Glass Striae and Laser Shock Damage

This study sought to examine if striae are preferential locations for damage initiation in vitreous silicate float glasses when they are subjected to shock. Striae are typically native to vitreous silicate float glasses and their formation is a consequence of incomplete or inhomogeneous mixing prior to glass solidification. Striae typically have a lamellar-like habit and their planar orientation is usually perpendicular to the glass tile thickness. F loat glass, such as BOROFLOATâ borosilicate glass, is often used in transparent protective systems and therefore can be subjected to shock in a ballistic impact. Previous work by the Authors indicated that shock-induced damage in such glasses could be co-located with striae, so the objective of this study was to more closely examine that potential relationship.