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

Architectural Aesthetics of Interwoven Light and Shadow: Key Technical Points of Integrating UHPC Forms with Lighting Systems

When building skins become canvases for light and shadow, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), with its outstanding mechanical properties and form freedom, is becoming the ideal medium for architects to realize the art of light and shadow. As an industry pioneer with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials field, Qinglong Group has distilled a systematic methodology of structural provisions and design coordination from practice on hundreds of landmark projects, ensuring the perfect fusion of material properties and lighting effects.

I. Structural Provisions: Physical Coordination Between UHPC and Lighting Systems

1. Structural Load-Bearing Design for Embedded Lighting

During the UHPC component detailing stage, different structural solutions must be preset according to the lighting type. For linear wall washers, it is recommended to reserve a concealed groove 50-80mm wide at the component edge; the groove depth must meet the luminaire's heat dissipation requirements, while BIM technology simulates the light projection angle to ensure the groove slope matches the light output direction. In the Nanjing East Road Century Plaza renovation project, Qinglong Group combined translucent UHPC concrete with LED light strips, achieving a 180-degree uniform light output through groove design with 0.3mm precision.

2. Load Provisions and Safety Redundancy

Installation of large floodlights requires embedded steel parts inside UHPC components; the anchorage depth of embedded parts should be no less than 1/3 of the component thickness, with hot-dip galvanizing treatment to ensure durability. Qinglong technical specifications require that all lighting-related embedded parts undergo pull-out testing at 1.5 times the design load; in the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project, this standard effectively resolved the lighting installation safety issues of large-span UHPC sunshades.

II. Material Properties: Performance Matching Between UHPC and Lighting Effects

1. Optical Control of Surface Texture

UHPC surface treatment directly affects light reflection effects. Matte finishes are suitable for diffuse wall washing and can achieve a surface roughness of Ra2.0-3.0 through emery blasting; high-gloss finishes are suitable for accent lighting and require 8 stages of fine polishing to achieve a mirror effect. The five-axis machining centers at Qinglong's production base can precisely control the direction of surface textures, enabling light projections to form regular rhythms of light and shadow.

2. Optical Design of Translucent UHPC

Translucent UHPC requires light transmittance to be controlled by adjusting quartz sand gradation and fiber content, typically within the 15%-30% range. Qinglong's self-developed translucent concrete formula achieves uniform light diffusion while maintaining a 20MPa flexural strength, and its patented technology (Patent No. ZL2023XXXXXXXXX) solves the industry problem of traditional translucent concrete being prone to cracking.

III. System Integration: Technical Points of Full-Chain Coordination

1. Multi-Discipline Collaborative Design Process

Using a BIM workflow coordinating the three disciplines of "architecture-structure-lighting," clash detection is completed during the detailing design stage. Qinglong Group's independently developed parametric design platform enables real-time linked adjustment of UHPC forms and lighting layouts, shortening the traditional 2-week coordination cycle to 3 days.

2. Precision Control in Construction and Installation

On-site installation uses 3D laser scanning for positioning, with errors controlled within ±2mm. For curved UHPC components, Qinglong's original "modular pre-assembly" technology ensures precise connection of lighting interfaces through factory trial assembly; in a commercial complex project in Guangzhou, this process increased on-site installation efficiency by 40%.

IV. Industry Practice: The Leap from Technology to Art

As a contributing unit to the industry standard "General Technical Conditions for Non-Load-Bearing Components of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)," Qinglong Group has always upheld its mission of "creating aesthetically beautiful architecture." In the Nanning ASEAN Culture and Art Center project, the perfect fusion of UHPC double-curved curtain walls with a dynamic lighting system presents the rustic texture of fair-faced concrete by day and transforms into a brilliantly luminous art installation by night, fully demonstrating the infinite possibilities of new decorative building materials in expressing architectural aesthetics.

As the digitization of building skins advances, the integration of UHPC and lighting systems will become ever closer. Qinglong Group will continue to leverage its 28-year full-chain service advantages and its values of "honesty, hard work, trust, and collaboration" to provide designers with one-stop solutions from concept to implementation, driving architectural decorative materials to evolve toward a higher dimension of art-technology integration.