Bullet-proof glass is a security option for buildings with glass structures that require additional protection levels. Bullet-proof glass made from different materials and plastic will prevent the entry of bullets and stop them when they are fired.
Although, the proper way to refer to bullet-proof glass is bullet-resistant glass. This is because bullet-proof glass is not entirely resistant to bullets. The glass is designed to absorb the energy from bullets when contact is made with the bullet-resistant glass. This reduces the velocity of the shot and prevents it from breaking through the glass. If it does break through the glass, the damage it causes is minimal.
WHICH MATERIALS MAKE BULLET-PROOF WINDOWS RESISTANT AGAINST SEVERAL BULLETS?
There are three materials used in the production ofbullet-proof windows. These are:
- GCP – Glass-clad polycarbonate
Acrylic plastic is a sturdy plastic that looks like glass but is more durable than glass. When a single layer of acrylic is up to one inch or thicker than one inch, it is considered a bullet-resistant glass.
Acrylic can be customized into different structures and units and can even be made into customized curved windows. It is the material that is best considered for attractive use needed in public buildings.
Acrylic offers a level one to two protection, which can stop three 9mm jacketed bullets and three shots from a magnum gun of 0.357.
Acrylic is considered suitable for internal and external window applications. It is best used in internal window applications because acrylic does not work well with ultraviolet rays, which it will be exposed to in external applications.
Polycarbonate is a versatile material used to make windows bullet-resistant. It is a better option when compared to acrylic. It is easier to handle thicker layers of polycarbonate because it is less heavy than glass at about eighty percent.
Polycarbonate offers level one protection through level three. It also has forced entry attributes, which means it is difficult for burglars and robbers to break through a polycarbonate bullet-proof window.
The flexible nature of polycarbonate gives it the ability to suck-up the energy of a bullet and also stop the bullet from passing through the glass window. Acrylic, on the other hand, will chip when hit by a bullet.
Polycarbonate is sensitive to ultraviolet rays, has a visible tint, and is challenging to incorporate into different bullet-resistant applications.
GCP – Glass-clad polycarbonate
GCP – glass-clad polycarbonate uses glass layers that are placed on the first and second sides of a sheet of polycarbonate. This transforms the polycarbonate sheet into a glass-clad polycarbonate bullet-resistant glass. After combining the sheets of glass placed on the two sides of the polycarbonate sheet, the resulting piece is heated and afterward cooled to blend the layers together.
The result is a bullet-resistant glass that is thicker and looks like glass. It is also a bullet-proof window glass that deflects bullets efficiently than other bullet-resistant glass materials.
Due to the process of manufacturing GCP, polycarbonate and glass can be combined to meet any thickness dimension, which makes the protection level of a GCP run as high as a level eight. This means a GCP level eight bullet-resistant glass can easily resist bullets from an AK-47 gun.
GCP is not only a bullet-resistant glass, but it also offers protection against forced entries. It is suited for external applications when layered with glass on the exterior surfaces.
HOW DO BULLET-PROOF WINDOWS PROTECT AGAINST DIFFERENT BULLETS?
Regular glass is different from bullet-resistant glass and, as a result, does not offer any protection against bullets. Regular glass cannot absorb energy when fired at. This leads the glass to shatter and does not resist the bullet.
Bullet proof windows absorb the energy of a bullet to slow it down. When a bullet makes contact with bullet-resistant glass, the bullet’s energy spreads out on the glass surface in a sideways motion. The spread makes the divided energy quickly and easily absorbed as a result of different interlayers of plastic and glass, which is spread over the large area of the bullet-resistant glass.
This energy absorption stops the bullet in its track or slows down the bullet such that the energy left is not enough to pierce through the glass surface. Also, if the energy does allow the glass to pierce through, the momentum of the bullet is reduced. As a result, the bullet does not cause severe damages.
The glass panes of bullet-resistant windows do break, as against popular beliefs, misconceptions, and depictions in Hollywood movies. The plastic layers present in bullet-resistant glass windows prevent the glass shards from flying about when a bullet pierces the bullet-resistant glass.
WHICH OFFICIAL BUILDINGS MUST USE BULLET RESISTANT WINDOWS?
Buildings that fear that they could be the target of robberies and gun crime have stepped up their security.
Also, high-security government buildings possess bullet-resistant windows. The bullet-resistant materials used in government buildings are manufactured to protect against high-speed rifle shots. Their standards are also high compared to those used in commercial premises.
Commercial buildings that employ the use of bullet-resistant glass include banks, liquor stores, jewelry stores, and other commercial buildings. This also includes commercial buildings that take care of high-value goods that could be targets of gun crimes and robberies. Such buildings apply bullet-resistant glass to public areas to protect members of staff and clients who may come into the premises for business purposes.
Apart from bullet-resistant windows in government buildings, new government buildings are being built with blast protection. This helps to prevent forced entries and serve protection during a hurricane and other natural disasters.
CAN BULLET-RESISTANT GLASS BE USED IN HOMES?
Apart from high-profile individuals who incorporate bullet-resistant glass in their homes, regular houses also need bullet-proof windows for several reasons. These include,
- Protection against smash and grab burglars and petty thieves who may want to gain access to your home through your glass windows. It also offers protection against petty robbers who may attack your home with handguns.
- It protects your property from accidents that may occur from stray toys, landscaping accidents, or stray golf balls. In the absence of a bullet-resistant window, these will cause your windows to shatter and will need to be replaced.
- Bullet-resistant window reduces the exposure of your home’s interior décor and furniture to harmful ultraviolet rays.
- Apart from protection, bullet-resistant glass can provide privacy for the home because the glass can be tinted to reduce transparency.