Simulation of Impact Fracture Behavior of Laminated Glass Using Discrete Element Method

Abstract

In this paper, the discrete element method (DEM) is applied to analyze the impact fracture of laminated glass, which is considered to be a continuous body with interlayered polyvinyl butyral (P. V. B.). A laminated glass beam, with both ends fixed under a lateral impact load is considered, and the proposed method is applied to simulate the impact fracture behavior, until penetration. From the numerical analysis it is obvious that the optimum adhesive strength between the PVB and the glass, is the lowest adhesive strength, such that there is no fracture in the adhesive layer when the beam is peaetrated. By changing Young's modulus of PVB (hence changing the tensile strength) we can show that considering both the penetration energy and the volume of the broben glass, the optimum Young's modulus of PVB is a maximum in the region where the penetration energy is sensitive to the Young's modulus of PVB.