The subject area "structural strength of materials" is defined generally as а complex of strength characteristics of materials and structural elements, obtained under special mechanical tests. It is shown that these tests should take into account not only the physical and mechanical properties of the material, but technology, blank processing, sphere of application, the influence of shape and sizes of elements as well as of their specific loading and operating conditions. Methods for evaluating the structural strength of glass as a linearly elastic material with high sensitivity to technological defects and operational damage are discussed in the paper. Some results of the study of the strength of elements of architectural and bulletproof laminated glass are given. The sizes of technological defects such as cracks in large-sized building elements are determined on the basis of the results of tests of sheet glass plates on bending. The bending strength of sheet float glass with a thickness up to 10 mm reinforced with modification of the glass surface using various industrial technologies is considered. Some methods and results of experimental study the features of the change in the strength and rigidity of laminated armored glass under multiple ballistic tests are also presented.@en