Litracon: An alternative source for conventional concrete

Department of Civil Engineering, GRIET, Hyderabad

Abstract

The consumption of artificial light, especially in urban areas, leads to global warming. As a remedy this light transmitting concrete acts as a solution for global warming. Light transmitting concrete is made with cement ,water , very fine sand and thousands of optical fibres reinforced in concrete from one face to another face which guide the light passing through it. Light transmitting concrete is a concrete that is improved in terms of transparency by installing optical fibres into concrete. We used 3% of optical fibre in this concrete. Due to its pellucidity property, it is also called translucent concrete. The application of light transmitting concrete which allows light to transmit through non-transparent concrete reduces energy in closed environments and global warming. Translucent concrete is used in fine architecture as a decorative material. It has all these properties which an eco-friendly technique should have to keep up the green building concept into consideration. The present investigation about the light translucent concrete by using optical fibre and comparing it with conventional concrete. Compressive strength test is performed on the concrete specimen. Utilising 3% more optical fibres enhanced the compressive strength. compressive strength of concrete cube depends on the diameter of the holes in the mold & the diameter of the optical fibre. It is directly proportional to its compressive strength.