Laminated insulated glass units under blast loads: Experimental and numerical study

Laminated insulating glass units (IGUs), commonly used in modern buildings, are prone to shattering from explosive loads, causing significant damage and loss. Existing research on IGUs is constrained by a lack of experimental validation and comprehensive numerical analyses, as large-scale explosion tests are rarely reported due to safety and cost concerns. Furthermore, previous modeling efforts often oversimplify critical factors such as the supporting structure, component interactions, strain rate effects, hourglass energy, and failure criteria, leading to an inadequate representation of glass behavior under explosive loads. This paper addresses these gaps by conducting large-scale explosive test on glass system and utilizing sophisticated nonlinear dynamic analysis with LS-DYNA for simulation. The research considers the influence of the support system and incorporates detailed considerations of component interactions, constitutive relationships, and strain rate effects in the numerical simulations. The results confirm that the proposed model successfully replicates the crack patterns and damage observed in experimental test. Also, it accurately predicts the trajectory, quantity, and size distribution of glass fragments. The proposed modeling approach offers a more informed assessment of damage and improves the evaluation of glass safety in practical applications. •A full-scale explosive testing of laminated insulated glass units (IGUs) provides valuable data for simulation model development.•An advanced finite element model is provided for accurate assessments of glass blast resistance.•The Johnson-Holmquist 2 material model is validated for accurately simulating glass behavior under high-speed impacts.•Explosion-proof performance levels of insulating laminated glass are quantified under large explosion conditions as per related standards.