Italian company Essroc Italcementi Group unveiled its trademarked i.light concrete in 2010 at the Shanghai World Expo, using the panels to build the Italian Pavilion.
?The concrete is a proprietary product that uses a special mix of cement and chemicals that hold the resins together,? said Christopher Eagon, the marketing manager for Essroc Italcementi in North America.
While the concrete retains the same properties with respect to strength and resistance to cracking, the polymer-based resins allow light to be transmitted through the building. The panel exteriors are polished and become smooth like glass.
In Shanghai, almost 3800 transparent panels, each weighing about 50 kilograms and measuring 50mm thick, 1000mm long and 500mm wide and made from 189 tonnes of transparent concrete, were used. The panels covered about 40 per cent of the Pavilion.
No orders for the product have been placed in North America so far. Essroc Italcementi is looking for North American partners, who would produce the patented product.
Like any new technique or product, engineers, architects and builders need time to adjust to the new material. While the cost hasn?t been determined, an estimate is it will cost about $US2700 per square metre. Despite the material?s complexity, this concrete can be poured straight into forms at the building site.
The concrete construction panels, which transmit both natural and artificial light, are guaranteed to last as long as a panel made from traditional concrete. The transparency doesn?t change over time because the resins have been treated to protect against ultraviolet rays.
The panels create ever-changing light and shadow effects throughout the day. The transparent effect is more evident when it is dark and seen from the outside. During the day, exterior light filters in, meaning potential energy savings because of less electricity use.
The resins? colour can be changed, as can the shape and panel dimensions. The panels can also be used in various applications, including roof coverings, walls, floors, decorative, terraces, stairs and balconies.
Source: Aggregates Research