ISO 29584:2015 PDF

Overview

ISO 29584:2015 - "Glass in building - Pendulum impact testing and classification of safety glass" defines standardized methods for evaluating the impact performance and safe breakage characteristics of glazing using soft-body pendulum impactors. The standard promotes reproducible test results and a common classification scheme so that the performance of safety glass manufactured and tested in different countries can be compared and understood.

Key topics and requirements

• Soft-body impactors: Two impactor types are specified - the traditional lead shot (shot bag) impactor (e.g., chilled lead shot ~2.5 mm diameter, total mass ~45 kg) and a twin-tyre impactor. Annexes give manufacture and maintenance details for the shot bag and design for the twin-tyre solution.
• Test rig and clamping: Requirements for the main test frame, clamping frame and the rubber strip interface are described to ensure consistent sample support and boundary conditions.
• Calibration: A method to calibrate the test frame (excluding the impactor) is provided to increase reproducibility of impact energy and results.
• Test procedure: Guidance on sample preparation, drop-height control, release mechanism and data to collect during impact testing.
• Classification system: Classification reports the maximum drop height at which glass does not break or breaks “safely” (i.e., in a manner similar to laminated or toughened glass), the mode of breakage (toughened, laminated, annealed, etc.), and performance at different impact energy levels.
• Acceptance criteria: Criteria for safe breakage include limits on fragment size, passage of a 76 mm sphere (sphere penetration test), and mass limits for detached particles (see Annex C).

Practical applications and users

ISO 29584:2015 is useful for:

• Test laboratories performing pendulum impact testing and producing repeatable, comparable reports.
• Glass manufacturers and processors (laminated, toughened, coated or asymmetric glass) validating product performance for safety glazing.
• Architects, facade engineers and specifiers selecting glazing for locations with human-impact risk (doors, low-level glazing, shower screens).
• Regulators and code bodies establishing glazing safety requirements and harmonized classification levels for building codes and standards.
• Quality managers who need documented procedures for maintenance, calibration and impactor fabrication.

By adopting ISO 29584, stakeholders can better define the level of impact resistance and safe-breakage behaviour required for intended glazing locations, and reduce risk of cutting and piercing injuries from accidental human impact.

Related standards

• EN 12600 (twin-tyre impactor approach referenced in the introduction)
• ISO 48 (rubber hardness)
• ISO 2408 (steel wire ropes)
• ISO 4251‑1 (tyre designation and dimensions)

Keywords: ISO 29584, pendulum impact testing, safety glass, glass in building, soft body impactor, shot bag impactor, twin tyre impactor, glazing classification, calibration, impact resistance.