Browsing by Author "Muller, Hanru"
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- ItemConcrete with improved visibility in low light conditions(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Muller, Hanru; Combrinck, Riaan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In a world where the sun sets at the end of every day, humans are forced to move about in low light conditions, for which they are not specifically adapted to do. This is even more prevalent in modern times where sunset does not mean resting time. When travelling in low light condition, objects which cannot be seen can serve as hazards. With concrete being one of the most popular building materials used for constructing infrastructure, and its inherent material properties which make it less visible in low light conditions, motivates this study to improve the visibility of concrete in low light conditions. Additionally, some materials used to create structures create darkness by blocking natural light which makes travelling within these structures difficult especially in an emergency. This is another inherent property of a concrete matrix which can be improved. This study incorporates and combines different existing concepts to produce a concrete design which would aid in making concrete more visible in low light conditions. These include transparency and luminescent concepts. These concepts can increase the visibility of the concrete as well as enable light to pass or move through the structure, illuminating any dark environments. The study focusses on the use of luminescent materials, in specific luminescent aggregates and luminescent powders, to provide an inherent visibility in low light conditions. To produce translucency, material such as fibre optics, glass and transparent resins are used. Each of the materials considered for this study was also characterised to better understand the behaviour of the material in the conditions in which it would be implemented. The results of this study indicate that by incorporating and combining these concepts in concrete can improve its visibility in low light conditions. In addition, these concepts also serve as a mechanism to alter the aesthetics and the efficiency to some extent of concrete as a building material. The influence on the durability of concrete by the incorporation of these materials was also investigated. The results indicate that the incorporation of limited amounts of these materials have a low impact on the durability of concrete, however with an increase in quantities the impact becomes more significant.