ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with glass materials and glazing, which is widely used in building construction. Glass has been used for glazing for many centuries, for bottles and containers, drinking vessels and decorative objects. In the twentieth century, the use of glass widened to include fibres for reinforcing polymers, glass wool for thermal insulation and, following advances in electronics, the use of long fibres for fibre-optic devices. The chapter deals with the chemistry and structure of glass, as well as the processes of glassmaking and the shaping and forming of glass into the various products used in buildings. It discusses on the durability of glass, as well as the various problems that arise with the use of glass. Glass is transparent, and it also has low fracture toughness. The chapter focuses on the mechanical properties of glass which make it useful as a reinforcement material for composites, and the production of fibres.
