Yes, in most practical applications, the "overall strength" and "impact resistance" of tempered laminated glass are considered greater and safer than those of single-pane tempered glass of the same thickness.
Comparison of the "theoretical strength" of a single piece of glass
If only the glass itself is compared, the theoretical strength of single-pane tempered glass of the same thickness and that of single-pane tempered glass that constitutes laminated glass is the same.
Tempering process: Whether it is the original sheet used for laminated glass or the final single-sheet tempered glass, they all undergo the same tempering treatment (heat treatment). This process forms a powerful compressive stress layer on the surface of the glass, making its bending and impact resistance 3 to 5 times higher than that of ordinary glass.
Conclusion: From this perspective, the strength benchmark of a 6mm tempered glass sheet and a 6mm tempered glass original sheet used for "6+6" laminated glass is the same.
The performance improvement brought by the "overall structure" (this is the key point)
When two or more pieces of tempered glass are bonded together through interlayers such as PVB or SGP, the formed "laminated glass system" undergoes a qualitative leap in mechanical properties:
a. Impact resistance and penetration resistance
Single-pane tempered glass: When subjected to a sufficiently large impact, it will break as a whole into small particles. Although these particles are not likely to hurt people, the glass will be completely torn open and lose its protective function.
Tempered laminated glass: When impacted, even if one (or even two) layers of glass break, the fragments will be firmly adhered by the interlayer film and will not fly or fall off. It can remain as a whole, continue to provide a barrier and be extremely difficult to penetrate. This is crucial for scenarios such as theft prevention, protection against violent impacts, and typhoon areas.
b. Bending strength and load-bearing capacity
Force mechanism: When laminated glass is bent, it is equivalent to a "composite sandwich beam". The upper and lower tempered glass pieces mainly bear tensile stress and compressive stress, while the middle film bears shear force. This structure can disperse and bear loads more effectively than a single piece of glass.
Under the same thickness: A single piece of 12mm thick tempered glass usually has better wind pressure resistance than a laminated glass composed of "6mm tempered +1.52mmPVB+6mm tempered" with a total thickness of approximately 13.5mm. Because its overall structural stability is better and the deformation is smaller.
c. Residual bearing capacity (Strength after crushing)
This is one of the greatest advantages of laminated glass.
Single-pane tempered glass: Its strength drops to zero immediately upon breakage.
Tempered laminated glass: Even if all the glass sheets are broken, the fragments still adhere to the film. This "broken glass plate" still has certain strength and stability, can withstand certain loads (such as wind load, snow load), and will not collapse immediately. This is an extremely important guarantee for building safety.
Conclusion
So, coming back to your question: Is the strength of tempered laminated glass greater than that of tempered glass of the same thickness?
From the perspective of practical application and overall structural performance, the answer is affirmative. Although the strength benchmark of the single piece of glass that constitutes it is the same, the "system" formed by interlayer composite comprehensively surpasses the single piece of tempered glass of the same thickness in terms of impact resistance, bending stiffness, integrity after breakage and residual strength.
Therefore, in situations where higher safety levels, wind pressure resistance or anti-theft performance are required (such as curtain walls, skylights, railings, bank display Windows, etc.), tempered laminated glass is undoubtedly the better choice.
