Abstract
This study investigates the influence of the interlayer materials on the low velocity impact performance of laminated glass. By varying the impact velocity, with a drop-weight, the effect of impact energy levels (3, 5, 10 and 15 J) has been explored on the impact resistance of laminated glass and the failure mechanisms have been assessed. The four interlayer materials investigated were: SGP-Ionoplast as employed in Sentry Glas (R) Plus, TPU-Thermoplastic polyurethane, PVB-Polyvinyl butyral and a TPU/SGP/TPU hybrid interlayer. The drop weight method has been employed to obtain the energy dissipation, loading and deformation of the laminated glass. The low velocity impact results indicate that both the type of the interlayer materials and the impact energy have great influence on the impact performance of the laminated glass. The laminated glass with TPU and PVB interlayer exhibited better impact resistance than the laminated glass with SGP and TPU/SGP/TPU hybrid interlayer, when impacted at energies of 3 and 5J (corresponding to impact velocities of 1.71 and 2.21 ms(-1) respectively). However, the laminated glass with SGP and TPU/SGP/TPU hybrid interlayers has better load carrying capacity and better anti-deformation property than the TPU and PVB interlayers at the higher impact energies of 10 and 15J (impact velocities of 3.13 and 3.83 ms(-1) respectively). The results are thought to be attributed to the differences in the viscoelastic properties of the interlayer materials with strain rates.