Understanding and

Using ASTM E 1300

Joseph A. Reed, P.E.
Director Engineering and Product Testing

ASTM E 1300
Standard Practice for Determining Load
Resistance of Glass in Buildings
Book of Standards Volume 04.11
American Society for Testing Materials
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(www.astm.org)

ASTM E 1300 - What is it?

Compendium of charts and tables based
on experimental and analytical
investigations for determining the Load
Resistance of specific glass types.
 Recognized and included by reference
or direct insertion with simplifications by
most building codes.
 Vertical or Sloped glazing.
 Wind, Snow and self-weight loads.


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ASTM E 1300 - What it is not.

Not for impact loads.
 Not for blast loads or loads > 210 psf.
 Not for wired, patterned, etched,
sandblasted, drilled, notched or grooved
glass (Although building codes address
these types of glass).
 Not for floors, aquariums, shelves,
balustrades or structural glass.


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ASTM E 1300
Which version to use?

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Check Reference Standards in

Building Code (Chapter 35 FBC).

Can be called out in job specification.

Can use methods provided in building

code.

ASTM E 1300
Which version to use?

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Building Code

Ref. ASTM E 1300

Florida Building 2001

ASTM E 1300-94

Florida Building 2001

with Glitch Revisions
IBC 2000

ASTM E 1300-94

IBC 2003

ASTM E 1300-00

North Carolina 2001

ASTM E 1300-98

New York 2003

ASTM E 1300-00

ASTM E 1300-98

Applying ASTM E 1300

Input Information
Glass type, GT (Annealed, HS, FT)
 Glazing type, LS (monolithic, laminated,
insulated, laminated+mono insulated)
 Product Size (day light opening)
 Aspect Ratio (length/width,a/b) (for
laminated glass)
 b/t (for laminated glass)
 Load duration (short or long)


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Applying ASTM E 1300

Output Information

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Nonfactored Loads, NFL

Load Resistances, LR

Glass Deflections

Load Resistance > Design Pressure OK

Deflection < 0.75 inch OK

LR = GTxLSxNFL
(ASTM E 1300-00)

Glass Type

Load Resistance

Monolithic ( 6.2)

NFL from Figures

GT from Table 1 or Table 2

Laminated ( 6.3)

Thickness from Table 5

NFL from Figures
GT From Table 1 or Table 2

Insulated ( 6.4)

NFL1 and NFL2 from Figures

LS1 and LS2 from Table 7
GT1 and GT2 From Table 3.

IG: mono + laminated:

Short Duration ( 6.5)

Laminated Thickness from Table 5

NFL1 and NFL2 from Figures
LS1 and LS2 from Table 7
GT1 and GT2 From Table 3.

IG: mono + laminated:

Long Duration ( 6.6)

Laminated Thickness is tmin.

NFL3 and NFL4 from Figures
LS3 and LS4 from Table 7
GT3 and GT4 From Table 3.

Example 1
IG unit consisting of 2 1/8 annealed lites,
DLO=32x60

LR1 = LR2
LR = GTxLSxNFL
GT = 0.9 (Table 2)
LS = 2.0 (Table 7)

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Example 1
IG unit consisting of 2 1/8 annealed lites,
DLO=32x60

LR = GTxLSxNFL
GT = 0.9 (Table 3)
LS = 2.0 (Table 7)
NFL = 1.15 KPa = 24.0 psf

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LR = (0.9)x(2.0)x(24.0) = 43.2 psf

Example 2
IG unit with 1/8 tempered and 3/16 laminated
consisting of 2 3/32 heat strengthened
plies. DLO=48x48. Short Duration

Monolithic glass is Lite No. 1!

 From Table 5 thickness of laminated
glass is 3/16 . a/b=1.0 and b/t=256.
 For tempered lite GT=3.8 (Table 3);
LS=4.83 (Table 7)
 For laminated lite GT=1.7 (Table 3);
LS=1.26 (Table 7)


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Example 2
IG unit with 1/8 tempered and 3/16 laminated
consisting of 2 3/32 heat strengthened
plies. DLO=48x48. Short Duration









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From Table 5 thickness of laminated glass is

3/16 . a/b=1.0 and b/t=256.
For tempered lite GT=3.8 (Table 3); LS=4.83
(Table 7)
For laminated lite GT=1.7 (Table 3); LS=1.26
(Table 7)
NFL1=1.05 KPa = 21.9 psf
NFL2=1.85 KPa = 38.7 psf
LR1=(3.8)x(4.83)x(21.9)=402 psf
LR2=(1.7)x(1.26)x(38.7)=82.9 psf
Repeat for Long Duration Loads (if necessary).
Be sure to use tmin for laminated lite (new NFL
Fig.)

Using Software

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Many good and inexpensive software

packages available.

Be sure it supports the version of standard you

are performing calculations for.

Be sure you understand internal assumptions

(i.e. unit weight of glass)

Look for software that provides details of

calculation and clear results summaries to
assist sanity checks.

Pitfalls

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Firm Supports /175 inch deflection

requirement of supports is assumed.

Load Durations ASTM E 1300 defines a short

duration load of 60 seconds whereas most
building codes have now adopted the 3-second
gust.

Probability of Breakage 8/1000 for charts and

methods of ASTM E 1300. Specifications with
more stringent breakage can be encountered.

ASTM E 1300
What Does AAMA Say?
ANSI/AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S.2-97
references ASTM E 1300-94
 Glass used in testing must be minimum
strength required for given load and size
based on ASTM E 1300.
 101/I.S. 2/NAFS-02 references ASTM E
1300-00 but E 1300-02 allowed by
certification bulletin.
 Glass used in testing must be thinnest
and weakest in accordance with ASTM
E1300


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The End
Thank you!
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