In security design, windows are a major area of concern. Nearly three-quarters of the injuries from the 1995 bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Building were caused by flying glass. To help win the fight, manufacturers are devoting unprecedented resources to research and blast-test a new generation of heat-hardened and chemically laminated glass.
Glass manufacturers and structural engineers are testing not only new glass interlayers, but also new window systems, including mullions, frames and anchors. New anchor systems; cheaper, thinner laminates; and novel blast-resistant curtain walls will soon make their way to the commercial market, say industry sources. "We have stuff in development test results were astounding," says Jeff Granato, architectural market manager for Wilmington-based DuPont's performance materials division.