Risks of failure of annealed glass panels subject to point contact actions

Abstract

The strength of glass panels is normally expressed in probabilistic terms by the use of either the Weibull distribution or Log–Normal distribution functions. Values of the modelling parameters can be obtained by calibration against experimental data. This conventional approach to probabilistic modelling has significant shortcomings as the extent of generalising the use of the calibrated parameter values is uncertain. The alternative approach of predicting the risk of failure is by stochastic simulations of Griffith flaws. The developing methodology involves the use of fracture mechanics theory and load duration theory. Limited amount of such simulation studies have been undertaken for predic..