Materials From theFuture

13 Construction Material

Masoud FayeqMasoudfayeq@gmail.com

1. Translucent Concrete

• Concrete buildings are known more for their stability than theirgreat lighting. That was until translucent concrete started to makeits way on to the market.

• Translucent concrete is mixed with glass fiber optical strands,which create a solid but sheer block. LitraCon, as the concrete isknown, can be used in flooring and pavement.

• According to the concretes manufacturers, the optical fibers makeup only 4 percent of the mixture. Meaning that blocks made fromthis material still have the ability to support load-bearing walls.

2. SensiTile

• As you walk across your kitchen floor to get something fromthe refrigerator, the floor twinkles with lighted path thatguides your way through the dark room. At least it would, ifyou had SensiTiles.

• The concrete of the tiles is embedded with acrylic fiber-optic channels that transfer light from one point to another.As shadows move across Terrazzo's surface, the lightchannels flicker with a randomized, twinkling effect.

• Their tiles are available for use as flooring, in bathroomsand even ceilings, so you can have twinkling lights followyou all over the house.

3. Electrified Wood

• You may never have to deal with the tangle of wires again thanksto “Wood.E.” This European-designed material incorporates asource of electricity directly into tables and chairs.

• Two metal layers are pressed between the wood of the furniture,making it possible to pass an electrical current through the wholething. The 12-volt power is fed to the metal layers via oneconnector, and lamps, and other devices can be connected via theother.

• Not sure if this furniture will work with all electrical outlets, butwe're for any piece of furniture that means we don't have to finda way to tie all our wires together.

Wood-E

Wood-E (Cont’d)

4. Flexicomb

• The Flexicomb's name describes it quite well. Designed byPadLab's Dan Gottleib while he was still an undergraduate at theYale School of Architecture, the Flexicomb is a flexible honeycombmatrix, which can be used to build lighting fixtures, furniture andsculptural installations.

• The material is made from thousands of closely packedpolypropylene tube that will bend in the convex direction whileremaining rigid in the concave one. Flexicomb is so versatile; itcan be used for almost any imaginable purpose.

Flexicomb

5. RichLite

• A counter-top made of paper might not sound too sturdy,but a Richlite counter is almost indistinguishable from onemade of wood.

• 70 % of the material is made with recycled paper. Thecountertops are made by treating paper with a resin, andthen baking it to create solid sheets. Richlite was first usedin the aerospace, boating, and sports industries asreinforcement for surfaces like fiberglass, but now isavailable for architectural purposes as well.

RichLite

6. Self-Repairing Cement

• It may seem that most of the materials have been designed to replaceconcrete, but cement is itself still evolving. A new self-healing cement iscurrently being developed which has the ability to repair its own cracks.

• This cement is mixed with microcapsules that release a glue-like epoxyresin that will automatically repair any cracks that form in the sidewalkor roadway. In addition this cement will have the ability to regulateheat. Phase-change materials that can absorb or release large amountsof heat have also been included in the ingredients.

• With this material we would be able to save energy by developingbuildings that can control their own temperature, and save money onrepairs as well.

Self-Repairing Concrete

7. Carbon Fiber

• Carbon fiber is an extremely strong, lightweight material. It's fivetimes as strong as steel, two times as stiff, yet weighs about two-thirds less.

• Carbon fiber is made up of carbon strands that are thinner thanhuman hair. The strands can be woven together, like cloth, andthen that can be molded to any shape you might want. In additionto being strong, carbon fiber is also flexible, so it's the perfectmaterial for construction projects in areas with that are exposedto hurricanes and tornados.

Carbon Fiber

8. Liquid Granite

• According to its creators, liquid granite has the ability to completelyreplace cement in concrete. The material is a lightweight and has thesame load bearing capacity of cement, but is made of recycledmaterials.

• Liquid granite has none of the environmental impacts that cement andconcrete do. It is made up of between 30 and 70 percent recycledmaterial, and uses less than one third of the cement used in precastconcrete. Which means that it has a greatly reduced carbon footprint.

• Finally, liquid granite is astoundingly fire resistant. It can withstandtemperatures of up to 1,100 degrees Celsius while still maintaining itsstructural properties. Unlike concrete it does not explode in hightemperatures.

Liquid Granite

9. Bendable Concrete

• Traditional concrete is a very brittle material; any buckling or bending willcause it to crack. A new type of fiber-reinforced bendable concrete might justbe putting an end to that issue.

• This new concrete is around 500 times more resistant to cracking than regularconcrete thanks to the tiny fibers, which account for two percent of its makeup. The fibers slide within the concrete when bending occurs, providing it withenough give to prevent breakage.

• It isn't just the fibers though; the materials in the concrete itself are designedfor maximum flexibility as well. And thanks to these precautions, this concretehas a much longer life expectancy, which means it will cost a less in the longrun too.

Bendable Concrete

10. Concrete Canvas

• Concrete Canvas is a flexible cement impregnated fabric that hardens onhydration to form a thin, durable water proof and fire proof concrete layer.

• Essentially, it's concrete on a roll Just Add Water.• CC is available in man portable rolls for applications with limited access or where

heavy plant equipment is not available.• Once hydrated, CC remains workable for 2 hours and hardens to 80% strength

within 24 hours• Rapid• Flexible• Strong• Durable• Water Proof• Fire Proof• CO2 Savings• Low Wash Out• Environment Agency Approval (UK)

Concrete Canvas Shelters

11. Low-E Glass / Films

• Low-emissive (Low-E) glass is window glass that has been treatedwith an invisible metal or metallic oxide coating, creating asurface that reflects heat, while allowing light to passthrough. Windows treated with Low-E coatings are proven toreduce energy consumption, decrease fading of fabrics, such aswindow treatments, and increase overall comfort in your home.

Low-E Glass / Films

12. Transparent Aluminum

Extremely durable crystalline material with excellent optical transparency• To be used windows, domes, plates, rods and tubes in a wide range of

sizes and thicknesses• Excellent clarity• Total absence of birefringence• Outstanding hardness and high strength• Available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and thicknesses• Produced using proven ceramic forming processes• Readily scaled up to high volumes• Cost effective advanced material solution• Applicable to a wide variety of industries including aerospace,

security, defense and Semiconductor, Energy and consumer products.

Transbay Transit Center, San Francisco

Architect Pelli Clarke Pelli has updated the Façadefrom Glass to Transparent Aluminum

13. Paper Insulation

• Made from recycled newspapers and cardboard,• Superior alternative to chemical foams.• Both insect resistant and fire-retardant (Due to the inclusion of

borax, boric acid, and calcium carbonate)• Can be blown into cavity walls, filling every crack• No health Problems.

THANK YOU !