Modelling damage to glazing and aluminium facades by flying objects

Abstract

Impact by flying debris in windstorms conditions has been a major contributor to damage to aluminium, glass and other types of building facades. However, no codified design guidelines are currently available to quantify the required impact resistance of an aluminium or glazing panel for a given impact action. This research presents the development of an analytical model for assessing impact induced damage (permanent deformation or perforation) to an aluminium panel for given mass of the projectile (debris) object, velocity of impact, and importantly, parameters characterising the stiffness properties of the windborne impactor object. Stochastic methodology is developed to simulate the risk of fracture of the glass panel when subject to the transient action of point contact that can be generated by the impact of hailstones or windborne solid debris particles. The introduced simulation methodologies are able to predict the impact resistance capacity of glazing and aluminium panels without conducting impact experiments. The aim of introducing the proposed simulation model is bringing about significant savings by waiving away the need of conducting repetitive physical experimentation on panels of different dimensions, and at different rates of loading.