Influence of Graphite and Glass fibers on the compressive strength of Translucent concrete

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, Vignana Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, 501301
² Department of Civil Engineering, Sree Dattha Institute of Engineering and Science, Hyderabad, Telangana, 501510
³ Department of Civil Engineering, Poojya Dodappa Appa College of Engineering, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, 585102
⁴ Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, United States

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 3 August 2026

Abstract

Translucent concrete (TC) is an extraordinary and innovative construction material that not only exhibits structural performance but also incorporated a light transmitting option for sustainable design. This study will explore the effects of hybrid reinforcement consisting of 0.1% graphite and 0.5% glass fibers (GF) on the compressive strength (CS) and light transmittance (LT) of TC. As a first step, based on the generated performance, the most effective optical fiber content is found at 7.5% TC by mass. The graphite and GF are added one at a time and then a combination of both to the TC matrix. After 7 days and 28 days of typical curing under 27°C ± 2°C, the mechanical and optical properties are evaluated. The hybrid reinforced TC achieved a max CS of 26.36 MPa (69% increase in comparison to control) and a max LT of 97 lux (67% improvement). Both the CS and LT values for the hybrid reinforcement exceed those resulting from any other individual fiber addition. The results of this investigation demonstrate a possible synergistic effect of graphite and GF together serving to improve both mechanical performance and contribution to translucency. These results are significant as they show that hybrid fiber reinforcement is a viable option for successful balance between mechanical and aesthetics performing adjectives in TC in high end architectural application.