AN EXPERIMENTAL

INVESTIGATION OF FIBER
REINFORCED
TRANSPARENT CONCRETE
 INTRODUCTION
☼This type of concrete is named as “LiTraCon” (light
transmitting concrete).
☼This concrete is manufactured by using optical fiber with
concrete or mortar.
☼This concrete transmits the light into the buildings.
☼The optical fiber used should not be more than 0.4% of
the concrete weight.
PRINCIPLE:
TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTIONS
In the optical fiber the rays undergo repeated
total number of reflections until it emerge
out the other end of the fiber, even if the
fiber is bend.
Material for manufacturing
LITRACON
CEMENT:
OPC 53 grade cement is used in this
work with specific gravity of 3.15.
FINE AGGREGATE:
zone -II fine aggregate is used.
Which has 2.60 specific gravity.
Water absorption should be 1.0%
COARSE AGGREGATE:
The aggregate passing through 6.13mm
and retained on 2.36mm is used for this
work . Specific gravity should be 2.65.
Water absorption should be 0.5%.
OPTICAL FIBER:
The optical fiber of 1.5mm dia.
GI FIBER:
The fiber can be added about 4%
Of the concrete weight .The density of GI
fibre should be 7850kg/m3 .GI fibre of 1.5
mm diameter can be used.
METHODOLOGY
Preparation of mould:

The spacing of the holes

be of about 10mm or
placed as we required
in the Cube mould
(figure1).
The spacing for the beam
mould should Be of about
10-15mm and the spacing
of Holes should be on the
four sides.
(figure2)
 Placing of optical fiber:

The placing of the optical fibre is

difficult that it should be passed from
One side to the another side.
MIX PROPORTION:
The mix design of M30 concrete grade was
carried out as per the IS 10262-2009.The
proportion is 1:2.15:1.61 with w/c ratio of 0.45
Concreting:
The mixed concrete is poured into the mould without causing
any disturbance to the pre-placed optical fiber in the mould
Cutting and polishing:

After 24 hrs the mould is removed from the block .The extra
optical fiber is cutted . The block is polished by the polishing
paper.
Test results:
TEST RESULTS ON SLUMP:
% OF GI FIBRE SLUMP VALUE IN
MM NOT SUITABLE FOR
0.5% 40 FOUNDATIONS WORKS.
1% 32 SUITABLE FOR ROADS
1.5% 25 AND DECORATIVE
2% 20 CONSTRUCTIONS.

TEST ON COMPACTION FACTOR:

% OF GI COMPACTION
FIBRE FACTOR COMPACTION FACTOR
0.5% 0.778 DECREASES ON INCREASE
1% 0.775 IN % OF THE GI FIBRE.
1.5% 0.761
2% 0.752
 TEST ON COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH:
% OF AVERAGE % OF INCREASE OF
GI FIBRE COMPRESSIVE COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH(N/mm2 STRENGTH WITH
)
RESPECT TO THE
CONVENTIONAL
CONCRETE

0.5% 35.41 8.64

1% 36.89 13.18
1.5% 37.93 16.36
2% 37.19 14.09

AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF THE CONVENTIONAL

CONCRETE IS 32.59
HENCE THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF THE CONCRETE
DECREASES AS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE GI FIBRE
INCREASES.
FLEXURAL STRENGTH:
% OF GI FIBRE AVERAGE % increase of
FLEXURAL flexural strength
STRENGTH with respect to
(N/mm)
conventional
concrete
0.50% 3.47 15.56
1% 3.93 31.11
1.5% 4.67 55.56
2% 4.13 37.78

The average flexural strength of the conventional

concrete is 3
TEST ON Vee – Bee CONSISTOMETER:
% OF GI FIBRE Vee – Bee DEGREE
IN SECONDS
0.5% 30
1% 33
1.5% 39
2% 43

TEST ON WATER ABSORPTION:

% OF GI FIBRE % OF WATER
ABSORPTION
0.5% 0.46
1% 0.42
1.5% 0.40
2% 0.37

FOR CONVENTIONAL CONCRETE THE % OF WATER

ABSORPTION IS 0.55
PROPERTIES:
⚫ THE OPTICAL FIBER MAINTAINS ORIGINAL
COLOUR OF THE LIGHT.
⚫ WEIGHS ABOUT THE NORMAL CONCRETE
⚫ MANUFACTURED IN ANY COLOUR UPON THE
REQUEST.
⚫ CARRIES SAME AMOUNT OF LIGHT THROUGHT
THE BLOCK ,DOESN’T MATTER HOW THICK IT IS.
⚫ SOLID IN STRUCTURES.
APPLICATIONS:
IN BENCH FOR THE DECORATIVE AND FOR THE
ASETHETICAL VIEW..
 Light side walks at night:

Also used in the doors for representing when a

person is standing outside.
Road bumps:

LITRABUMP

INTERIOR ILLUMINATED DESIGNS

PARTITION WALLS CAN ALSO BE MADE

REDUCING THE USAGE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING DURING

DAY TIME
ADVANTAGES:

❑ IT GIVES THE ASTHETICAL VIEW TO THE BUILDING.

❑NATURAL SUNLIGHT IS UTILIZED FOR THE LIGHTING

❑ IT HAS GOOD PROPERTIES THAN THE NORMAL

CONCRETE
DISADVANTAGES:

• very costly because of the optical fibres.

• Casting is difficult, specially skilled
persons are required.
• Time required is more.
 Cost:
Costs of 1 x 1 x 1 meter
blocks Is about 600-700 US
dollars.

About 12000 INR for 5m optical fiber 200pcs

“Light Transmitting Concrete” for the
Italian Pavilion of Shanghai

location Shangai,ITALY
area 3600square metre,
facilities 1 auditorium with 127 seats,2 restarunt, gift
shop,library,offices and
loges,passageways,landscape,inner
uncourtyard.
cost 150 million EURO(1125 cores)
Height 18 metre
 Cella septichora visitor
centre

THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR OF THIS BUILDINGS WAS DONE WITH LITRACON

LOCATION: HUNGARY
AREA : 50 SQUARE METRE (APPROX)
EUROPEAN GATE
CONCLUSION:
Transparent concrete blocks can be used in many
ways and implemented in many forms and it is
highly advantageous.
The only drawback is to the high cost.
This has the high grade of attraction.
It is the smart way of optimizing and utilizing the
light.