Analysis of Structural and Key Technical Points to Reserve When Combining UHPC Shaping with Lighting Systems

The Aesthetic Code of UHPC Under Interwoven Light and Shadow: A Complete Analysis of Structural Reservations and Key Technical Points

When building envelopes become a canvas for light and shadow, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), with its outstanding physical properties and formability potential, is becoming the ideal medium for modern architecture to achieve "artistic texture by day and a light-and-shadow narrative by night." As an industry leader with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials field, Qinglong Group has found through practice on hundreds of landmark projects that the integration of form and lighting systems is by no means a simple superposition—it is systematic engineering thinking that must be established from the very origin of design. This article systematically breaks down the structural reservation essentials and key technical pathways when UHPC is combined with lighting, providing designers and owners with a full-chain solution.

I. Building the Structural Reservation System for UHPC-Lighting Integration

In the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project, the Qinglong team achieved millimeter-level coordination between the UHPC curtain wall and a dynamic lighting system through BIM technology. This successful practice reveals three core dimensions of structural reservation. The first is carrier structure reservation: depending on the lighting type (point source/linear source/surface source), wiring channels with a diameter of 5-15mm must be pre-set inside UHPC components, and channel spacing must meet thermal expansion and contraction requirements (the UHPC thermal expansion coefficient is approximately 12×10⁻⁶/°C). The second is installation node reservation: detachable stainless steel embedded parts are used to ensure later maintenance and replacement of lamps. In the Nanjing East Road Century Plaza translucent concrete project, Qinglong's innovatively designed "sandwich"-type laminated structure ensured uniform light transmission while achieving structural strength (flexural strength ≥20MPa). Finally, there is maintenance space reservation: for facade systems taller than 8 meters, maintenance catwalk interfaces must be provided every 10 meters—a standard already incorporated into Qinglong's corporate "Technical Specifications for UHPC Decorative Components."

II. Key Technical Breakthroughs in Material-Lighting Synergy

The technical coupling of UHPC and lighting systems is reflected at three levels. In terms of optical performance optimization, by adjusting the UHPC mix proportion (silica fume content 15-20%) and aggregate gradation, gradient control of light transmittance between 0.5-3% can be achieved to meet the light-and-shadow requirements of different scenarios. In terms of thermal performance balance, to address the heat dissipation issues of LED lamps, Qinglong's composite UHPC system with a thermal conductivity ≤0.15W/(m·K) successfully solved the overheating problem of the lighting system on the curtain wall of a commercial complex in Guangzhou. Durability assurance requires consideration of the protection of lighting circuits: IP68-grade sealing treatment combined with UHPC's inherent high impermeability (penetration height ratio ≤5%) ensures a service life of over 25 years. These technical essentials have been validated by the industry standard "General Technical Conditions for Non-Load-Bearing Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Components," in whose formulation Qinglong participated.

III. Quality Control Essentials for Full-Chain Implementation

Full-process control from detailed design to construction and installation determines the final presentation of UHPC lighting systems. In the design phase, Qinglong adopts the Rhino+Grasshopper parametric platform to achieve algorithmic matching between lighting paths and UHPC forms; in production, automated casting (error ≤±2mm) and steam curing (90°C×48h) ensure component precision; in the installation phase, 3D laser scanning positioning technology keeps the cumulative error within 5mm. In overseas projects such as a landmark building in Malaysia, the Qinglong team innovatively adopted "prefabricated modular" construction, pre-assembling and debugging UHPC components together with lighting systems at the factory, which improved on-site installation efficiency by 40%—an experience that has become a core competitiveness of Qinglong's overseas engineering.

As a National High-Tech Enterprise and a participant in industry standard formulation, Qinglong Group has always believed that the fusion of UHPC and lighting is not merely a technical matter but a new language of aesthetic expression. From the supporting projects of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to the venue construction of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Qinglong has proven with 28 years of technical accumulation that only by incorporating structural reservation, material performance, and construction techniques into systematic thinking can buildings radiate unique charm in both day and night. In the future, as UHPC materials continue to make breakthroughs in light transmittance, self-cleaning, and other aspects, Qinglong will continue to uphold its mission of "Creating Beautiful Architecture," pushing the light-and-shadow art of building envelopes into a broader space of imagination.