Experimental Investigation on the Structural and Economic Feasibility of Light-Transmitting Concrete Using Industrial By-Products

Authors

  • Kaushal Sharma

    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering & Technology, SGT University, Gurugram 122505, India
  • Kiran Devi

    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering & Technology, SGT University, Gurugram 122505, India
  • Neeraj Saini

    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering & Technology, SGT University, Gurugram 122505, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jbms.v8i2.13455
Received: 27 April 2026 | Revised: 20 May 2026 | Accepted: 3 June 2026 | Published Online: 10 June 2026

Abstract

The cement manufacturing process emits significant greenhouse gases and consumes substantial energy. The current situation demands alternative sustainable materials to cement in concrete production. On the other hand, rapid urbanization has led to the vertical expansion of modern structures, worsening daylight loss on lower floors, where artificial lighting is now essential. Innovative construction materials that enhance natural illumination are needed due to the energy crisis. A promising approach is light-transmitting concrete, which uses resin matrices, optical fiber, or polymer rods as light-guiding media. In the present study, plastic optical fiber was used as a light-transmitting material in the concrete. This study demonstrates the potential use of industrial by-products, including ground granulated blast furnace slag (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) and micro silica (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%), as effective pozzolanic materials as cement substitutes in concrete to study the strength and durability properties of concrete experimentally. The economic and ecological feasibility of different concrete mix proportions was investigated. The optical fiber (1%) with the optimized percentage of industrial wastes, i.e., slag (20%) and micro silica (10%), was used in the concrete to study different properties of light-transmitting concrete. Results showed that the incorporation of industrial wastes with optical fiber (1%), used in the light-transmitting concrete, improved the performance and produced sustainable end products compared to the conventional concrete.

Keywords:

Light Transmitting Concrete; Industrial Wastes; Strength; Economic Analysis; Performance Evaluation

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How to Cite

Sharma, K., Devi, K., & Saini, N. (2026). Experimental Investigation on the Structural and Economic Feasibility of Light-Transmitting Concrete Using Industrial By-Products. Journal of Building Material Science, 8(2), 58–76. https://doi.org/10.30564/jbms.v8i2.13455

Issue

Vol. 8, Iss. 2 (June 2026): in progress

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Article

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Copyright © 2026 Kaushal Sharma, Kiran Devi, Neeraj Saini

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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