How To Increase The Lifespan Of Curved Glass

Curved glass elements experience a lot of stress, especially along the edges. They follow a similar load path to structural and non-membrane glass elements. These stresses are limited by edge flaws and lack of residual compressive stress. This results from edge processing and mechanical damages during the glazing process. Here, in this article, we will share how you can increase the lifespan of curved glass. 

Get ion-exchange treatment:

A common process to increase the lifespan of curved glass is ion-exchange treatment. This treatment increases the strength of the glass by six to eight times. It also introduces patterns of thermal stress in the glass, which can be seen using polarized light. These patterns are often referred to as leopard spots.

Consider the loading conditions imposed on curved glass:

The bending tensile strength of curved annealed glass is a crucial design parameter. For this purpose, it is necessary to consider the loading conditions imposed on curved glass infill elements and to use appropriate material models. The general approach to determining curved glass products’ edge strength is conducting a four-point bending test. Although this standard is valid for flat glass products, it is not appropriate for cylindrically curved glass.

Testing:

There has been a growing need to investigate how to improve the lifespan of curved glass, which is one of the most common types of aircraft windows. The glass in aircraft windows is exposed to different temperatures and conditions than other windows. Researchers have found that temperature, humidity, and moisture can reduce the ultimate strain and mechanical strength of glass and plastic components. Several researchers have looked into the detrimental effects of ageing on glass. Some have concluded that temperature is the primary factor that affects fatigue life, while others have found that moisture plays a less prominent role.

Test it for bending strength:

One method to increase the life of curved glass is to test it for bending strength. This test can be done on specimens ranging in thickness from 3 mm to 12 mm. It also requires no destructive procedures. The procedure is similar to testing flat glass but considers the bending radius and chord length. The bending radii and chord length should be appropriate for practical realization in the industry. The specimens were tested 360 times, with strain measured on the tension side and input force recorded.