Construction works have never ceased to evolve since the day of its inception. Builders and architects have always struggled to make the construction processes easier, less laborious, and more artistic. The history of construction has come a long way since its beginning and is still moving ahead as the research and development wings are coming up with novel ideas every day.

One such recent innovation in the field of construction has been translucent concrete. Concrete formwork construction methods always used a variety of concrete that looks grey, shabby, and stony after getting hardened. Therefore, additional efforts in the form of polishing, texturing, and tinting these stony blocks were necessary to make them look more appealing and suitable for an intricately designed building. 

The innovation of illuminative concrete has literally revolutionised the way people looked at concrete. Researchers have integrated light filtering materials such as optical fibre within these solid, dull blocks to allow light to pass through them. As a result, translucent concrete does not look shabby or lifeless anymore. Instead, they appear to be exuberating beams of light. 

The enterprises like NovaFormWorks, a leading formworks company in India, have already taken an interest in this innovation and developing formworks to support such concrete for exquisite projects. The sophisticated and advanced formworks manufactured by Nova make sure that the casting of illuminating concrete does not face any trouble at any point. Especially for projects where humongous walls and structures get erected, Nova’s plastic forms remain of considerable aid. 

Translucent concrete contains the optical fibres inside it placed in a way that the light incident on them at an angle of 60 degrees.  Such an arrangement ensures that the illumination is noticeable and both surfaces of the concrete block get the advantage. This means, no matter on which side of the concrete block you stand, you can always catch it glowing. 

The Making

Translucent concrete features four materials primarily – cement, sand, water, and optical fibres. Any variety of cement remains perfect for this mixture. 

However, the sand used for illuminating concrete should be as fine as possible and without any impurities. If the sand grains pass through a 1.8 mm sieve, it is perfect for translucent concrete. 

As for water, if you can drink it, you can use it, this implies that the water used should be fit for drinking and without impurities. 

The volume of fibre used should be around 5% of the total volume of the concrete. Based on how much illumination is needed, the width of the fibre may vary. 

Applications Of Translucent Concrete

• Decorative purposes
• For constructing bright-looking walls
• To make captivating outer walls and pavements
• Used to make furniture
• For making light fixtures that look aesthetically appealing and innovative
• Can be used for saving electricity
• To keep the roads illuminated in the dark

The future of translucent concrete seems bright. The construction industry has already embraced it warmly and several modern construction projects are using it for beatification and energy conservation. 

NovaFormWorks is a reputed manufacturer of concrete column formworks, plastic formworks and more. Check the collection of high-end forms available in its assortment to pick the best alternative for concrete casting.