Design and evaluation of light-transmitting concrete (LTC) using waste tempered glass: A novel concrete for future photovoltaic road

Millions of tons of waste glass are produced every year and its management is one of the biggest environmental problems. In other hands, there is a need to discover potential light-transmitting layer for the future photovoltaic road. The purpose of this research is to assess the feasibility of waste tempered glass (WTG) as the aggregates in light-transmitting concrete. Light-transmitting concrete (LTC) specimens were prepared by penetration method with different proportions of waste tempered glass aggregates and epoxy resin binder. Four grading types were selected preliminarily to determine the resin content and curing age. The WTG particle distribution was tested, as well as the optimal gradation was determined according to the light transmittance test and compressive strength test. The results show that the light transmittance of LTC is related to the WTG particle size and gradation. The larger the particle size, the higher the light transmittance, while, the denser the gradation, the lower the light transmittance. There are two main factors affecting the compressive strength, including the amount of cement and the degree of embedding between aggregates. Since the penetration method is applied to mold the specimens, the bonding between binder and the aggregate plays a major role. The smaller the particle size, the larger the specific surface area, and the more contact with the binder, the higher the strength. By comprehensively comparing the two indexes of light transmittance and compressive strength as well as the utilization ratio of glass, the GOGFC-13 was determined as the optimal gradation. Further, the design process of LTC was summarized with a view to have the potential application values for the future photovoltaic road. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Millions of tons of waste glass are generated annually, posing a significant environmental issue. Research evaluated the feasibility of waste tempered glass as aggregates in light-transmitting concrete, finding that particle size and gradation affect light transmittance, while cement content and embedding degree influence compressive strength. The optimal gradation identified was GOGFC-13, with potential application values for future photovoltaic road.