Blingcrete is a textile-reinforced concrete featuring a light-reflecting surface, designed for architectural and safety applications, which utilizes retroreflection through embedded glass beads. It offers various properties such as high strength, durability, and resistance to harsh environments, making it suitable for innovative designs in architecture and transport safety. The material is positioned as an eco-friendly option that enhances aesthetics while maintaining structural integrity.

1. BLINGCRETE

2. INTRODUCTION
BlingCrete is a textile-reinforced concrete with a
light-reflecting surface whose specific properties
and smart manufacturing processes offer a wide
variety of applications.
BlingCrete offers a wide range of applications in
architecture and design, in road safety and traffic-
related areas.
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3. RETROREFLECTION
Retroreflection, as can be seen in the bottom
illustration, is the phenomenon of light rays
striking a surface and being redirected back to
the source of light.
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4. “
RETROREFLECTION IN BLINGCRETE
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Retroreflection in blingcrete is caused by glass beads
embedded into a concrete matrix.
The glass beads are of size ranging from 0.7-7mm.
The matrix composes of ultra high performance concrete
usually.
The perception of the view changes at different
angles,depending on the angle of incidence of light.

5. Glass beads are embedded into concrete
as shown below by about 51 percent of its
diameter into the concrete matrix
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6. PROPERTIES
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7. The concrete matrix is made up of high perfomance
concrete or even ultra high perfomance concrete depending
upon the strength required.The features are as follows.
High strength
High early strength
High modulus of elasticity
High abrasion resistance •
High durability and long life in severe environments
THE CONCRETE MATRIX
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8. CONCRETE MATRIX CONTD..
Low permeability and diffusion .
Resistance to chemical attack .
High resistance to frost
Toughness and impact resistance .
Volume stability & ease of placement .
Compaction without segregation.
Inhibition of bacterial and mold growth.
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9. CONCRETE MATRIX CONTD..
ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE
Reinforced with high-carbon metallic fibers, structural
UHPC products can achieve compressive strengths
up to 29,000 psi (200 MPa) and flexural strengths up
to 2,900 psi (20 MPa).
For architectural UHPC applications, Polyvinyl
Alcohol (PVA) fibers are used. Architectural UHPC
can achieve compressive strengths up to 17,000 psi
(117 MPa) and flexural strengths up to 2,900 psi (20
MPa).
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10. BLINGCRETE PRODUCTS
Blingcrete is available in
various forms and
combinations.
BlingCrete creme + writing
BlingCrete black + tight grid
BlingCrete yellow + random
BlingCrete creme + wide grid
BlingCrete anthracite + random
BlingCrete green + random
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11. BLINGCRETE CREME + WRITING
White
Characteristics: “Writing”
(retroreflective)
Matrix: High performance or ultra
high performance concrete
Matrix colour: Creme
Sizes of glass beads: 2 mm (alkali
resistent)
Surface layout: Writing / Element
shapes: Plane, angular or rounded
(concave /convex)
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12. BLINGCRETE APPLICATIONS
The properties of BlingCrete open up various design
possibilities in architecture, interior design and in transport
safety areas.
Potential applications are, for example, safety-related
marking of danger spots in construction (stairs, sidewalks,
platform edges, tunnels.
The information is latently stored in the surface without
dominating the architecture, its visibility is programmed by
users’ walking paths and the position of the light and is fully
visible at specific points
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13. 13
TUNNELING

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15. Renovation of the Student’s Residential
Complex in Siegmundshof, Berlin
Architect Susann Hoffmann
Completion: June 2012
BlingCrete – Giant Seating Furniture
Manufacturer: Hering Bau GmbH & Co.
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The renovation project included the production of 8 elements, weighing around 10 tonnes
each, which were manufactured in Hering’s own precast plant and mounted on site at the
complex. The optical highlight of the concrete furniture is the innovative, light-reflecting
surface of BlingCrete. Thanks to the coloured micro glass beads, which are embedded in
the concrete, the incidence of both natural sunlight and artificial light brings the surfaces of
the concrete elements to life.

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17. CONCLUSION
The properties of BlingCrete open up various
design possibilities in architecture, interior design
and in transport safety areas. Bling Crete
facilitates new and unexpected ways of
perception. It is a low-tech solution in a high tech
world.
Blingcrete is an ecofriendly green innovation and
could be effectively used to improve aesthetics
without compromising the solidity of the structure.
It is definitely a technology that would embrace the
future of architecture and engineering.
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18. REFERENCES
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Mabelle Plasencia, January 5, 2015 .INmatteria
"Blingcrete: Light reflective concrete surface“
Sabine Lisicki Feb 2014 Material science
“Blingcrete a rising technology”
Heike Klussman and Thorsten Klooster 2012“ Studies in material
thinking”
BlingCrete: Materials Development as Transdisciplinary Research
Process

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