ABSTRACT
The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and have had only preliminary discussion at a committee level. They should not be regarded as indicative of any future ASTM standards.
Various building materials have undergone revolutions with the advent of new technology. In 1853, concrete was revolutionized by the addition of tensile reinforcing steel. In 1858, iron was revolutionized with the advent of ductile steel. Timber has been reinvigorated by the use of glue lamination. Glass has seen several revolutions, from spun glass to polished plate glass, float glass and the addition of lamination materials. However, it is still primarily used for windows and its structural use is limited to design by specialists. In the United States, standards exist for the design of window glass and testing of glass in many other circumstances, however for glass to be used as a structural building material, a new standard for its design is required to guide both the designers and the non-specialist building authorities who evaluate the designs.
