310 8.080 10.860 14.800 15.000
1550 0.820 1.420 2.170 3.050 4.600 6.110 7.820 10.510 14.320 15.000
1600 0.790 1.380 2.100 2.950 4.460 5.920 7.570 10.180 13.870 15.000
1650 0.770 1.340 2.040 2.860 4.320 5.740 7.340 9.870 13.450 15.000
1700 0.750 1.300 1.980 2.780 4.200 5.570 7.130 9.580 13.060 15.000
1750 0.730 1.260 1.920 2.700 4.080 5.410 6.920 9.310 12.680 15.000
1800 0.710 1.230 1.870 2.630 3.960 5.260 6.730 9.050 12.330 15.000
1850 0.690 1.190 1.820 2.550 3.860 5.120 6.550 8.810 12.000 15.000
1900 0.670 1.160 1.770 2.490 3.760 4.980 6.380 8.570 11.680 15.000
1950 0.650 1.130 1.720 2.420 3.660 4.860 6.210 8.350 11.380 15.000
2000 0.640 1.100 1.680 2.360 3.570 4.730 6.060 8.150 11.100 15.000
2050 0.620 1.080 1.640 2.310 3.480 4.620 5.910 7.950 10.830 15.000
2100 0.610 1.050 1.600 2.250 3.400 4.510 5.770 7.760 10.570 15.000
2150 0.590 1.030 1.560 2.200 3.320 4.400 5.640 7.580 10.320 15.000
2200 0.580 1.000 1.530 2.150 3.240 4.300 5.510 7.400 10.090 15.000
2250 0.560 0.980 1.490 2.100 3.170 4.210 5.390 7.240 9.860 14.720
2300 0.550 0.960 1.460 2.050 3.100 4.120 5.270 7.080 9.650 14.400
2350 0.540 0.940 1.430 2.010 3.040 4.030 5.160 6.930 9.440 14.090
2400 0.530 0.920 1.400 1.970 2.970 3.950 5.050 6.790 9.250 13.800
2450 0.520 0.900 1.370 1.930 2.910 3.860 4.950 6.650 9.060 13.520
2500 0.510 0.880 1.340 1.890 2.850 3.790 4.850 6.520 8.880 13.250
2550 0.500 0.870 1.320 1.850 2.800 3.710 4.750 6.390 8.700 12.990
2600 0.490 0.850 1.290 1.820 2.740 3.640 4.660 6.270 8.540 12.740
Maximum
Aspect
Ratio 7.3 6.8 6.5 6.3 5.9 4.9 4.3 3.8 3.3 2.9

Contd.
 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 15.00 19.00 25.00
2650 0.480 0.830 1.270 1.780 2.690 3.570 4.570 6.150 8.380 12.500
2700 0.470 0.820 1.240 1.750 2.640 3.510 4.490 6.030 8.220 12.270
2750 0.460 0.800 1.220 1.720 2.590 3.440 4.410 5.920 8.070 12.040
2800 0.450 0.790 1.200 1.690 2.550 3.380 4.330 5.820 7.930 11.830
2850 0.450 0.770 1.180 1.660 2.500 3.320 4.250 5.720 7.790 11.620
2900 0.440 0.760 1.160 1.630 2.460 3.270 4.180 5.620 7.650 11.420
2950 0.430 0.750 1.140 1.600 2.420 3.210 4.110 5.520 7.520 11.230
3000 0.420 0.740 1.120 1.580 2.380 3.160 4.040 5.430 7.400 11.040
3050 0.420 0.720 1.100 1.550 2.340 3.100 3.970 5.340 7.280 10.860
3100 0.410 0.710 1.080 1.520 2.300 3.050 3.910 5.260 7.160 10.680
3150 0.400 0.700 1.070 1.500 2.260 3.010 3.850 5.170 7.050 10.510
3200 0.400 0.690 1.050 1.480 2.230 2.960 3.790 5.090 6.940 10.350
3250 0.390 0.680 1.030 1.450 2.200 2.910 3.730 5.010 6.830 10.190
3300 0.390 0.670 1.020 1.430 2.160 2.870 3.670 4.940 6.730 10.040
3350 0.380 0.660 1.000 1.410 2.130 2.830 3.620 4.860 6.630 9.890
3400 0.370 0.650 0.990 1.390 2.100 2.780 3.560 4.790 6.530 9.740
3450 0.370 0.640 0.970 1.370 2.070 2.740 3.510 4.720 6.430 9.600
3500 0.360 0.630 0.960 1.350 2.040 2.710 3.460 4.650 6.340 9.460
3550 0.360 0.620 0.950 1.330 2.010 2.670 3.410 4.590 6.250 9.330
3600 0.350 0.610 0.930 1.310 1.980 2.630 3.370 4.530 6.170 9.200
3650 0.350 0.600 0.920 1.290 1.950 2.590 3.320 4.460 6.080 9.070
3700 0.340 0.600 0.910 1.280 1.930 2.560 3.280 4.400 6.000 8.950
3750 0.340 0.590 0.900 1.260 1.900 2.530 3.230 4.340 5.920 8.830
3800 0.330 0.580 0.880 1.240 1.880 2.490 3.190 4.290 5.840 8.720
3850 0.330 0.570 0.870 1.230 1.850 2.460 3.150 4.230 5.760 8.600
3900 0.330 0.570 0.860 1.210 1.830 2.430 3.110 4.180 5.690 8.490
3950 0.320 0.560 0.850 1.200 1.810 2.400 3.070 4.120 5.620 8.380
4000 0.320 0.550 0.840 1.180 1.780 2.370 3.030 4.070 5.550 8.280
4050 0.310 0.540 0.830 1.170 1.760 2.340 2.990 4.020 5.480 8.180
4100 0.310 0.540 0.820 1.150 1.740 2.310 2.960 3.970 5.410 8.080
4150 0.310 0.530 0.810 1.140 1.720 2.280 2.920 3.930 5.350 7.980
4200 0.300 0.530 0.800 1.130 1.700 2.250 2.890 3.880 5.280 7.890
4250 0.300 0.520 0.790 1.110 1.680 2.230 2.850 3.830 5.220 7.790
4300 0.300 0.510 0.780 1.100 1.660 2.200 2.820 3.790 5.160 7.700
4350 0.290 0.510 0.770 1.090 1.640 2.180 2.790 3.740 5.100 7.610
4400 0.290 0.500 0.760 1.070 1.620 2.150 2.750 3.700 5.040 7.530
4450 0.290 0.500 0.760 1.060 1.600 2.130 2.720 3.660 4.990 7.440
4500 0.280 0.490 0.750 1.050 1.590 2.100 2.690 3.620 4.930 7.360
4550 0.280 0.490 0.740 1.040 1.570 2.080 2.660 3.580 4.880 7.280
4600 0.280 0.480 0.730 1.030 1.550 2.060 2.630 3.540 4.830 7.200
4650 0.270 0.470 0.720 1.020 1.530 2.040 2.610 3.500 4.770 7.120
4700 0.270 0.470 0.710 1.010 1.520 2.010 2.580 3.470 4.720 7.050
4750 0.270 0.460 0.710 0.990 1.500 1.990 2.550 3.430 4.670 6.970
4800 0.260 0.460 0.700 0.980 1.490 1.970 2.520 3.390 4.620 6.900
4850 0.260 0.460 0.690 0.970 1.470 1.950 2.500 3.360 4.580 6.830
4900 0.260 0.450 0.690 0.960 1.460 1.930 2.470 3.320 4.530 6.760
4950 0.260 0.450 0.680 0.950 1.440 1.910 2.450 3.290 4.480 6.690
5000 0.250 0.440 0.670 0.950 1.430 1.890 2.420 3.260 4.440 6.620
Maximum
Aspect 7.3 6.8 6.5 6.3 5.9 4.9 4.3 3.8 3.3 2.9
Ratio