Stress-corrosion failure mechanisms in soda–lime silica glass

• The influence of temperature and humidity on glass failure time was observed.
• Experimental results were compared to the reference theories on stress-corrosion.
• A quantitative consistence with results from literature was found.
• Lifetime curves for given environment conditions were built, with design purpose.

The present work focuses on stress-corrosion mechanisms in soda–lime silica glass. Four-point beam-bending tests were performed on small specimens, measuring failure time in function of temperature and relative humidity. By using linear elastic fracture mechanics, average velocity of edge flaws propagation was evaluated as a function of stress intensity factor, allowing a comparison with experimental curves from the literature. Experimental results are consistent with the main stress-corrosion theories and with chemical kinetics equation for a general reaction. Also, by using a crack evolution power-law and an equivalence relation for constant stress, we have compared our results with lifetime curves relative to environmental conditions of the tests.