Invisible flood protection: How SentryGlas® makes architecture more resilient: Kuraray

Kuraray Europe GmbH Sustainability Blog Invisible flood protection: How SentryGlas® makes architecture more resilient

Invisible flood protection: How SentryGlas® makes architecture more resilient

These days, shatter-proof glazing is standard in architecture and vehicles. By contrast, one related aspect has only recently started to become more important: flood-resistant laminated glass. Given the increased frequency of severe weather events and rising water levels, buildings need better protection – without any reduction in transparency, visual appeal, or accessibility. That is made possible by a technology that was originally developed for hurricane-proof applications in the United States and is now used in spectacular glass constructions such as the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Italy, and the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China: SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayers from Kuraray. Now this high-performance material is becoming more significant for efficient and sustainable flood protection.

Flood-proof glass: transparent, attractive, and tough

Urbanization and more frequent climate-related flooding are driving demand for new solutions. Buildings need to be sealed and infrastructure protected without massive barriers that interfere with architectural design or block views. In the past, technical constraints made it almost impossible to create robust glass doors, transparent facades, and elegant flood barriers. Today, modern laminated glass opens up completely new design options.

Flood-proof glazing has a key advantage: As well as providing protection, it can be integrated seamlessly into the architectural environment. Public spaces, coastal constructions, and critical infrastructure can be designed with safety in mind without compromising on transparency or user-friendliness.

SentryGlas® from Kuraray’s Advanced Interlayer Solutions (AIS) division, a world leading supplier of high-performance glass interlayers, is a safe and sustainable solution that meets the special requirements of flood protection. It is particularly suitable for the following types of structure:

Flood barriers:
Transparent barriers that protect communities, infrastructure, buildings and entrances without detracting from their visual characteristics.
Facades and curtain walls:
Large-scale glazing that has to withstand extreme pressure from wind and water.
Railings and balustrades:
Safety barriers in areas that can be impacted by water or debris.
Roofs and canopies:
To secure public spaces, traffic areas, and access to buildings.

From skyscrapers to subway stations and coastal infrastructure, SentryGlas® meets the highest technical requirements – and sets standards for durability in areas exposed to moisture.

»Flood glazing with SentryGlas® interlayers broadens the horizons of glass design. It also keeps floodwater at bay and reliably withstands impacts from debris. Even if the glass breaks in places, the interlayer remains stable, keeping the building envelope intact.«

Allan Gibson
AIS Global Product/Marketing Segment Manager, Kuraray Europe GmbH

The technology: laminated glass and the role of interlayers

Laminated glass is made of two or more layers of glass bonded by a transparent interlayer. Interlayers range from flexible (for example, Trosifol® polyvinyl butyral [PVB] interlayers) to extremely stiff (for example, ionoplasts such as SentryGlas® or SentryGlas Xtra® [SGX®]). The glass can be tempered, toughened, heat-strengthened, or chemically treated to meet a wide variety of safety, structural, and environmental requirements.

Globally, laminated glass is used for traffic infrastructure, in high-security environments, and increasingly in areas that are prone to flooding, where it plays a key role in the integrated protection. Examples include buildings and fencing along coasts and rivers. Laminated glass with SentryGlas® interlayers fulfills the multifunctional criteria defined by many regions and also meets a wide variety of performance expectations.

The technology: laminated glass and the role of interlayers

SentryGlas® has several advantages compared with conventional PVB interlayers

High impact resistance also hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pressure tolerance
Excellent resistance to water and humidity
Durable transparency without clouding
Superior breakage resistance of the laminated glass

These properties make SentryGlas® ideal for systems where maximum safety and high visual quality are equally important.

Time for new flood protection standards

In the future, flood-resistant glazing will be a key element in resilient architecture. It brings together three factors that were rarely combined in climate protection in the past: safety, sustainability, and an attractive appearance.

To make sure this technology becomes established worldwide, standardization bodies, planners, developers, and manufacturers should jointly drive forward its development, define specifications, and support the widespread use of this important solution for more resilient architecture.

The future of architecture is not simply resilient, it’s transparent. And it’s starting now!

https://www.trosifol.com

Back to overview