Broken glass as concrete filler. What is glass concrete? General description and classification

Custom glass is an indispensable material in the production of tableware, building materials, furniture and interior items. However, glass has one big drawback - it is very fragile and easily crumbles. Large and small fragments have sharp edges that are easy to cut. Once inside the human body, glass fragments can cause bleeding, and glass dust that settles in the lungs remains there forever and leads to serious illnesses... Due to the great danger to human health, the disposal of glass fragments has certain difficulties.

Glass practically does not decompose in natural natural conditions, since the main component in its manufacture is sand.

What can be done with broken glass, and how can it be properly disposed of or recycled without damaging the environment?

If the volumes of broken glass are small and you have creativity, you can use the shards to decorate your interior. Shards of flat glass are suitable for making stained glass. To stain them, you can use stained glass paints or colored adhesive film. From small fragments you can make a mosaic and decorate a vase with them, or flower pot... In this case, one must not forget about the observance of safety measures when working with glass.

The use of broken glass to decorate the garden in the form of mosaic borders is not recommended, as the glass can eventually crumble out of the binding base and fall into the ground. Some also advise to bury glass shards around the perimeter. garden plot or use as a filler in the construction of the foundation of a house, as it is effective way fight against moles and rats. But these uses of broken glass also pose a serious potential threat to humans.

The best way to use broken glass in construction is to crush it and add it to the grout. Glass shards for grinding can be loaded into a concrete mixer by adding water, sand and gravel. This method of cullet processing allows the production of small glass chips with rounded edges, which will serve as excellent thermal insulation during foundation construction, and will also increase the strength of the concrete. Processed glass chips can be an alternative to sand and gravel.

The same method of processing broken glass in a concrete mixer is also suitable for obtaining the so-called sea glass. In its natural form, this glass is found on the sea coasts. It has good decorative properties and smooth edges all over the surface. This allows the wide use of "sea glass" for the manufacture of jewelry and mosaics of any type.

If the volume of cullet is large (usually during construction and in the production of window structures), then it is best to hand over the glass fragments to resellers of cullet. Firms that buy broken glass then resell it at glass factories.

Custom glass can be 100% recyclable, saving natural resources. Recycled glass can replace up to 95% of raw materials in the glass industry. Each ton of recycled glass saves a little less than a ton of the natural materials used in its manufacture. Energy costs in the production of glass raw materials are reduced by 2–3% for every 10% of cullet in the material recipe. At the same time, recycled glass is a much cheaper raw material than natural components. Thus, glass recycling is a very environmentally friendly process.

Another option for using broken glass in large volumes is making glass tiles... Glass shards are crushed in a crusher, mixed with dyes and polyester resin, then poured into special forms of various sizes and textures. When pouring glass, a vacuum is created to eliminate air bubbles in the finished tile. The resulting tiles can be used to decorate kitchens, bathrooms and even exterior facades of houses. Such a technology for manufacturing glass tiles is a good idea for small and medium-sized businesses, since the cost of raw materials and equipment is low, and the cost of its imported counterparts is quite high.

If you apply creative potential every person, then broken glass is an irreplaceable material in all kinds of products folk art, starting from building materials, where broken glass can be added to concrete for greater strength, they can also be added to all kinds of panels, cinder concrete, and can also be used for decorative design of facades, with all kinds of decorative and applied products, because broken glass powder in combined with glue or various varnishes with the addition of color can be a good stained glass material, and if, moreover, it is also warmed up, then you get all kinds of lamps interspersed with glass and plastic.

Also, custom-made broken glass can be used to develop the psychophysiological capabilities of a person, for example, finely broken glass can be consumed to train barefoot walking. And you can also use them in the beds so that the grass does not grow, filling the territory.

Conclusion: broken glass is by and large the sand from which this glass is made, so where sand is used, broken glass can also be used.

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Receiving different types building materials based on natural and man-made glass allows for the complete utilization of cullet.

The issue of developing compositions and technologies for obtaining building materials based on industrial and household waste for many years, and especially in recent times, excites the minds of researchers working in the field of building materials. Binding materials, concretes and products have already found application with the use of various slags, sludge, ash, chipboard, as well as construction waste generated during the demolition and reconstruction of buildings and structures. But researchers don't stop there. After all, the relevance of the development of compositions and materials with their use is dictated not only by environmental, but also by economic factors.

V last years Along with the already known and in a certain sense traditional waste, the disposal of unsorted scrap of artificial (technogenic) glass or cullet is of particular interest. The fact is that the defect or broken glass formed during production is in most cases reused by the same factories. Such glass has a stable (within the framework of this technology) chemical composition and is used in the process of melting the charge. Unsorted breakage of various types of glass (window, container, optical, etc.) has a fairly wide range chemical composition... Plus, impurities are possible, the ingress of which into the raw mixture is not permissible if it is desirable to obtain glass with a certain composition or quality. Therefore, unsorted cullet, which is formed in huge quantities in dumps and dumps, is still not used properly.

It should be noted that from an environmental point of view, glass is considered the most difficult waste to recycle. It is not subject to destruction under the influence of water, atmosphere, solar radiation, frost. In addition, glass is a corrosion-resistant material that does not deteriorate under the influence of the overwhelming amount of strong and weak organic, mineral and bioacids, salts, as well as fungi and bacteria. Therefore, if organic waste (paper, food waste, etc.) completely decomposes after 1-3 years, polymer materials- after 5-20 years, then glass, like steel, is capable of being preserved without much damage for tens and even hundreds of years.

The volumes of unused cullet, according to the Institute of Secondary Resources, in 2000 amounted to more than 2.5 million tons. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory alone, more than 1,650 tons have accumulated in dumps. Among all the variety of urban waste, cullet takes one of the leading places, more than 20% of the total.

Many leading research centers in Russia, the CIS countries and abroad have been actively working in the field of cullet recycling in recent years. For example, in the USA, $ 444 million (!)

For more than fifteen years at the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (formerly MISS), at the Department of Finishing and Insulating Materials Technology (TOIM), inventors Yu.P. Gorlov, A.P. Merkin, V.Yu. Burov, B.M. Rumyantsev are developing compositions and technologies for obtaining various types of building materials based on natural and man-made glasses. These materials do not require the use of traditional binders (such as cement, lime, gypsum) or aggregates and allow for the complete disposal of cullet.

The energy-saving technology for the production of materials based on cullet is extremely simple, does not require special equipment and allows organizing production on free areas of operating enterprises of the construction industry without significant investment.

After sorting, crushing, grinding and scattering into fractions, the glass can be considered fully prepared for the production of building materials. Cullet fractions of more than 5 mm are used in concrete as a coarse aggregate, fine fractions (less than 5 mm) as fine aggregate sand, and fine powder as a binder.

Since cullet, when mixed with water, does not exhibit astringent properties, in order for the hydration reaction to begin, it is necessary to use an activator in the form of an alkali metal compound. In an alkaline medium, cullet is hydrated with the formation of silicic acids, which, when certain values of the acidity of the medium are reached, begin to turn into a gel. And the gel, when compacted, homogenizes the large and small fractions of the aggregate. The result is a dense, strong and durable silicate conglomerate - glass concrete.

Curing of materials made on the basis of cullet can occur both under normal temperature and humidity conditions at 20 ° C, and at temperatures of 40-50 ° C in air-dry conditions, and to give them special specified properties - under conditions of heat and humidity treatment at 85 ± 5e С or at elevated temperatures of 300-400 ° С.

For the compositions of binders, concrete mixtures, as well as a method for producing porous concretes, copyright certificates and patents were obtained (and. P. 1073208, 1112724, application for US Pat. No. 2001135106).

Cullet-based materials meet the relevant requirements current GOSTs... Moreover, they are not inferior in their general construction and functional properties to modern similar materials based on traditional binders. And for a number of indicators, such as biostability, thermal conductivity, acid resistance, they even surpass them.

If you liked this material, then we offer you a selection of the most best materials of our site in the opinion of our readers. A selection - TOP materials on the principles of ecotourism, tourist routes, an overview and analysis of proposals you can find where it is most convenient for you

In the construction industry, concrete mixtures are used, which, after hardening, have increased strength. To perform special tasks, various additives are added to concrete that change its characteristics. One of the common components is water glass for concrete. It shortens the curing time concrete mix, increases the resistance of the monolith to moisture, acids, high temperatures. It is important to mix the concrete and glass correctly to ensure that the required material characteristics are achieved. Let's take a closer look at this supplement.

Why add liquid glass to concrete

Getting to know the material

Many have heard that the construction industry uses an additive called liquid glass. However, not everyone has an idea of what it is. The ingredient in question is potassium and sodium silicates dissolved in water, obtained from silica. Almost everyone has encountered an aqueous solution of silicates, using silicate glue for household purposes. The material is visually perceived as a viscous liquid with a whitish-yellow tint. Let's dwell on the manufacturing technology, in accordance with which the material is classified by type.

General classification

Modern technology makes it possible to obtain the additive by various methods. The component can be produced by high-temperature processing of silicon raw materials together with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. The equipment makes it possible to obtain an ingredient with desired properties by sintering soda ash with quartz particles. You can also use the method of mixing silicon dioxide with an alkali solution.

Depending on the manufacturing characteristics, two types of ingredients are obtained.:

sodium mixture, characterized by increased adhesion, adhesive properties, resistance to the influence of atmospheric factors;
potassium composition, characterized by accelerated drying, as well as good resistance to high temperatures.

The performance characteristics of both types of materials are identical, but the sodium composition has a lower price.

Additive to concrete - sodium liquid glass

Why add liquid glass to concrete

The use of a silicate solution introduced into the concrete mixture at the preparation stage, as well as external treatment of the concrete surface, changes the properties of concrete.

After the introduction of liquid glass, concrete acquires additional characteristics:

resistance to moisture penetration. Due to the increased water resistance, the monolith modified with a special additive is in demand for foundation foundations, underground structures;
resistance to high temperatures. This allows the use of a modified cement composition for the manufacture of fireplaces and the construction of stoves, the masonry of which is exposed to open fire;
the ability to freeze in a limited time. With an increased concentration of sodium silicate in the working solution, the concrete mixture hardens at an accelerated rate, which is important for sealing various cavities;
resistance to acids. The introduction of a silicate solution into the concrete composition increases the resistance to aggressive media, which is important for the use of concrete in the chemical industry.

To ensure the required characteristics, mixing concrete with liquid glass, the proportions should be strictly observed.

Liquid glass in concrete - pros and cons

Just like all building materials, the additive has its own advantages and disadvantages.

What gives when added to concrete liquid glass

Advantages of the additive:

low price of building material;
insignificant consumption of the additive;
resistance to atmospheric factors;
durability protective film;
ease of use when introducing into concrete and surface application;
good adhesion to mineral substrates.

In addition, the silicate component has:

increased water repellency properties. As a result of creating a waterproof layer, moisture absorption is difficult;
high antiseptic characteristics. The additive prevents the development of bacteria, hinders the growth of microorganisms;
antistatic properties. The characteristics of the silicate additive prevent the build-up of static electricity;
the ability to seal cracks on the surface. This ensures the array is waterproof;
resistance to open fire, acids, high temperatures. The processed material retains its structure and properties.

Along with the merits, there are weaknesses.:

accelerated crystallization of the modified composition when performing measures for waterproofing foundation foundations;
the impossibility of using for the treatment of surfaces of buildings made of bricks;
insufficiently high strength properties of the protective film, which is destroyed by mechanical stress.

Among the insulating materials, water glass for concrete stands out

Despite the existing disadvantages, the additive is widely used professional builders, private developers, home craftsmen to solve an extended range of tasks.

The use of liquid glass in concrete - areas of use

Workers in the construction industry and the repair industry actively use silicate solutions based on sodium and potassium. They increase performance characteristics monolith, which allows it to be used for various purposes.

Applications of silicate modifier:

sealing cracks and cavities through which moisture penetrates;
external decoration of the walls of the building to increase their moisture resistance;
waterproofing of masonry in basement rooms;
moisture protection basements, hydrotechnical facilities;
cooking special formulations for priming concrete surfaces;
construction of foundations for the installation of heating equipment;
production on industrial enterprises special types concrete;
erection of foundations of various objects;
protection of the walls of residential and utility rooms from the development of mold, fungal colonies;
processing of joints and inner surfaces of well rings.

Liquid glass is sold in plastic canisters

According to its characteristics, the component has practically no analogues when performing work related to waterproofing and impregnation. The properties of the silicate material make it possible to provide reliable protection concrete structures from moisture, high temperature, aggressive environment.

How much liquid glass to add to concrete - proven recipes

Consider how much of the silicate component should be poured into the concrete mix to perform various tasks.

For the preparation of modified cement mortars and concrete use the following guidelines:

masonry mixture for the construction of fireplaces, stoves is prepared from Portland cement and fine sand, observing a ratio of one to three. The sand-cement mixture should be filled with 18–20% glass of the total volume of the mixed components, then add water. It remains to mix everything thoroughly until smooth, and the ready-made solution can be used;
for the preparation of a concrete base with moisture-resistant properties, refractory characteristics and intended for household use, the concentration of the additive should not exceed one tenth of the total mass. It can also be used to waterproof home swimming pools;
for waterproofing the joints of well rings and treating the inner surface, a composition is prepared, consisting of Portland cement, glass, sifted sand. It is very important to keep the proportion, adding the ingredients in equal proportions. With the gradual addition of water, it is necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.

Subject to the proportions concrete mortar acquires the required properties.

Liquid glass as an additive for concrete

We fill in liquid glass correctly - the addition to concrete does not tolerate mistakes

There are situations when the introduction of glass does not bring the expected result. This is due to the lack of practical experience, non-observance of proportions.

it is forbidden to introduce a silicate additive into the prepared concrete solution. You must first mix the ingredients, then dilute the glass with water. Then it is necessary to gradually pour the solution, stirring thoroughly;
control the percentage of added components, do not exceed proportions tested in practice. This ensures that the required performance properties of the concrete are obtained.

Remember that a higher concentration of silicate filler, as well as a lower one, negatively affects the properties of concrete.

We introduce liquid glass into concrete - rules of work

To ensure the required effect from the use of the additive, it is necessary to study the rules for working with a silicate additive, as well as prepare the necessary tools.

Waterproofing with liquid glass

For surface treatment of a concrete mass you will need:

wide roller to speed up the application of the protective compound;
a brush for treating small areas and corner areas with a silicate mixture;
metal brush for preparation of the treated surface;
a spray gun that allows you to apply material when performing work on an industrial scale;
a container for mixing ingredients and preparing special mortars;
protective gloves that protect the skin from contact with the silicate component.

General rules of work provide:

Thorough cleaning of the treated surface from contamination of organic and inorganic origin.
Sealing deep cracks and leveling the surface with concrete filler.
Layer-by-layer application of material using a wide roller, brush or industrial spray gun.

When the coating is applied in two layers, it penetrates into the depth of the massif by 1.5–2 mm. The modifying composition does not contain harmful components, however, the skin should be washed with water if the silicate solution gets on its surface. After completing the work, it is necessary to inspect and clean the tool from the remains of the silicate mixture.

You can add the additive inside the concrete solution at the stage of preparation. To do this, it is necessary to gradually add liquid glass for concrete to the concrete mixer or container. The instructions for use must be followed to ensure the required concrete performance.

How to cover a concrete floor with liquid glass

To prepare a modified concrete composition, you will need the following tools:

special attachment for the drill, which increases the efficiency of mixing the components;
a container for mixing components using a nozzle or a small-sized concrete mixer;
funds individual protection, protecting the skin and mucous membrane from the ingress of additives.

The algorithm for preparing a modified concrete composition provides for the following operations:

Dosing of ingredients in the required proportions.
Adding aqueous solution special additives in concrete mix.
Preparation of concrete mixture according to the recipe.
Thorough mixing of the components until a homogeneous consistency.

Self-pouring liquid glass into concrete, the proportions must be strictly observed. Exceeding the amount prescribed in the recipe will cause accelerated drying cracked concrete. Adding reduced volume to concrete liquid glass will not provide the required performance.

Conclusion

To ensure the required performance of concrete, observe the proportions for concrete when pouring water glass. Guided by the recommendations of professionals, observing the recipe tested in practice, it is possible to ensure the necessary working properties of the monolith. Due to the cheapness of the silicate additive, the cost of the concrete solution increases extremely insignificantly, and performance allow the use of modified concrete for a wide range of construction tasks. Professional advice will help you avoid mistakes.

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An alternative to concrete is glass concrete, which has greater strength, frost resistance and thermal conductivity. There are six types of glass concrete on the market, and they will be discussed in this article.

Each house is a unique structure with characteristics peculiar only to it. Even if used typical project, during construction, it is necessary to take into account such factors as the characteristics of the soil, the depth of its freezing, the moisture content of the soil and air, the prevailing wind and the strength of the wind. To take into account means to make appropriate adjustments to the project.

For example, the increased seismic hazard of the region will require an increase in the total footage and diameter of the reinforcement, a decrease in the pitch of its tying; at high humidity soil, it is necessary to increase the layer of concrete around the reinforcement - in order to slow down its corrosion, etc. Sometimes such issues can be solved by replacing the design material with another, with more convenient and beneficial characteristics in this situation, or to reduce the cost of construction due to the equal strength replacement of materials with cheaper ones ...

In the cases described above, for example, the use of glass concrete can be an alternative to raising the cost of the foundation by increasing the amount of material.

However, glass concrete is a very large group of building materials with different properties, so it is worthwhile to understand the classification and properties. different types glass concrete, their strong and weaknesses before dwelling on any particular form.

A property common to all glass concretes is concrete, to which glass in different forms is added as an integral part. The function of this additive determines the properties of the resulting material.

Classification of glass concrete:

Glass-reinforced concrete (composite concrete);
Concrete with the addition of liquid glass;
Glass-filled concrete with fiber (glass fiber concrete);
Fiberglass concrete (translucent with optical fiber);
Glass-filled concrete with glass break;
Glass concrete with glass as a binder.

Properties of glass concrete

Glass-reinforced concrete (composite concrete)

In fact, this is an analogue of reinforced concrete, the technological difference consists only in replacing a metal reinforcing bar with a fiberglass (composite) one. However, this type of concrete, due to the replacement of reinforcement, differs in a number of properties.

It is necessary to take into account what exactly causes the need to reinforce concrete: this is its low tensile strength, bending, compression. It is this drawback that eliminates the reinforcement.

Nowadays, the expensive (in every sense) metal reinforcing bar is being replaced by less expensive ones. composite materials based on plastic, glass or basalt fiber. The most in demand is fiberglass reinforcement, although it is slightly inferior in strength to basalt, but much cheaper.

Light weight of reinforcement: fiberglass reinforcement is 5 times lighter than steel of the same diameter, and with equal strength diameter - almost 10 times.
Fiberglass and basalt rebar are produced in the form of a bundle rolled into coils of 100 m (coil weight from 7 to 10 kg), coil diameter is about a meter, which allows it to be transported in the trunk of a car, that is, it is very convenient to transport and waste-free cutting, in contrast from a metal bar - heavier and requiring lengthy freight transport.
Fiberglass and basalt reinforcement is 2.5-3 times stronger in tensile strength than steel of the same diameter, which makes it possible to replace steel reinforcement with fiberglass with a smaller diameter without loss of strength (this is called equal-strength replacement).
Fiberglass and basalt reinforcement have a thermal conductivity 100 times lower than metal and therefore are not a cold bridge (thermal conductivity of glass reinforcement is 0.48 W / m2, thermal conductivity of metal reinforcement is 56 W / m2).

Fiberglass reinforcement is non-corrosive and resistant to aggressive media (although highly alkaline media should be avoided). This means that it does not change its diameter, even if it is in a humid environment. And metal reinforcement, as you know, with poor concrete waterproofing can corrode until it is completely destroyed. In this case, the corroded metal reinforcement due to oxides increases in volume (almost 10 times) and is itself capable of breaking the concrete block.

As a result, it is possible to safely reduce the concrete cover of fiberglass-reinforced blocks. After all, the large thickness of the protective layer was due to the need to protect the steel reinforcement from moisture impregnating upper layer concrete, and thus prevent possible corrosion. The decrease in the thickness of the protective layer, together with the low weight of the reinforcement itself, gives a significant reduction in the weight of the structure without reducing its strength.

And this is, firstly, a decrease in the price of a glass concrete structure; secondly, reducing the weight of the entire building; thirdly, reducing the load on the foundation - and additional savings on the size of the foundation.

Glass-reinforced concrete is stronger, warmer and cheaper.

Concrete with the addition of liquid glass

Liquid silicate sodium (less often potash) glass is added to concrete in order to increase resistance to moisture and high temperatures and has antiseptic properties, therefore it is recommended to use it when pouring foundations on swampy soils and in hydraulic structures (wells, waterfalls, swimming pools), and to increase heat resistance - when installing fireplaces, boilers and sauna stoves... In fact, glass acts as a binder here.

There are 2 ways to use liquid glass to improve the properties of concrete:

The dry mixture is closed with glass, diluted with water to the desired proportion. For 10 liters of ready-made waterproof concrete, 1 liter of liquid glass is introduced. The water used to dilute liquid glass is not taken into account and does not affect the volume of water required for mixing concrete, since it is completely consumed for chemical reactions glass and concrete for the formation of joints that prevent the top layer of concrete from getting wet.

Adding undiluted glass (or even its solution in the desired dilution) to the already ready mix deteriorates the properties of concrete, leads to cracking and increased brittleness.

Application of liquid glass in the form of a primer (waterproofing) to the surface of the finished concrete block... However, it is better to apply another layer after such a primer. cement mix containing liquid glass. In this way, ordinary concrete products can also be protected from moisture (the main thing is to apply a primer and plaster layer no later than a day after pouring, or chip off and wet the surface beforehand, otherwise the adhesion of the layers will be weak).

The addition of water glass increases the rate of hardening of the ready-made concrete mixture (it hardens in 4-5 minutes), and the faster, the more concentrated the glass solution was. Therefore, such concrete is prepared in small portions, and glass must be diluted with water.

Glass-filled concrete with fiber (glass fiber concrete)

Concrete reinforced with alkali-resistant fiberglass (fiber) is called glass fiber concrete. It is building universal material, which allows the production of both monolithic blocks and sheet material (glass-cement sheet, in fact, a technological analogue of slate), which is now sold under the trademark "Japanese Wall Panels".

The properties and qualities of the material can change under the influence of additives or changes in the amount of additives: acrylic polymers, quick-setting cement, dyes, etc. Fiberglass concrete is a hydro-resistant, lightweight and very durable material with valuable decorative properties.

The material consists of fine-grained matrix concrete filled with sand (no more than 50%) and pieces of glass fiber (fiber). In terms of compressive strength, such concrete is twice as strong as usual, in terms of bending and tensile strength, on average, 4-5 times (up to 20 times), impact strength is 15 times higher.

Chemical resistance and frost resistance are also increased. However, filling concrete with fiber is a rather complicated process, since the fiber must be evenly distributed. It is introduced into a dry mixture. Filling with fiber increases the rigidity of the mixture, it is less plastic, worse compacted, requires compulsory vibration compaction in a large layer. Sheet materials are made by spraying and spraying.

Fiberglass concrete (Litracon)

It is made on the basis of a concrete matrix and long glass (including optical) fibers oriented in a special way.

Optical fibers penetrate the block through and through, reinforcing fibers are randomly located between them. As a result of grinding, the ends of the optical fibers are freed of cement laitance and can transmit light practically without loss.

The level of transparency and color rendering of the material depends on the number and location of optical fibers. In this case, the thickness of the block can, if necessary, be increased to ten meters - as much as the optical fiber allows, and it can, of course, be of any length.

The material is still very expensive, about $ 1000 per square meter, however, developments are underway to make it cheaper. Has glass fittings. The material can be imitated at home if there is optical fiber and patience, but not as a building one, but rather as a decorative one.

Glass-filled concrete with glass break

This type of concrete allows you to save on filling materials, replacing sand and crushed stone with glass breakage and closed glass containers (tubes, ampoules, balls). Moreover, crushed stone can be replaced with glass by 20–100%, without loss of strength and with a significant reduction in the weight of the finished block.

Glass concrete with glass as a binder

As a rule, this type of concrete is for industrial production: it is both manufactured at factories and used at them, because it has high acid resistance and relatively low alkali resistance.

Glass is sorted, crushed and ground, and then sieved through screens, dividing into fractions. Particles larger than 5 mm are used as coarse aggregate, less than 5 mm instead of sand, and fine powder as a binder.

However, if it is possible to finely grind the glass, this concrete can be made on your own.

When mixed with water, glass powder itself does not exhibit binding properties; a catalyst is required. In an alkaline medium (soda ash), cullet dissolves, forming silicic acids, which soon begin to turn into a gel. This gel binds the aggregate fractions and after curing (at normal or elevated temperatures, it depends on the properties of the glass and the filler), a durable and strong silicate conglomerate is obtained - acid-resistant glass concrete.

It is possible to manufacture concrete in a concrete mixer only on a silicate binder. First, dry components are mixed for 4-5 minutes (sand, crushed stone, ground filler and hardener (sodium silicofluoride), then liquid glass with a modifying additive is poured into a rotating concrete mixer. The mixture is stirred for 3-5 minutes, until homogeneous. The viability of the mixture on this binder will be all 40-45 minutes

Such concrete is not inferior in its construction properties materials from traditional binders, while surpassing them in biostability, thermal conductivity, acid resistance. This is important if the soils on which the foundation is being built have an acidic reaction.

Glass concrete is widely used and, due to its properties, is in great demand for the production of finishing panels, gratings, fences, walls, partitions, ceilings, decor, complex architectural or transparent roofs, pipes, noise barriers, cornices, tiles, cladding and many other products. Having mastered the technology of making glass concrete with your own hands, you can significantly save on construction and create a unique design for your home.

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Glass concrete: classification, types and properties of different types, 4.3 out of 5 based on 7 ratings

Glass concrete was developed about half a century ago and is currently a real competitor to reinforced concrete. Glass added to the concrete mass can significantly improve performance, incl. tensile and flexural strength, eliminating the need for heavy structures. Such reinforcement expands the possibilities of using concrete in adverse conditions.

Production technology

Glass concrete is a fairly extensive group of building materials in the form of concrete with glass or fiberglass fibers. Depending on the structure of the glass component and the method of its introduction, there are main varieties of this material.

Glass-reinforced concrete or composite concrete. In fact, it is concrete reinforced concrete, in which the steel reinforcement is replaced by fiberglass.
Waterproof concrete with silicate additive in the form of liquid glass.
Fiberglass concrete containing glass fiber resistant to alkalis as a filler.
Fiberglass concrete or Litracon, characterized by relative transparency (translucent) due to the introduction of glass optical fibers.
A mixture filled with glass chips (broken).
Acid-resistant concrete in which the glass component added to the mortar acts as a binder.

In all these varieties, concrete contains glass in one form or another. As a result, the structure of the material and its most important characteristics change. Fiberglass concrete is sold ready-made and can be made by hand.

Advantages and disadvantages

Glass concrete has a number of noticeable advantages over traditional concrete.

Weight loss. With the introduction of glass filler, the content of cement and sand decreases. fiberglass is lighter than these ingredients, the weight is reduced source material... Especially noticeable this advantage in a reinforced version designed to replace reinforced concrete. Fiberglass reinforcement is significantly lighter than steel reinforcement.
Increased strength. Glass additives significantly increase tensile strength (2.5 - 3 times), compression and bending. The impact strength of concrete is increased by a factor of 14-16.
Reduction of thickness when replacing concrete products. Reinforcing glass fibers have a smaller diameter in comparison with steel reinforcement with a similar strength, which makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the product without deteriorating the strength characteristics.
Moisture - and water resistance. Any glass fillers (especially liquid glass) increase the water resistance of concrete.
Improvement thermal insulation characteristics.
Expansion of areas of application of the material. Glass filling makes it a versatile building material with increased strength, waterproofing and thermal insulation characteristics.

Glass concrete has practically no significant drawbacks. Of course, the need to prepare a glass ingredient complicates the solution preparation technology, but the advantages obtained compensate for this disadvantage. In the process of preparing the material, one has to deal with glass dust, which requires careful protection of the human respiratory system. Accelerated solidification of glass concrete in the process of application is noted, which requires rapid use of the solution.

Technological features

Different types of glass concrete have their own production nuances.

Waterproof. For manufacturing, liquid glass is used, i.e. sodium silicate. First, an ordinary concrete solution is prepared. Then, liquid glass is added to it at the rate of 100 ml per 1 liter of solution (excluding water). It is important to remember that an increase in the amount of sodium silicate leads to an increase in the brittleness of the material and a rapid solidification of the solution.
Manufacturing of glass fiber concrete. Composition - cement, sand and fiberglass in equal proportions. It is important to distribute the fiber evenly throughout the volume, and the ingredients are mixed in a dry state. When applying the solution, a thorough vibration compaction is required.
Filling with glass break. Broken glass replaces crushed stone (from 25 to 100 percent), and also partially sand. Concrete production includes several stages. First, glass waste (scrap) is crushed. Then, with the help of a screen, the raw material is sifted and separated into fractions. Fragments larger than 4 mm are intended for replacing crushed stone (filler). Smaller particles will work in place of sand. This circumstance is taken into account when mixing the solution.
Using glass as a binder. In this case, finely crushed glass is used, but it will not bind cement without additional processing... Glass performs this function with the introduction of soda ash. During the reaction, it dissolves to form a silicate gel, and it already holds the composition together. This produces concrete with increased resistance to acids.

Concrete with optical properties is difficult to make on your own due to the increased fragility of optical fibers. Usually, ready-made concrete, translucent slabs and panels are used.

Applications

Glass concrete is widely used abroad in the construction of various facilities. In Russia, the material is still used less frequently due to production problems, but its popularity is constantly growing. The following main areas of use of this material can be distinguished:

Cladding of buildings. Fiberglass concrete can be used in the form of finished panels or applied as decorative or protective plaster. The material with the addition of liquid glass is widely used in the construction of private pools and others. artificial reservoirs.
Erection of walls and ceilings. Walls are made by pouring into formwork or from blocks (similar to cinder blocks). In the manufacture of floor slabs, the material replaces similar products made of reinforced concrete.
Decoration facades. Building material with optical properties is especially appreciated.
Manufacturing of paving and curb tiles.
Landscape design... Small architectural structures are made of glass concrete. In particular, the construction of arches, fountains, garden statues, and lighting poles is popular.
Fences and grates. The high strength of the material provides reliable supports for fences as well as molding decorative grilles and hedges.

Glass concrete is used quite actively in mass construction, incl. industrial facilities. Paving slabs has a high wear resistance, which makes it possible to use in parks.

The material is used even in the construction of bridges. It can be classified as a modern, high-strength building materials. It is actively used instead of reinforced concrete products in the repair and construction of structures. different types... Some materials can be prepared by hand, which reduces the cost of construction and expands the possibilities of use.