Experimental and analytical investigation of dynamic crack patterns in automotive windshield sheets subjected to low velocity impact

Off-road cars’ windshields are vulnerable to different types of stones, road debris and pebbles due to common off paved and gravel surfaces in which they drive. Any attempt to design windshield that minimizes injury and death of occupants during a vehicle accident requires a thorough understanding of the mechanical behavior of automotive windshield subjected to foreign object impact loads. In this study, some drop ball tests in different impact energy levels are conducted in order to monitor fracture behavior of an off-road automotive windshield. Also dynamic crack patterns of laminated glasses are examined based on the impact energy levels and impact conditions. In addition, the acceleration which is imposed to impactor during the accident is recorded. The experimental results are compared to an analytical approach regarding the resultant impact force as well. There is a good agreement between the impact forces of experimental test results and analytical approaches ones. All in all, in low velocity impacts, impact energy releases through powdering region in impact area, radial cracks and strain energy in PVB. It is concluded that in lower impact energy levels, the higher impact speed, the more number of radial cracks. In addition, at higher energy levels, number of radial cracks decease due to higher strain energy levels in PVB interlayer. Therefore, in low velocity impacts, number of radial cracks has reverse relationship with penetration depth in PVB interlayer.