Tests of Heat-Treated Glass with Full-Coverage Ceramic Frit

Abstract

The observation that spandrel glass with ceramic frit has experienced thermal breakage in several buildings has called into question the ability of heat-treated (HT) glass with ceramic frit to resist fracture induced by lateral loads. The authors note that the use of ceramic frit is not restricted to interior lites of spandrel insulating glass. Currently, glass design standards in the United States do not specifically address any impact ceramic frit might have on the load resistance (LR) of HT glass, while European standards impose a reduction on allowable stress in HT glass with ceramic frit. This article presents the results from the first phase of a research program aimed at determining the reduction in LR that ensues from the application of a ceramic frit to HT glass. The results of this research indicate that ceramic frit significantly weakens HT glass to which it is applied.