Transparent concrete - high strength material with excellent

Concrete is one of the most common building materials, due to its strength, durability and a number of other advantages. However, its aesthetic component leaves much to be desired, therefore, concrete surfaces are always subject to additional finishing. The exception is the light-conducting concrete, to which, in fact, this article is devoted, in particular, below we consider in detail what this material is and how to make transparent concrete with your own hands.

General information

Transparent or light-conducting concrete (Litracon) was coined in 2001 by a Hungarian architect. The fine-grained structure of this material includes fiber-optic glass strands. As a result, the material is a solid substance penetrated by thin glass fibers.

Immediately it should be noted that the price of transparent concrete is very high, due to the technological complexity of its manufacture. Therefore, it is produced exclusively under the order in the form of rectangular panels, the dimensions of which are selected in accordance with the wishes of the customer.

Initially, it was possible to purchase light-conducting concrete only abroad, as a result of which the shipping cost was added to the high price of the material. However, recently domestic manufacturers have also started manufacturing it. Moreover, they began to offer this material at much more favorable prices.

Material properties

Specifications

Despite a certain external extravagance, transparent concrete has the structural characteristics of traditional concrete, including:

• Strength;
• Water resistance;
• Sound and heat insulation properties.

Moreover, fiberglass has a reinforcing effect on the material, with the result that some of its performance is even higher than that of ordinary concrete:

Note! Transparent concrete can be considered not only as a decorative, but also a structural material capable of withstanding heavy loads. Moreover, its optical properties do not depend on thickness.

Special features

The components that are used in the manufacture of light-conducting concrete are certified and undergo an environmental impact assessment. As a result, the finished material is guaranteed to be environmentally friendly and safe for health.

The disadvantages include the fact that the production technology of transparent concrete does not allow getting it in the formwork directly on the construction site. Litracon is manufactured in industrial plants that possess the appropriate equipment.

The material is produced by layering fiberglass and fine-grained concrete mortar. After setting the solution and curing, the surface of the blocks is further processed to obtain good light-conducting characteristics.

Application area

For the first time transparent concrete was used to make a fancy lamp in the form of a cube. Weighed this piece of furniture more than 10 pounds. Gradually, its scope expanded.

Recently, Litracon is used in modern architectural compositions, to translate various design solutions in urban construction, as well as to create unusual interior elements.

I must say that the imagination of designers at the moment is limited only by the very high cost of the material.

Manufacturing

The main difficulty of self-production is that the technology of transparent concrete requires the inclusion of exactly 4 percent of the fiber of the total mass of the material into the structure. Moreover, all its threads should be located strictly in one direction.

Materials

So, to create your own litrokon, you need to prepare all the necessary materials:

• Dry fine-grained cement mix;
• Clean water;
• Glass fiber with a diameter of 0.25-3 mm. The fiber length must match the thickness of the plate.

Manufacturing technology

Instructions for the manufacture of light guide panels as follows:

• The first step is to perform a design that resembles a box.. In essence, this is a floating formwork, which, as the mortar sets, must smoothly move upwards.
• The resulting box should be installed on a flat horizontal surface and pour a small amount of mortar into it, spreading it out with a thin layer.
• The glass fiber is evenly laid across the freshly poured layer and slightly recessed.
• After the solution has set, the next portion of the solution is metered in and the layer of fiberglass is also placed on top of it.
• This procedure is repeated until the formwork is completely filled.
• When the last layer of mortar hardens, you need to remove the formwork.
• Then grinding and polishing the side surfaces of the block, to which the fiberglass is perpendicular to.

Tip! Formwork can be made of plywood, plastic or other sheet material.

This process of manufacturing this material is completed. Of course, this work requires a certain time, perseverance and perseverance, but the result justifies all these difficulties. After gaining some experience, subsequent samples may turn out to be of higher quality.

Conclusion

Прозрачный бетон является современным материалом, который помимо высокой прочности, обладает отличными декоративными свойствами. Пожалуй, к его недостаткам относится лишь высокая стоимость, однако, получить Litracon можно и в домашних условиях, без особых затрат (см.также статью «Бетон из отсева – особенности и приготовление»).

From the video in this article you can learn more about this topic.