Light Transmitting Concrete : We can now see through walls!!

Litracon is a combination of optical fibres and fine concrete.  It can be produced as prefabricated building blocks and panels.  Due to the small size of the fibres, they blend into concrete becoming a component of the material like small pieces of aggregate.  In this manner, the result is not only two materials - glass in concrete - mixed, but a third, new material, which is homogeneous in its inner structure and on its main surfaces as well.

We can now see through walls! With Litracon™ you can display the view of the outside world, such as the silhouette of a tree.

LiTraCon is the trademark for is a translucent concrete building material. The name is short for "light-transmitting concrete". The technical data sheet from the manufactures,says the material is made of 96% concrete and 4% by weight of optical fibers. it was developed in 2001 by Hungarian architect Áron Losonczi working with scientists at the Technical University of Budapest.

The concrete comes in precast blocks of different sizes.
The most notable installation of it to date is Europe Gate - a 4 m high sculpture made of LiTraCon blocks, erected in 2004 in observance of the entry of Hungary into the European Union. The product won the German "Red Dot 2005 Design Award" for 'highest design qualities'.

Litracon™ is an exciting new architectural building material now available in .  It is light transmitting concrete made with 96% concrete and 4% optical glass fibres.

Litracon presents the phenomenon of light transmitting concrete in the form of a widely applicable new building material.

The glass fibres lead light by points between the two sides of the blocks.  Because of their parallel position, the light-information on the brighter side of such a wall appears unchanged on the darker side. The most interesting form of this phenomenon is probably the sharp display of shadows on the opposing side of the wall. Moreover, the colour of the light also remains the same.

Thousands of optical glass fibres form a matrix and run parallel to each other between the two main surfaces of each block.  The proportion of the fibres is very small (4%) compared to the total volume of the blocks.

 Moreover, these fibres mingle in the concrete because of their insignificant size, and they become a structural component as a kind of modest aggregate. Therefore, the surface of the blocks remains homogeneous concrete.  In theory, a wall structure built from light-transmitting concrete can be several meters thick, because the fibres work without almost any loss in light up until 20 meters.  Load-bearing structures can be also built of these blocks, since glass fibres do not have a negative effect on the well-known high compressive strength value of concrete.  The blocks can be produced in various sizes and with embedded heat-isolation.

Litracon was invented by Hungarian architect LOSONCZI in 2001.  Litracon is protected by Swedish patent and other patents are also pending in other jurist regions.

Inventor and patent holder  LOSONCZI founded his own company, Litracon Bt., in spring 2004.  The company is located in the Hungarian town Csongrád, 160km away from the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

Research Invitation for graduates in civil engineering by UK

Engineers at the University of Liverpool (UK) are looking for students from India to join an international research team investigating the development of environmental-friendly materials for use in construction industries around the world.

Researchers at the University's Centre for Engineering Sustainability are exploring the use of recycled demolition waste in construction materials, as well as how recycled glass could be used in ultra high-strength concrete pavement flags that are resistant to accidental damage caused by vehicles. The team, which comprises postgraduate students from all over the world, is also aiming to replace cement in concrete construction products with waste materials of high silicon dioxide content.

India has long been recognised as one of the most active in developing innovative solutions to the challenges faced in construction and materials engineering. Marios Soutsos, from the University's School of Engineering, travelled to India in May this year to talk to students about his research and he is now inviting postgraduate applicants to work with his team at Liverpool in September.

Soutsos said: "The Indian Institute of Technology and the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai, as well as the American Concrete Institute in India are examples of some of the big organisations that have driven forward rapid developments in the country's construction industry. The research skills of graduates from universities in India have contributed to some of the most successful construction projects in the country , such as the Bandra Worli Sealink and the JJ Hospital Flyover. We are looking to work with graduates from India who are interested in pursuing research in sustainable materials."

Postgraduate research degrees at the university run for three years and to apply for the same, students should have a class 2.1 engineering degree or better. Individual consideration is given to mature engineers with significant experience with professional qualifications. A good standard of English is also required at ELTS 6.0. Alternatively, students should successfully complete the appropriate pre-sessional English language course.