Hurricane Sandy Reminds Curtainwall Manufacturers of the Importance of Glass Safety Codes

The Eastern United States withstood wind speeds escalating to 90 mph from Hurricane Sandy's destructive presence, according to the National Weather Service. The wake of the recent devastation could serve as a reminder to glazing contractors of the importance of complying with impact glazing codes in preparation for the uncontrollable.

ASTM standards, for example, are crucial to many aspects of natural disaster preparation. ASTM E06.51, an E06 subcommittee on performance of windows, doors, skylights and curtainwalls, has developed standards that can test the performance of windows during hurricanes and other severe weather-related situations. These standards include ASTM E1886 and ASTM E1996, both of which concern the performance of exterior windows, curtainwalls, doors and impact protective systems during hurricanes. In order for glass to withstand massive increments of wind pressure there needs to be a sufficient glass bite or penetration of the glass into the glazing pocket to support the large deflections, according to Rick De La Guardia, president of DLG Engineering Inc.

Sustaining high winds, however, are not the only concern.

"I would venture to guess that most glazing products are designed to sustain hurricane force winds, in areas where required (hurricane-prone regions), but very few are designed to sustain windborne debris," says De La Guardia. "The real question, is, are these products being installed properly? I suspect that, similar to what happened in Florida after