Materials / Compare

Aluminum A380 vs. Glass

Compare Aluminum A380 vs. Glass strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side
Aluminum A380Cast
GlassNatural
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Mechanical
Yield strength160MPasourcetypical, 25 °Cnot given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength320MPasourcetypical, 25 °C41MPasourcetypical mean surface tensile stress at fracture (MOR), 60 s load, weathered, 50% breakage probability
Flexural strengthnot sourced41MPasourcemean MOR (same value as tensile)
Elongation at break3.5%sourcetypicalnot sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)71GPasourcetypical, 25 °C72GPasourcetypical
Density2,713kg/m³sourcetypical at 68 °F2,500kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight59kN·m/kg3.6x higher16.4kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight26.2MN·m/kg28.8MN·m/kg10% higher
Poisson's rationot sourced0.22sourcetypical
Shear modulusnot sourced29.5GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced42.9GPa
Speed of sound5,116m/s5,367m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity96.2W/m·Ksourcetypical at 68 °F0.937W/m·Ksourcetypical at 75 F
Thermal expansion21.8µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 68-572 °F (20-300 °C)8.3µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 75-575 F
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing109µm growth41.5µm growth2.62x less
Specific heat963J/kg·Ksourcetypical at 68 °F880J/kg·Ksourcetypical at 75 F
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)36.8mm²/s86.5x faster0.426mm²/s
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced50.1W/m
Max service temperaturenot sourced511°Csourcestrain point (ASTM C336) - stress-relaxation onset, not a rated service limit
Values forA380 aluminium high-pressure die-casting alloy, typical properties; Rheocast Company (aluminium die caster, Germantown WI) A380 alloy data page.Annealed soda-lime-silica float glass, Pilkington North America Technical Bulletin ATS-129 (04/2025)

Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Is Aluminum A380 stronger than Glass?

Aluminum A380 is stronger: its yield strength is 160 MPa against tensile strength 41 MPa for Glass (3.9x).

Which is lighter, Aluminum A380 or Glass?

Glass is lighter: 2,500 kg/m³ against 2,713 kg/m³ for Aluminum A380.

Which is stiffer, Aluminum A380 or Glass?

Glass is stiffer: Young's modulus 72 GPa against 71 GPa for Aluminum A380, so the same part in Glass deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum A380 or Glass?

For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum A380 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Glass is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.

Part that must beAluminum A380Glass
Stiff rod or tie (tension)10% heavierlighter
Stiff beam (bending)9% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plate9% heavierlighter
Strong rod or tielighter3.6x heavier
Strong beamlighter2.28x heavier
Strong panel or platelighter1.82x heavier

For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).

Which conducts heat better, Aluminum A380 or Glass?

Aluminum A380 conducts heat better: 96.2 W/m·K against 0.937 W/m·K for Glass.

Which expands less with temperature?

Glass expands less: 8.3 µm/m·K against 21.8 µm/m·K for Aluminum A380.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Steel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum A380Glass
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Steel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum A380Glass
Strength against density

Related comparisons