Light transmitting concrete

1. LIGHT TRANSMITTING CONCRETE
LETTING THE LIGHT IN
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Under the guidance of:
Shri N S Ananda Rao
Additional Professor
MIT, MANIPAL
Presented by:
H K Sugandhini
Reg. No.100914001
MIT,MANIPAL

2. CONTENTS
 INTRODUCTION
 HISRORY
 TRADENAMES/BRANDNAMES
 FEW EARLY APPLICATIONS
 PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
 PRODUCTION PROCESS
 TECHNICAL DETAILS
 APPLICATIONS
 ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES
 CONCLUSION
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3. LiTraCon ("light transmitting
concrete") is a translucent
concrete building material. Made
of fine concrete embedded with
4% by weight of optical glass
fibers
Litracon™ presents the concept
of light transmitting concrete in
the form of a widely applicable
new building material.
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4. •This product was invented by a 27 year
old, Hungarian architect by the name Áron
Losonczi.
•He came up with the concept while
studying at the Royal University College of
Fine Arts in Stockholm. Losonczi attributes
his idea to a work of art he saw in
Budapest.
•The art installation was made of glass and
ordinary concrete, and the idea of
combining the two struck him and therefore
decided to experiment by combining the
two.
•It was developed in 2001 by him working
with scientists at the Technical University
of Budapest.
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5. •The company marketing “translucent concrete” is a German based
company called “LiTraCon”, presumably derived from the term
“light transmitting concrete”.
•LiTraCon is manufactured by the inventor's company, LiTraCon Bt,
which was founded in spring 2004.
•The head office and workshop is located 160 km from the
Hungarian capital city of Budapest near the town of Csongrád. As of
2006 all LiTraCon products have been produced by LiTraCon Bt.
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6. TRANSLUCENT CONCRETE :
Old Concept / New Technology
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7. STOREY HALL ENTRANCE
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8. ENTRANCEMELBOURNE CITY FOOTPATHS -
Swanston Street
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9. •The days of dull, grey concrete could be about to
end. A Hungarian architect has combined the
world’s most popular building material with optical
fiber from Schott to create a new type of concrete
that transmits light.
•“Thousands of optical glass fibers form a matrix
and run parallel to each other between the two main
surfaces of every block,” explained its inventor
Áron Losonczi.
•“Shadows on the lighter side will appear with sharp
outlines on the darker one. Even the colours remain
the same. This special effect creates the general
impression that the thickness and weight of a
concrete wall will disappear.”
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10. •It is manufactured as a prefabricated block. The concrete is embedded with
thousands of optical glass fibres. These fibres form a matrix and run parallel
between the two main surfaces.
•The fibres make up only a small proportion of the total volume of the block;
approximately 4%. These fibres mingle within the concrete, and because of their
size, become a structural component, similar to a conventional aggregate. The
surface of the material therefore retains the appearance of homogeneous concrete.
•The most important requirement for the success of the product is assurance the fibre
optic strands make contact with both surfaces; otherwise it looses the ability to
transmit. An uninterrupted passage through the concrete is paramount.
•They are able to achieve this by using long moulds, which are filled with a thin
layer of concrete, before layers of fibre optic strands and more concrete are added
until the mould is full. From the long moulds, the product can be removed, and then
cut to length accordingly, effectively assuring the strands span the length of the
block.
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11. •The fiber diameters range from 2 microns to 2 millimeters. By using fibers of
different diameters, LiTraCon designers can achieve different illumination effects.
Varying the size of the blocks, however, doesn’t change the effect. So far, LiTraCon
has made continuous concrete beams up to 20 meters long, and the fibers transmit
light the entire length.
•The product is able to have a very consistent finish like ordinary concrete, or an
unpredictable, ever changing, weather influential, ephemeral quality.
•In order for this product to become translucent, someone or something must be
situated in front of it and when light is shone from behind, a shadow can be seen
clearly on the other side.
•The application technique for this product is solely in prefabricated block form.
The complexity in ensuring fibre strands span the length of the block from surface
to surface eliminates the possibility of it being used as an in situ material. The light
transmitting properties are solely dependant upon contact being made with both
surfaces.
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12. Technical Specifications
Form : prefabricated blocks / panels
Components : concrete, optical fibre
Fibre Ratio : max 5%vol
Density : 2100 – 2400 kg/m3
Compressive strength : a) 49 N/mm2
: b) 31 N/mm2
: c) 56 N/mm2
Bending Strength : 7.7 N/mm2
Block Size
Thickness : 25 – 500 mm
Width : max 600 mm
Height : max 300 mm
Finish : polished
Heat Insulation : possibility 12

13. DIFFERENCE B/W TRANSPARENT AND
TRANSLUCENT
In the field of optics, transparency (also called pellucidity or
diaphaneity) is the physical property of allowing light to pass
through a material; translucency (also called translucence or
translucidity) only allows light to pass through diffusely. The
opposite property is opacity. Transparent materials are clear,
while translucent ones cannot be seen through clearly.
Glass is very brittle in nature and does not have tensile strength
as that of optical fibres. However use of glass has become
inherent in today’s world because of its pleasing appearance and
improved aesthetics.
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15. In fact, to date the largest project
exhibiting the technology is an
artistic installation, called the
“European Gate” (2004) which was
designed to mark the celebration of
Hungary joining the European Union
(EU).
It is located at the public entrance of
Fortress Monostor in the Hungarian
town of Komárom by the River
Danube. This is a most impressive
piece, as it works in conjunction with
a visual lighting display, and is
interactive.
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16. •The intended application for this product
is in the building industry for walls.
•Used in this form, both sides, and the
thickness are visible. It can be used in both
interior and exterior situations and
impregnations upon the surface are
possible.
•It is possible for the product to be used as
a load bearing structure. It can therefore
contain reinforcement. The fibre optic
strands are flexible and can bend around
the reinforcing mesh.
•As light only travels from one end of the
fibre through to the other, the mesh would
remain invisible within the concrete.
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17. • It is able to withstand all
weather conditions.
•Due to concrete’s excellent
insulating properties, it could
potentially become a highly
sought after product in arid
climates.
•where it could protect against
desert heat, whilst letting through
some sunshine.
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18. HUNGARYLiTraCon WAS FIRST USED AS THE SURFACE
OF A SQUARE IN INNERSTOCKHOLM
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19. The first project - during the day the blocks appear as
concrete pavement, but at sunset they start to shine thank
to the light sources placed under them. Aringed light
pattern took shape around the main square as dark came. 19

20. THE FIRST ‘’REAL’’ APPLICATION OF LiTraCon WAS IN A
PRIVATE HOUSE IN BUDAPEST DURING SUMMER 2004
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21. Litracon could be suitable for
internal partitions or artistic
enhancements. This new
material would definitely add
to overall enhancement of
architecture or interior design.
It would be interesting to see if
someone dared to use it to
build a whole house though.
This would be one see-through
buidling to look forward to!
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23. •The fundamental basics of buildings is to provide shelter and protection
to people. Unless it is an office space or workstation, most people need an
enclosed space for personal living and privacy. However, against
conventional practices, Litracon (Light Transmitting Concrete) which can
be used for residential and commercial
•As the glass fibres are precisely parallel with each other there is no loss
of light. The distinct shadow of a person can be seen.
• Their movement is clear to see. As the wall is as tough as a normal
concrete wall there are security advantages in its use.
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24. • About 4% of the wall is the glass fibres, and the wall
could be be up to 20 metres long! A four metre high
Europe Gate was built from the stuff in 2004 in the
Hungarian town of Komarom.
• Combination of being almost unbreakable yet
translucent
• HEAT INSULATION and saving of day light make
this product more popular.
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25. Colours and textures can be customised and further
develop in accordance to the demand of the market.
However, conventional colour and textures are still
available in their original context. But textures varies in
design requirements.
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26. •The fact the product can not be poured in situ, is a limiting
factor, however, it is a precision material and the correct
procedures need to be followed.
•It would be extremely important for the company to ensure the
integrity of the optic strands. If they were to break within the
product the light transmitting capability would almost certainly
be void. This would deliver a standard concrete appearance.
•Samples of the product can be obtained from the company via
their online site.
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27. • Costing of this product is extremely difficult. The
company has only been manufacturing the product for few
years, and maintains that until it is industrially
manufactured they are unable to provide an official
quotation. It is however, possible to request a non-series
quotation from them.
• The pursuit of improved concrete materials continues.
How much of the world adopts these new types of
concrete depends on numerous factors, including whether
the materials meet technical needs, how much they cost,
and whether big-time architects and designers adopt them.
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28.  LitraconT Building Blocks come in a size of 600 by 300
by 100mm. The costing for each piece is EUR 315.-/pcs.
Lead time for delivery is 9 months earliest. That’s a long
time isn’t it?
 A problem is that the material is very expensive to make
in quantities big enough for a building. At present the
LitraCube is available. It consists of four interlocking
panels forming a hollow cube, as a lamp, for 595 Euros.
Perhaps it could be used also as a “window” for an interior
room.
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29. •The product is intended to be primarily used in the building and
construction industry; however its properties make it a very attractive
material for all designers alike, particularly artist.
•Considering the product uses conventional concrete, it has the same
variety of finishes. It can be prefabricated in a range of colours by
addives, and can even be polished to a highly glossed finish.
•How much of the world adopts these new types of concrete depends
on numerous factors, including whether the materials meet technical
needs, how much they cost, and whether big-time architects and
designers adopt them.
•The efforts to bring concrete to new heights of function and form,
however, is almost certain to transform the traditional perception of
concrete as a cold, drab, low-tech material. Its use is likely to extend
as far into the future as it reaches into the past.
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30. Perhaps this is a product
whose day will come if the
cost of optical fibres is able
to come down drastically.
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31. WWW.GIZMAG.COM
WWW.DESIGN-BUILD NETWORK.COM
WWW.LITRACON.HU
WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
WWW.GOOGLE.COM
WWW.GIZMAG.COM
( LA STRUCTURES & MATERIALS)
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