Numerical simulation on damage behavior of greenhouse glass under hail impact

In order to analyze hail resistant behavior of greenhouse glass, the numerical simulation on the overall process of random hail impacting greenhouse glass were carried out by using finite element analysis software ANSYS/LS-DYNA with consideration of hail randomness. The failure modes of greenhouse glass under the impact of hail with different diameter were obtained. And also the failure modes of greenhouse glass with different thickness, different plane size and different constraints under the impact of hail were discussed respectively. At the same time, hail resistant behavior of greenhouse glass was evaluated. The results showed that the effects due to hail flock impacting glass plate was not equal to that due to single hail impacting glass plate. Glass plate 4 mm in thickness could nearly meet the hail resistant requirements of most glass greenhouse. It’s suggested that ratio of glass plate length to its width were about 1.5. It was not reliable to improve the hail resistant behavior of greenhouse glass by regulating glass plate constraints. It should be the main aim of hail resistant design of glass greenhouse to ensure the global stability of glass plate under the impact of hail and no large cracks or debris. The fruits were useful to the hail resistant design of greenhouse.