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Ammon News - A team of students from the Department of Civil Engineering at the Hajjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Yarmouk University, has succeeded in accomplishing and developing a concrete mixture that absorbs solar light during the day and reflects it at night for duration of up to 8 hours.

This achievement involves a concrete mixture composed of cement and sand, with chemical materials with light-absorption and retention properties. To enhance its light-absorption and storage properties, the team has incorporated glass waste into this concrete blend.

The significance of this "concrete mixture" lies in its important contribution to enhancing sustainability in the construction industry. It is believed that this self-illuminating concrete will serve as a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete. It works to provide natural illumination to buildings, urban structures, and roadways in remote areas lacking access to electrical power sources.

Dr. Faris Matalkah, the team supervisor and a faculty member in the Department of Civil Engineering, stated that preliminary experiments indicate that this new concrete is capable of absorbing solar light during the daytime and emitting it at night. This will contribute to conserving electricity consumption and reducing the need for artificial lighting during nighttime hours.

He added that this concrete possesses mechanical properties similar to regular concrete in terms of strength and resistance to climatic conditions. He pointed out that this "self-illuminating concrete" was developed in the laboratories of Hajjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology and at a cost that is 70% lower compared to luminescent concrete developed by specialized scientists in several countries around the world.

Dr. Matalkah declared that the high cost of this concrete was a major reason for its lack of industrial production. He highlighted that the development of this type of concrete and its work were carried out for the first time on a national level.

In a related context, the student team participating in this scientific research: Bayan Al-Ziout, Raghad Tawalbeh, Bashar Al-Azam, Doha Al-Shanaq, and Mohammed Al-Tamimi – expressed their great satisfaction in developing this self-illuminating mixture. They emphasized that it constitutes a significant contribution to the field of environmental and sustainable technology. They also emphasized their aspiration to achieve greater success in utilizing this product in future construction projects within the kingdom, which would contribute to reducing electricity consumption and minimizing negative environmental impacts, in addition to its aesthetic dimension.

The team also hopes that such unique environmental innovations will attract the interest of the construction industry and relevant institutions, thus contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.