Full scale tests of heat strengthened glass with ceramic frit

The authors tested five full scale samples of nominal 6 mm thick heat strengthened glass to failure under uniform lateral loading. One sample was clear glass, one sample had full coverage ceramic enamel frit, and the other three samples had ceramic enamel frit patterns with different percentages of coverage. In testing the samples with ceramic enamel frit applications, researchers oriented the specimens to place the ceramic enamel frit in tension under lateral loading. The authors found that the samples with ceramic enamel frit displayed considerably lower magnitudes of load resistance than did the clear heat strengthened sample. In addition, the authors noted that every fracture origin they have inspected to date from the 75 specimens with ceramic enamel frit patterns occurred underneath frit. Micrographs of fracture origins indicate that the frit may actually damage the glass surface during the heat strengthening process. This study has significant implications for architectural glass design.