Polymer Film Applied to Glass: Effectiveness at Mitigating Damage from Flying Glass Due to Explosions.
Polymer Film Applied to Glass: Effectiveness at
Mitigating Damage from Flying Glass Due to Explosions.
(882 K)
Gilman, J. W.; Simiu, E.
NISTIR 5779; 16 p. January 1996.
Sponsor:
General Services Administration, Washington, DC
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB97-140586
Keywords:
glass; explosions; damage; blasts; building technology;
coatings; earthquakes; film; hurricanes; impacts;
polymers
Abstract:
Prompted by the terrorist attack in Oklahoma City, the
Department of Justice has recommended the application of
polymeric film to exterior glass in Federal buildings to
reduce the possibility of damage resulting from flying
glass from explosive blasts. Before deciding to
undertake an extensive retrofit of all Federal
facilities, the General Services Administration (GSA)
requested the National Institute of Standards and
Technology's (NIST) Building and Fire Research (BFRL) to
search pertinent English language bibliographic
databases for research reports, test data or other
available information in the literature on polymer film
applied to monolithic glass. The scope of the
literature search included: 1) blast effects on
architectural glass; 2) performance of polymeric film on
glass under blast conditions; and 3) the application,
durability and maintainability of polymeric films on
glass. This report does not address or attempt to
assess the performance characteristics of any other
glazing product, composite or application. The
documentation available to date does not contain
statistically significant evidence indicating that the
use of polymer film as a retrofit on the daylight
surface of monolithic glass measurably reduces the
possibility of damage due to flying glass from explosive
blasts.
