When I say concrete, the first thought that comes to mind is a rugged mix of cement and aggregates or a dull, somber gray wall. What if I say that some types of concrete could emit light, heal itself, or even be transparent?
Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world today. Durable, versatile, and inert, it comes with many benefits. There are many advanced types of concrete made with new and innovative materials. Here are a few of them:
Traditional concrete forms crystal flakes during hydration that prevent the absorption of light.
It is very common for concrete structures to crack. Self-healing concrete, however, can fix cracks by itself.
The water tank for Evides Industriewater is made of self healing concrete, from the company founded by Erik Schlangen, the inventor of the bioconcrete.
This concrete transmits light from any source, it can reduce energy spent and save costs.
The cores of the optical fibers transmit light at any incident angle.
The Capital Bank building plays with different levels of transparencies by using materials like opaque concrete, translucent concrete and glass.
This concrete is specially designed to catch rainwater and encourage growth of organisms like moss, algae and lichens on its surface.
A simulation of a living concrete wall in the Aeronautical Cultural Center in Barcelona.
Typically, concrete is a brittle material. By adding fibers to it, it can be made ductile.
The Cube is the world’s first structure to be built of carbon fiber reinforced concrete. The building seamlessly merges walls and ceilings into a single form.
This type of concrete keeps the facade clean as it has a white photocatalytic material like titanium oxide added to it.
The Jubilee Church in Italy is made with self cleaning concrete to maintain its pristine white facade.
Papercrete is a cheap but highly workable industrial grade paper mache. It consists of paper or cardboard, aggregates depending on strength needed and water.
Eve’s Garden in Marathon is an organic bed and breakfast made using papercrete. This has made considerable changes both cost-wise and CO2 emission-wise.
By making small adjustments to the constituents of concrete, its properties can remarkably change and this new concrete can be used to make stunning buildings.