i.e. because a large building needs to move (sway), steel is used because of it's bending properties but if that wasn't the case (building don't need to sway a little) glass would be stronger ? But the building needs to move and therefore steel is better ?
2006-12-05 01:14:28 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
As far as Yield strength(MPa) is concerned glass is stronger than steel.
(Material Yield strength(MPa)/ ultimate strength(MPa)/ Density(g/cm3)
Structural steel ASTM A36 steel /250/ 400/ 7.8
Steel, API 5L X65 (Fikret Mert Veral) /448 /531/ 7.8
Steel, high strength alloy ASTM A514/ 690/ 760/ 7.8
Steel, high tensile/ 1650/ 1860/ 7.8
Glass (St Gobain "R") /4400 (3600 in composite)/....N.A......... /2.53
(Tensile strength measures the force required to pull something such as rope, wire, or a structural beam to the point where it breaks.)
(Yield strength - The stress a material can withstand without permanent deformation. This is not a sharply defined point. Yield strength is the stress which will cause a permanent deformation of 0.2% of the original dimension. )
2006-12-05 01:45:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is probably not true and needs to be qualified. It is probably harder, but to call it stronger? I don't think so.
There are two important characteristics of steel which need to be understood. They are called elastic and plastic. Elastic is the ability of steel (or any other metal) to stretch and return to its original shape, just like a rubber band; Plastic is where the metal is deformed and cannot return to it's original shape. All steel / metal has elastic and plastic tendencies. Elastic comes first and when the range of elastic deformation is exceeded the metal goes into plastic deformation.
So if a car is driving down the road and hits a bump, the steel in the suspension is deformed, but it stays within the elastic range and returns to it's original shape. If the car hit a pole then the plastic effect comes into play, enableing the driver to survive, but wrecking the car in the process.
The elastic and plastic characteristics in steel vary according to the intended purpose of the steel, and there are many types of steel. Hardened steel has different characteristics from mild steel.
Compared to glass, I would say hardened steel would definitely be stronger than glass.
As a comparison, the military use steel for armour piercing shells, they don't use glass at all.
2006-12-05 09:41:21 · answer #2 · answered by Bad bus driving wolf 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to say it man but its not. If you want to know a bit more glass is actually not a solid: (shocking) its actually an extremely viscous liquid. Example: if you go out and look at the windows in relatively old buildings you will notice that the glass at the bottom is slightly thicker than the glass at the top. This due to a thing called "creep". It happens whwn the glass is left sitting for a long period of time and the glass actually starts to sag over time.
2006-12-05 20:13:06 · answer #3 · answered by manc1999 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Glass may be in theory but it is les flexible, far more brittle, and snaps without warning. Steel is flexible and better for areas prone to earthquakes.
That is why when you see pictures of earthquakes you see glass shattering in buildings that still stand. The structure is sound but glass shatters because it isn't flexible enough.
2006-12-05 09:18:33 · answer #4 · answered by nikonphotobug 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you think that is true, drop a steel bar and a glass brick out of a 3 story window and see what happens.
2006-12-05 09:17:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anything in theory is possible, i cant say that i can totally agree with what you say... the costs of making a building purely of glass would be huge and the dangers of installation would be pretty bad too...
plus if you was on the toilet anyone could look in on you....
i CAN tell you this though... Diamond is the strongest substance we have encountered so far on this planet.
2006-12-05 09:19:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No that's not true. The reason glass isn't used is because that would make the building see through, and you could then see everyone doing jobbies etc.
2006-12-05 09:20:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was always said that if you could make the rest of a glass object as strong as it's skin it would be stronger than steel.
Why do you think fibreglass is so strong?
2006-12-05 10:34:42 · answer #8 · answered by efes_haze 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i know how yo test it out. sit on a steel cylindr and time how long it takes to break up then get a glass cylinder and see if it takes a longer or shorter time. alternitively if u dont want to hurt ur butt get a heavy book to do the job for you
2006-12-05 09:17:38 · answer #9 · answered by louise h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're using more glass in cars than before. Some cars have a totally glass roof, and back.
Fiber glass is very strong too.
2006-12-05 09:26:34 · answer #10 · answered by stickyricky 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋