Standard Practice for Determining Load Resistance of Glass in Buildings
Book of Standards Volume 04.11
 American Society for Testing Materials
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on experimental and analytical
or direct insertion with simplifications by
most building codes.
 
Not for impact loads.
Not for wired, patterned, etched,
sandblasted, drilled, notched or grooved
glass (Although building codes address
these types of glass).
balustrades or structural glass.
Can be called out in job specification.
Can use methods provided in building
code.
 ASTM E 1300-00IBC 2003
 ASTM E 1300-98IBC 2000
with Glitch Revisions
 
Glazing type, LS (monolithic, laminated, insulated, laminated+mono insulated)
Product Size (day light opening)
 Aspect Ratio (length/width,a/b) (for laminated glass)
b/t (for laminated glass)
 
Deflection < 0.75 inch OK
LS3 and LS4 from Table 7
GT3 and GT4 From Table 3.
IG: mono + laminated:
Long Duration (§ 6.6)
LS1 and LS2 from Table 7
GT1 and GT2 From Table 3.
IG: mono + laminated:
Short Duration (§ 6.5)
LS1 and LS2 from Table 7
GT1 and GT2 From Table 3.
Insulated (§ 6.4)
Laminated (§ 6.3)
Monolithic (§ 6.2)
 
Example 1 IG unit consisting of 2 1/8” annealed lites,
DLO=32x60
LR1 = LR2
LR = GTxLSxNFL
Example 1 IG unit consisting of 2 1/8” annealed lites,
DLO=32x60
LR = GTxLSxNFL
LR = (0.9)x(2.0)x(24.0) = 43.2 psf 
Example 2 IG unit with 1/8” tempered and 3/16” laminated
consisting of 2 3/32” heat strengthened
plies. DLO=48x48. Short Duration
Monolithic glass is Lite No. 1!
From Table 5 thickness of laminated
glass is 3/16” . a/b=1.0 and b/t=256.
For tempered lite GT=3.8 (Table 3);
LS=4.83 (Table 7)
LS=1.26 (Table 7)
Example 2 IG unit with 1/8” tempered and 3/16” laminated
consisting of 2 3/32” heat strengthened
plies. DLO=48x48. Short Duration
From Table 5 thickness of laminated glass is 3/16” . a/b=1.0 and b/t=256.
For tempered lite GT=3.8 (Table 3); LS=4.83 (Table 7)
For laminated lite GT=1.7 (Table 3); LS=1.26 (Table 7)
NFL1=1.05 KPa = 21.9 psf 
NFL2=1.85 KPa = 38.7 psf 
LR1=(3.8)x(4.83)x(21.9)=402 psf 
LR2=(1.7)x(1.26)x(38.7)=82.9 psf 
 
Many good and inexpensive software packages available.
Be sure it supports the version of standard you are performing calculations for.
 
9/12/03
Pitfalls
Firm Supports –  λ /175 inch deflection requirement of supports is assumed.
Load Durations – ASTM E 1300 defines a short
duration load of 60 seconds whereas most
building codes have now adopted the 3-second
gust.
more stringent breakage can be encountered.
 
 ANSI/AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S.2-97 references ASTM E 1300-94
Glass used in testing must be “minimum strength required for given load and size based on ASTM E 1300”.
101/I.S. 2/NAFS-02 references ASTM E 1300-00 but E 1300-02 allowed by certification bulletin.