Exhibition shows off see-through concrete

(16 Jul 2004)
Washington, DC 12 July 2004
1. Wide view of man walking behind wall with shadow coming through
2. ExCU of hand seen through the translucent concrete wall
3. ExCu of bricks of the wall
4. Pan down to show cement bricks stacked
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Howard Decker, Chief Curator - National Building Museum
"The thing that makes this concrete translucent
SUPERCAPTION: Howard Decker, Chief Curator - National Building Museum
6. ExCU of intersection of bricks
7. SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It has sharp edges SUPERCAPTION: Howard Decker, Chief Curator - National Building Museum
8. Wide view of exhibit sign: "The Future of Concrete"
9. Pan of cement "wafers" - 1/10th of an inch thick - translucent
10. Mid view - tilt up from cemet reinforcing rods to gallery visitor
11. Wide view of woman walking behind "Litracon" wall and exposes shadow
12. SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Imagine that you're sitting on your patio 13.
SUPERCAPTION: Howard Decker, Chief Curator - National Building Museum
Mid view - woman with hand behind wall and then walks behind wall with shadow showing
14. Close up - cement tiles - pull out to show cement counter top
15. CU: photographic image on cement slate - pull out to wide view of photographic image
16. Mid view of couple looking at display - pan to model
17. Wide exterior of National Building Museum
SUGGESTED LEAD IN:
Concrete - the building material of roads, parking garages, sports stadiums and other modern constructions.
Some of the world's most beautiful and innovative works of contemporary architecture owe their unique characteristics to one of the world's most common materials, concrete.
An exhibition entitled Liquid Stone at Washington's National Building Museum shows off new ways with an old material - ways that may soon revolutionize how the traditional building material is used.
VOICE OVER:
A wall of translucent concrete may be the building material of the future.
Formed into bricks, this light transmitting concrete maintains the strength, form and durability of standard concrete, with one additional benefit.
It transmits light.
And the prospect of a concrete structure that can conduct light through a seemingly solid material, opens big possibilities.
"Litracon" - or "Light Transmitting Concrete" is now under development by several researchers in the United States and Europe.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The thing that makes this concrete translucent is its recipe. Into the mix of cement and sand and all of the traditional things that make up concrete has been added fiber optics. So now, if you put something between the source of light and the back side of this material the shadow transmits itself through the material because of the fiber optics."
SUPERCAPTION: Howard Decker, Chief Curator - National Building Museum
Glass fibers in the cement may present construction crews with some complications.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It has sharp edges and its going to have to be handled in a way that takes into consideration its physical nature, because it has some sharp edges to it. But, once, all materials have certain ways in which they need to be handled, so once you take that into consideration, it shouldn't be a limitation at all."
SUPERCAPTION: Howard Decker, Chief Curator - National Building Museum
The future of concrete not only lies in products like "Litracon," but also new building materials using concrete as the foundation.
It can also be spun, like yarn, to create an intricate weave of geometric design.
This need for a metal skeleton is also changing.
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[@dalexa]

The shadow doesn’t transmits itself. It blocks the light from going through the concrete.

[@papapepepenultimo]

Coolest thing ever. How is this not everywhere?

[@Zoza15]

Because development like these implemented in the market is super expensive, because its the first adoption that's expensive and and slow production costs could make this thing super expensive.

[@le103rebekahsusandavuluri9]

Where can we use this.. ?

[@wiechWRX]

Some kind of death scream going on at 1:07

[@geethsan1567]

Steven Wiech | Sounded like a kid crying.

[@gregg5213]

@@geethsan1567 And at 1:21 we have a kid pretending to be a raptor

[@Sclunger]

stand on it bro

[@prashantheranna8698]

If rain nd any atmospheric agent doesn't enter inside the house like rain water etc????

[@joelleflimn2648]

This is a good question

[@ER.MAGUDESHWARAN]

No because concrete is filled after placement of optical fibre, and so no gaps will be left over for water to let in....

[@kallamamran]

So it's not see-through really, it's porous

[@williamnorton9547]

Is this real or could someone be pulling a scam, if not merely a joke?

[@Italiaasicily]

Did anyone see the invisible concrete???😂

[@nicholaslandolina]

Nifw

[@theghost6412]

no point using fibreoptics when you can just use glass.

[@ER.MAGUDESHWARAN]

Yeah, but fiber optics will not reduce strength and also provide a little bit tensile strength to concrete.... but glasses won't...

[@theghost6412]

@@ER.MAGUDESHWARAN glass is perfectly fine, as long as you use a neutral base concrete. It wont lose any strength.

[@ER.MAGUDESHWARAN]

@@theghost6412 glass is a britile material brother, and also it has energy loss. But optical fiber has less energy loss, that's why optical fiber is used for high speed data transmision... but I do agree your point that glass can also be used, but it transmit less energy comaperd with fiber optics, and when concrete subejects to tension, glass will brake brother....