Mechanical Properties of Translucent Concrete Using Plexiglass Bars and Fiberglass

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the efficiency of using plexiglass material as an alternative to optical fibers in the production of transparent concrete through studying the mechanical properties of transparent cement mortar. The importance of the current study comes to introduce innovative structural material with high aesthetic and structural specifications and meets the needs of the new concepts of sustainable buildings as well. The novelty of the proposed material lies in innovating a new type of transparent concrete using plexiglass material that allows light to cross through different directions, where such a polymer material can be embedded into the concrete as well-designed distributed bars. The proposed composite performance was evaluated by conducting relevant laboratory experiments on prepared mortar specimens to investigate compressive strength, flexural strength, and bond strength. The plexiglass bars were represented 6% and 16% of the specimen cross-section area, and volume respectively. Experiments were conducted in two time stages, after 7 days and after 28 days of preparing the mortar with plexiglass and fiberglass. Results show that the composite does not harm the mechanical specifications comparing with the conventional mortar, and obtaining new features of concrete with an emphasis on consistency to the requirements of environmental sustainability in the field of architectural construction.