Abstract
Fire resistant laminated glass composite containing intumescent silicate as an interlayer between two glass sheets is a widely used transparent building material. To improve the impact and other mechanical properties of this composite structure, a transparent silicate matrix has been reinforced with alkali and UV resistant synthetic (polypropylene, PP; polyamide, PA66; glass, Gl) and metallic (steel, St) fibres as of nonwoven webs or woven meshes. The refractive indices of the fibres and the matrices were measured and the transparency of the laminated composites depended upon fibre refractive index as well as reinforcement structure. All fibres were successful in significantly enhancing impact properties of laminated glass composites with alkali-resistant glass fibres showing the best performance.