Hurricane Glass

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies

Orlando, FL

Applications Hurricane and Storm Glass.

Viracon offers laminated glass solutions formulated to protect buildings and surroundings from severe winds and windborne debris impact in the event of a hurricane or storm.

When installed in a proper glazing system, Viracon laminated glass has been tested and passed stringent hurricane codes and testing protocols, including Miami-Dade County and ASTM E1996.

HurricaneLamination and Interlayers.

Configurations for hurricane-storm glass include laminated glass with specific interlayers that meet small and large missile standards. Laminates must be installed in a suitable glazing system.

Hurricane – Storm Interlayers
Missile	Level	Typical Building Elevation	PVB	SentryGlas® (SG)	SentryGlas Xtra® (SGX)	Saflex™ HP	Saflex™ Storm
Small	A	Above 30 feet	.060″ PVB
Small	B	Skylights ≥ 30 feet	.060″ PVB
Large	D	Ground level to 30 feet	.090″ PVB	.090″ SG	.100″ SGX	.100″ Saflex™ HP	.077″ Saflex™ Storm
Large	E	Essential Facilities < 30 feet		.180″ SG		.177″ Saflex™ HP-VS	.154″ Saflex™ Storm

SecurityExplore.

Small Missile A and B

Hurricane impact protection for elevations above 30 feet

Small Missile Level A and B

Typical laminated glass configuration to meet Small Missile Level A and B

1/4” Glass, Heat Strengthened

.060” PVB Interlayer

1/4” Glass, Heat Strengthened

Large Missile Level D

Hurricane impact protection for ground level up to 30 feet

Large Missile Level D

Typical laminated glass configuration to meet Large Missile Level D

1/4” Glass, Heat Strengthened

Enhanced PVB or Ionoplast

0.090” SentryGlas®
0.100” SentryGlas Xtra®
0.100” Saflex™ HP
0.077” Saflex™ Storm

1/4” Glass, Heat Strengthened

Large Missile Level E

Essential facilities building standard ASTM E1996 Level E

Large Missile Level E

ASTM E1996 Level E was developed to withstand higher impact loads to protect essential facilities such as hospitals, health care facilities, emergency shelters, and other emergency facilities where the occupants inside may not have the option to evacuate during a storm.

Typical laminated glass configuration to meet Large Missile Level E:

1/4” Glass, Heat Strengthened

Level E Interlayers

0.180” SentryGlas®
0.177” Saflex™ HP-VS
0.154” Saflex™ Storm

1/4” Glass, Heat Strengthened

Tornado & Other Storms

Additional windborne debris and impact resistance

While both hurricanes and tornados can create severe wind- and windborne debris-damage to buildings, there are unique considerations that should be evaluated when defining the laminated glass solution that best meets the storm protection needs of your building.

Contact Viracon to discuss interlayers and laminated glass solutions for tornado and other storm applications.

Design Considerations

Building codes, test methods and system design

When selecting hurricane-resistant laminated glass, it is important to consider the following design factors.

Building Codes and Test Methods

When installed in a proper glazing system, Viracon laminated glass has been tested to qualify to stringent hurricane codes and testing protocols, including:

Miami-Dade County TAS 201 and 203
ASTM E1996 and E1886
International Building Code (IBC)
Florida Building Code (FBC)
Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)

Glazing System Design

When choosing the right hurricane-resistant glass for your application, the following points must be evaluated:

Determine the applicable building code and test method
Determine the required design pressure/wind load
Qualify the missile requirement - large and/or small missile
Identify the largest glass size
If using a tested or certified framing system, confirm the laminated glass qualified with the particular manufacturer's product
If not using a tested or certified framing system, evaluate system design details, such as:
1. Glazing method - conventional or structurally glazed
2. Glass bite - often large missile applications require a minimum edge engagement of 5/8" to augment performance
3. Anchorage and hardware requirements - typically large missile applications require an enhanced design