Transparent concrete (light-conducting concrete) in structure consists of fine-grained high-strength concrete and light fibers arranged in a certain order.
Content
- Application of transparent concrete.
- The history of the creation of transparent concrete.
- A little about fiber optics.
- Transparent concrete with your own hands.
Application of transparent concrete
If in concrete blocks Since the optical fiber is located horizontally and parallel to each other, then a wall consisting of such blocks is capable of transmitting light in both directions without changing the geometric dimensions of the illuminated objects.
At the same time, it will not be possible to see a clear outline of objects behind a wall of translucent concrete, but their contours (shadows) are quite distinguishable.
The task of modern technologists is to create light concrete with improved characteristics: to increase the light transmission, to create a surface that does not require additional processing, to transfer light concrete from the category of “decorative” to “construction”, to reduce the cost of the material. This will make it possible to replace metal-glass structures that are widespread in housing construction.
Today, the main purpose of translucent concrete is its decorative possibilities.
If the optical fiber is collected on one side into a bundle, and on the other, randomly or in a given order, distributed on a light-emitting surface, then by installing a light source with a variable spectrum near the entrance to the bundle, one can obtain unique color effects. If the light source is installed in the body of a concrete object, then the impression of a glow from within is created.
Such a source can be controlled via a radio channel. Therefore, such light concrete is increasingly being used in architectural cladding of both the walls of buildings and for creating interiors in rooms.
The history of the creation of transparent concrete
Many people today believe that transparent concrete was developed only recently. Valid in Lately many new developments of improved light-conducting concrete have appeared, thanks to the use of modern technologies and materials.
But transparent or light-conducting concrete was patented by Canadian Bernard Long back in 1935.
In the 90s of the last century, the first industrial tests of light-based concrete samples began. And as a result of the work of the Hungarian architect Aron Losonczy, the first commercial sample of translucent concrete called Litrakon was obtained and patented.
Today's task modern technology improve the parameters (mentioned earlier) of translucent concrete in order to expand its use in construction.
Transparent concrete and homemade products
Interest in translucent concrete is constantly growing and, naturally, also from homemade ones.
Making an original gift or product for your home with your own hands is a very tempting idea.
How difficult or easy it is for a non-professional to do this can be assessed by watching a video from YouTube, taken as an example for discussion (see at the top of the page).
He's right: preparing the pattern on the wall of the mold, laying fiberglass, tamping the concrete mixture, trimming and polishing the product is a long process that requires a lot of patience and perseverance.
But, most importantly, the master has achieved his goal - transparent concrete or light-conducting concrete has been made.
Is it worth using the proposed technology to make your own? original gift is up to the reader to decide.
There are several proposals to simplify this technology.
First.
If you want to make a light pattern, then it’s easier not to mill the shape, but to use a regular fine-mesh metal mesh.
Remember how in school they taught you to make a copy of a drawing. First, the drawing is lined, making a scale grid. Then, element by element, we transfer each cell to the working surface.
In this way, you can scale any drawing up or down.
In our case, such a surface is a metal mesh. Having passed segments of light fiber through it, we obtain the necessary pattern.
To eliminate possible distortions in the geometric dimensions of the image transmitted through the block, you can use two identical grids at opposite ends of the optical fibers.
If you plan to make a light-emitting product, then it is enough to use a mesh on one side, and a bundle of interconnected optical fibers at the light source.
Second.
If it is necessary to obtain the greatest light transmission, then you can use a larger diameter fiber: 3...4 mm.
Third.
And this is the most important thing. You don't need to ram anything. Use fine-grained self-flowing concrete. It has already been described in sufficient detail during the manufacture of the hollow concrete angel.
If you don’t want to prepare the composition yourself, you can buy and use a cement mixture for pouring concrete floors for this purpose.
Its main advantage is its high strength and the absence of the need to vibrate the concrete mixture.
If you need to get a product from light-conducting concrete of any shape, then you can use plastic (architectural, artistic, sculptural) concrete, which has been repeatedly used in our works and experiments, which were described on the pages of the site.
If in decorative purposes something needs to be done large sizes using optical fiber, then it is necessary to take into account the limited light conductivity of the latter, as well as its considerable cost.
A little about fiber optics
♦ Optical fiber (Wikipedia) - a thread of optically transparent material (glass, plastic) used to transfer light within itself through total internal reflection.
Nowadays, synthetic fibers are more often used. The core in such an optical fiber is made of polymethyl methacrylate (organic glass), and the cladding is made of fluoropolymers.
Organic glass is a synthetic vinyl polymer. It is also called Plexiglas.
Depending on the fiber diameter, 1 meter approximately costs:
2 mm – 80 rubles ($1.3)
3.5 mm – 140 rubles ($2.3)
4 mm – 150 rubles ($2.5).
Naturally than larger diameter fiber, the easier it is to install it in the mold before pouring concrete. Also, instead of a mesh, you can use holes drilled in the walls of the mold and equal to the diameter of the thread.
Conclusion
The scope of translucent concrete is constantly expanding. So, for example, when decorating the interior of a cafe, restaurant and other recreational places, translucent concrete can be used for dynamically changing lighting solutions on the walls, floors of rooms or art objects. Increasingly, a computer is being used to control colored light sources, to which bundles of light fibers passing through concrete structures are supplied. Using analog R-G-B signal, you can get a video image that may not yet be of high quality.
Good luck to everyone in your work and see you again on the pages
Articles on the topic
Concrete is one of the most popular materials in construction, with a long service life and high performance characteristics. The main disadvantage is the unesthetic appearance, which requires additional finishing. Transparent variety- a completely new product that manages to combine everything best qualities familiar composition with unique aesthetic properties.
Concrete can be called transparent rather conditionally, since only the contours of objects located behind the structure are visible through it and only when the light flow is directed from the rear side. In cloudy weather or in the evening, this material does not differ significantly from the usual one; all its properties are fully revealed only in sunlight or when using special lighting.
It consists of two main components: fine-grained concrete and fiberglass, which serves as the basis for the operation of the reflective matrix. The diameter of glass fibers is predominantly taken to be 2 mm, and their total share does not exceed 5%.
Transparent concrete has all the structural and operational parameters of traditional concrete, such as:
- strength;
- hardness;
- water resistance;
- heat and noise insulation characteristics.
Fiberglass also performs a reinforcing function, increasing some properties of the material:
- moisture absorption - up to 6%;
- frost resistance - up to F50;
- bending strength - up to grade Ptb30;
- compressive strength - up to grade M250.
Areas of use
Thanks to the advent of translucent concrete, new opportunities have opened up in the design and engineering of buildings, especially in modern and high-tech styles.
Most often used for:
- finishing of indoor surfaces;
- construction of interior partitions;
- construction of external and load-bearing walls;
- production of plumbing fixtures (washbasins, bathtubs);
- production of decorative benches, fountains, gazebos.
Does not lose its properties and characteristics when exposed to sun rays and temperature fluctuations, and therefore can be used not only for internal, but also external work. To create blocks suitable for the construction of load-bearing structures of buildings and meeting all safety requirements, a special production technology is required, which involves the addition of various building mixtures, resins and quartz flour.
For interior decoration For rooms, panels made of translucent concrete are predominantly selected. They are fixed to the wall using bolted connections or frame structures. Can also be used as a floor covering.
The main drawback, due to which the material has not yet become widespread in construction, is the too high price, due to expensive components. For the same reason, the products are not yet available to most people and are extremely rarely used when creating interiors.
Manufacturing technology
The production method consists of layer-by-layer application of a fine-grained mixture and fiberglass. To obtain the required characteristics, after the solution has set and gained strength, additional processing is performed. Transparent light-conducting concrete is ground and polished to achieve the best possible smooth surface, necessary for maximum light transmission ability and achieving the greatest decorative effect.
The optical parameters of the material do not depend on the thickness of the products; the main importance is the uniformity of the fibers and their percentage content in the finished product. The fine-mesh structure looks more airy, conveying the edges of the object. Increasing the thread density increases the transparency effect.
The production of light-conducting blocks is impossible on a construction site, since high-quality mixing of the mixture requires special equipment. But for your own needs, you can try to do it yourself.
Making concrete yourself
The main difficulty lies in the need to introduce exactly 5% fiberglass. Threads laid strictly in one direction must be of the same length, equal to the thickness of the block.
Materials needed:
- purified water;
- fiberglass threads of the required length with a cross-section from 0.25 to 3 mm;
- a thoroughly dried mixture of cement and finely sifted sand.
The production technology includes the following steps:
- production of “floating” formwork, moving upward as it hardens;
- pouring a thin layer of the prepared solution into a mold placed on a flat horizontal surface;
- fiberglass strands are placed in the mixture and slightly embedded in it;
- after waiting the time necessary for setting, the next layer is poured and another row of fiberglass is laid;
- pouring and laying of threads is repeated until the formwork volume is completely filled;
- Once the last layer has hardened, the frame is dismantled, the edges of the block from the ends of the fiberglass should be sanded and polished.
According to technology for self-production fine-grained concrete requires mixing cement and sand in a ratio of 1 to 3. Water is added depending on the amount of cement used, no more than half of its mass.
Dry ingredients are added to the mixer and mixed for a minute. After the mixture becomes homogeneous, add water and stirring continues for another 5 minutes. When making blocks, both in a factory and with your own hands, the mobility of the solution is important: the slightest displacement can lead to a decrease in throughput, but allows you to create an original pattern on the surface.
By technology finishing performed 2-3 days after pouring. To do this, the formwork is dismantled, and the resulting block is left to “ripen”, ensuring, if possible, its protection from the effects of precipitation. Incomplete hardening occurs 3-5 days after pouring.
The cost of concrete in Moscow
Prices for this unique innovative product depend on the shape and complexity of manufacturing, technical and operational characteristics.
Price of the most popular products in Moscow:
| Manufacturer | Name | Dimensions, mm | Cost, rubles |
| Mosstroytransgaz-Development LLC, Russia | Light Stone | 1 m2 | 20000 |
| ILLUMINART, Russia | ILLUMICON | 1 m2 | 17955 |
| Litracon Bt, Hungary | Litracon | 1 m2 | 69800 |
| Litracon Bt, Hungary | Litracon Classic prefabricated blocks | 1200x400x(25-200) | 90000-320000 |
| Litracon Bt, Hungary | Litracube lamp | 221x175x175 | 54000 |
| Lucem, Germany | Lightweight concrete slabs Lucem | 1250×650x(15-50) | from 90000 |
| Lucem, Germany | Lucem table top | 1200x600x20 | 89500 |
Manufacturers from Europe have the highest prices for products, and already finished goods, and the cheapest option is to purchase transparent concrete Russian companies- its cost is relatively low.
With the development of new production technologies, materials that are quite unusual at first glance appear, for example, transparent concrete. The traditional idea of concrete as a heavy stone monolith breaks down already at the first acquaintance with the unusual structure. This is not a trick or an advertising gimmick for a construction company, this is real building material, from which you can even build a small house if you wish.
What is the new material?
It would be more correct to call transparent concrete light-conducting, because its developer is still very far from being completely transparent. Due to its novelty and limited use, a light-conducting concrete mass is relatively expensive to produce, although the technology of transparent concrete does not require special, super complex equipment or unique materials.
For the production of transparent concrete the following are used:
- Special grades of cement with extremely small cement grain size;
- Glass quartz fiber in reels;
- Wetting and air-displacing additives for concrete;
- Pure quartz sand, more precisely, dust or powder of high purity.
If you can buy cheaply or obtain all the listed components of the required quality, then it is quite possible to start making blocks of transparent concrete with your own hands. So far, the cost of source materials makes the light-conducting array quite expensive for home production.
For your information! First priority, even special role The quality of glass fiber plays a role in the production of transparent concrete.
To produce transparent material, you cannot use fiber fiber, which is traditionally used for fiberglass and materials with a chaotic reinforcement structure. Transparent concrete requires a semi-product - quartz fiber in threads, which is produced on special casting machines. This is a semi-product, which is what we need.
The remaining components are well known to almost any builder. This is Portland cement M300 of the finest grinding and sand, pre-screened, washed and dried.
Properties of transparent concrete mass
If you try to make transparent material on chopped fiber, you get ordinary, completely opaque fiber-reinforced concrete. The whole idea of manufacturing a transparent array is based on the use of solid fiberglass with a diameter of 0.25 mm.
Structurally transparent concrete is just an array of fibers laid in a certain way, filled with a binding matrix based on concrete mortar high fluidity and low shrinkage.
After the process of gaining the design strength of the concrete matrix is completed, transparent concrete exhibits the following characteristics:
- Strength in static unilinear compression corresponds to the level of M250 or good quality concrete of regular composition;
- Frost resistance at the level of masonry brick F-50;
- Water absorption is about 6%, which is very high for a cement-based material;
- Light transmission is only 3-4%. But even this value is enough to create the illusion of transparency.
In fact, transparent concrete is a monolith in which hundreds of thousands of tiny optical channels are embedded, thanks to which the material is able to project shadows and contours falling on a section of the concrete mass even with a casting thickness of up to 200 cm.
That is, in reality, through transparent concrete you can see bright light or the contours of an object; in low light conditions, the light-transmitting material would look like ordinary concrete. If the transparent material were an amorphous monolith, like glass, then a maximum of half a meter of transparency could be obtained.
At the same time, transparent concrete, due to reinforcement, has high bending and tensile strength, vibration loading and alternating loading. the material shows acceptable thermal insulation qualities - 2.1 W/m∙K.
It would be possible to easily build houses and buildings, fences and garages from transparent concrete, if not for one problem - the price of the innovative material is only 500-900 euros per square meter of a twenty-centimeter block.
Production technology and application of transparent concrete
A remarkable quality of transparent concrete is the ability to produce it in artisanal conditions using simplified technology. Used in laboratory conditions special methods strengthening the concrete matrix like foam concrete. The result is a light-transmitting material that has 2-3 higher specific strength characteristics than concrete made in a garage or shed.
Making high-quality transparent concrete with your own hands
The method for producing light-transmitting castings can be found in numerous digests and construction-related websites, but most of them simply copy the developer’s description. Let's try to make transparent concrete that is closest in quality to the original. You will first need to make a collapsible mold from plastic or wood with a removable bottom and lid.
Sequence of operations:
- We carefully wash the fiberglass with 647 solvent to remove the preservative lubricant from the surface. The fiber must be cut into pieces equal in length to the thickness of the future block of transparent concrete;
- We sift the cement and sand several times on the finest sieves, separate all contaminants, prepare the batch according to the standard 1:3 recipe, add purified water and 1:10 isopropyl alcohol. Chop the cement-sand mixture with a sharp spatula to squeeze out as much air as possible;
- We place a small amount of concrete mass on the bottom of the form and lay out a layer of fiberglass pieces no more than 1 mm thick. The fibers must be laid strictly in one direction. We embed the fiberglass in the solution with a spatula and press it down with a lid;
- The procedure must be repeated until the form is completely filled out. We leave the filled block for a day without disassembling, after which we remove the walls and bottom and place it in a damp room for several days.
The result should be a workpiece that looks like a brick or tile with rough, uneven edges. To achieve transparency, the ends of the casting must be ground and polished, initially sandpaper, then using a suspension of pumice powder and water.
The main cost item is the purchase of expensive fiberglass, so in home-made production they often try to replace it with cheaper polycarbonate fibers of a similar cross-section. The technology for making fake transparent concrete is approximately the same, with the exception of washing the fibers using organic solvents. To improve adhesion to polycarbonate fibers, water-soluble glue grades are added to the cement-sand mixture.
Fake transparent concrete is lighter than the original light-conducting matrix, breaks easily on impact and cracks when exposed to high heat. A real transparent array of mineral fiberglass will easily survive heating up to 150 o C, since the glass and quartz sand included in the matrix have the same characteristics.
Use of unusual material
The prohibitive cost of translucent concrete limits its use as building material. Today, light-transmitting arrays are used primarily as a material for the manufacture of lamps, translucent walls and partitions, decorative elements office interiors and even as light inserts in the walls of multi-story buildings.
In the future, transparent concrete, subject to reduced production costs, can replace most technological window openings and glazing, used for canopies and roofs. Fiberglass can selectively transmit sunlight, therefore, cheap unbreakable panels can be made from light-conducting material for greenhouses, sports facilities, and ceiling slabs.
Conclusion
At home, lamps and protective panels that replace windows are usually made from transparent concrete. utility rooms. Transparent panels make ideal partitions in the house, especially if the layout of the room is made in the form of one large studio. A wall made of light-conducting concrete material can be used to separate the kitchen from the living room, or make a cabinet or flower stand.
Almost any large-scale construction process involves the use of concrete mixtures. The solution acts as the basis in the formation of the foundation, walls are built from it, ceilings are made and other tasks are implemented. At the same time, the external ugliness of concrete does not bother anyone - it is skillfully disguised facing materials, so this nuance does not cause any special problems. Nevertheless, the Hungarian engineer Aron Losonzi decided to add one more quality to the list of gray material characteristics - light transmission. This is how Illumicon transparent concrete appeared, which has many differences from traditional mixtures. This applies not only to the appearance, but also to the original structure, due to manufacturing technology.
Concrete composition
The basis is still an ordinary mortar prepared from a fine-grained cement mass. The technology itself has revolutionized the concept of concrete only through the unusual combination of the basic familiar mixture and fiber optics. These are threads that are used in telecommunication networks. It is through the combination of these components that transparent concrete is formed. The composition of the main solution also provides for the use of cement and water in accordance with technical requirements. As for fibers, their parameters are selected according to special criteria.
As a rule, technologists do not recommend preparing masses in which the proportion of optical elements exceeds 5%. This affects the strength and durability of the material. On the other hand, the very quality that determines transparency depends on the percentage of glass fiber content. Most often, transparent concrete is produced using fibers whose thickness does not exceed 2 millimeters.
Manufacturing technology
Like the traditional method of creating concrete, in this case the work begins with the arrangement of formwork. Next, the solution is poured into it. It is important to note here that the concrete mixture itself involves the inclusion of components with different characteristics. There are fine-grained mortars, and in some cases it is appropriate to add crushed stone. It is the first option, without the inclusion of fillers with a coarse fraction, that makes it possible to obtain high-quality transparent concrete. The technology regarding the use of fiber optic threads involves some kind of reinforcement. The accuracy of fiber placement also depends on key characteristic material - the ability to provide visibility. Another fundamental difference from the classical method of producing concrete is the need to refine the already hardened solution. Firstly, the formwork form is released, after which the monolith can be cut into separate blocks with the required form. Secondly, the formed litracon is carefully polished.
Characteristics of transparent concrete
Since the basis of the material is a completely familiar fine-grained solution, it technical properties are in many ways similar to conventional fine-grained concrete - for example, grade M250. However, the presence of about 5% of a foreign element in the form of glass fiber still causes a number of differences. As for density, it varies from 2100 to 2400 kg/m3. This indicator is superior to foam and aerated concrete analogues, but litracon cannot compete with heavy compositions in terms of density. But transparent concrete demonstrates good water resistance and frost resistance. Since the average compressive strength does not allow the use of light-conducting material as a base in the construction of large construction projects, it is advisable to initially calculate the loads on the material. If you still have the task of making critical structures from litracon, then it is better to consider options for adding additional plasticizers and additives that increase strength.
Areas of application
However, litracon is not intended for use as a building material that can be subject to high force loads. Moreover, pouring a foundation from fiberglass mortar does not make sense, since the light transmittance in this case will not be expressed in any way. The main direction of its use is the arrangement of architectural compositions with decorative properties. Transparent concrete is successfully used both in creating outdoor design objects and in decorating interiors. Its use is primarily due to aesthetic considerations, although the technical and physical qualities of the material are not discarded. One way or another, the basic set of components for a litracon makes it similar to a conventional one that copes with the loads of small architectural structures.
Pros and cons of transparent concrete
Main advantage of this material consists in a combination of seemingly incomparable performance qualities. This decorative effect and strength potential, corresponding in its performance to lightweight concrete. As for the minuses, experts don’t even take average strength indicators into account. Much more significant is the high price. It is the inclusion of fiber optic threads in transparent concrete that increases the cost of producing the solution.
How to make it yourself?
The highest quality versions of such concrete are produced in the factory and are sold in the form of ready-to-use design objects. But if you wish, you can make litrakon yourself. The main difficulty will be correct installation fiberglass threads. If the production of transparent concrete at specialized plants involves the operation of automated machines that form layers of fiberglass, then at home this work will have to be done manually. A formwork structure is also formed, and then rows of light-transmitting threads are created layer by layer. At the same time, the layers are alternately filled with portions of the solution. At the same time, it is important to maintain the concentration of fibers in the total mass so that the concrete retains a sufficient margin of strength.
Conclusion
Quite often, improving the characteristics of familiar building materials leads to a change in the directions of its use. Despite the similarity with classic mortars, transparent concrete is used primarily as a decorative object. To obtain a reliable power base, it is quite advisable to use conventional compounds, the aesthetic appeal of which has no significance during operation. Litracon, on the contrary, is not of particular interest from the point of view of load-bearing capabilities, but it is best revealed as an original design element.
Concrete is one of the most durable building materials with exceptionally high technical and performance characteristics. The undeniable advantage of the material in question is its long service life. Despite the fact that concrete composition There are a number of advantages, but there are some disadvantages.
The main disadvantage of the cement composition is its unattractive appearance; it requires decorative finishing. However, construction technologies are developing by leaps and bounds. As a result, technologists have developed a fundamentally new type of concrete - translucent.
We are talking about a building material that allows you to create realistic silhouettes of animals and people, which is inherently magnificent design solution during the construction of objects and buildings. Transparent concrete is easy to make with your own hands, which helps to reduce the cost of expensive building materials.
Definition of transparent concrete
Transparent concrete is a unique building material invented by Mr. Losonczy, one of the leading Hungarian architects. He was looking for the possibility of providing his structures with additional lighting, while the technical characteristics of the cement composition were in no way deteriorated. As a result, the architect decided to change the internal components of the building material.
After 15 years of incessant research and experimentation, he managed to develop and introduce into the construction industry a fundamentally new decorative and finishing material - transparent concrete. It was named Lytrakon. Fine-grained composite compounds based on fiberglass are introduced into the material.
The main disadvantage of transparent concrete is that production is impossible on a large scale and volume, so they are produced mainly in the form of building blocks.
Despite the obvious advantages of transparent concrete, their key disadvantage should not be ignored - the high price of the materials used. In total, the price tag is approaching several thousand dollars.
Technical characteristics and features of transparent concrete
Transparent concrete is not only unique appearance, but also the following characteristics:
- thermal insulation;
- water resistance;
- high strength characteristics;
- possibility of self-production;
- sound insulation.
- high bending and compressive strength;
- frost resistance;
- the level of moisture absorption increases to 6%.
Light is transmitted through a special optical fiber included in the building material. Due to it, better transmission of light is ensured over a length of up to 2 m. Optical fiber is resistant to temperature fluctuations, thermal effects, and ultraviolet radiation.
During the daytime, such transparent concrete allows natural light to enter the living space. In this way it is possible to provide room lighting personal plot, garden area. The material is available in gray, white and black colors. Light-conducting elements are fixed with mortars, anchors, or other fixing compounds. Today the blocks are available in various color options.
Application area of transparent concrete
Litracon is used to form unique design elements:
- internal partitions;
- stairs;
- countertops;
- facades of buildings.
Do-it-yourself technology for producing transparent concrete
You can organize the production of transparent concrete yourself if you carefully approach technological process. The main problem is the technological complexity of preparing litracon, or more precisely, the need for strict adherence to the necessary ingredients.
To obtain a light-conducting structure, it is necessary to prepare 4% of fiber optic cement from the total mass of the composition. It is equally important to lay the threads in the correct direction - they are located strictly in one direction.
To prepare litracon with your own hands, it is important to prepare several components:
- purified water;
- cement mixture with the addition of fine-grained aggregate;
- fiberglass.
- It is first necessary to make a box, which is a floating formwork. It moves in the vertical direction when the bulk of the solution hardens.
- The finished box is mounted on a preparatory surface, previously leveled. After this, the prepared mixture is fed in a small volume into the base of the formwork.
- After this, the fiberglass is laid in the already poured concrete mixture, slightly recessing the material.
- Then you need to wait for the solution to set, and only after that the next portion is poured.
- The pouring is repeated and the fiberglass is installed. The frequency is repeated until the formwork is completely filled.
- Dismantling of the formwork and grinding of the blocks begins after the completion of pouring the last layer.
After the formation of transparent concrete is completed, final grinding begins. For this purpose, stripping is carried out. It is carried out 3 days after installation of the formwork. In conditions of low humidity, the manufactured blocks can withstand for 5 days.
Lytracon - common modern material, which is distinguished not only by impeccable style and appearance, but also by exceptional technical characteristics.
