Analysis of Structural Reservations and Design Points When Combining UHPC Shaping With Lighting Systems

The Art of UHPC in Interwoven Light and Shadow: A Professional Guide to Structural Provisions and Design Integration

In contemporary architectural aesthetics, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is becoming the core medium for shaping the light-and-shadow art of building skins, thanks to its outstanding mechanical properties and formative freedom. When UHPC components operate in synergy with lighting systems, it is necessary not only to achieve a stunning visual effect but also to complete scientific provision planning during the structural design phase. As an industry leader with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP, Qinglong Group draws on the practice of hundreds of landmark projects to provide an in-depth analysis of the key technical points of combining the two.

1. The Collaborative Design Logic of UHPC and Lighting Systems

The high density and moldability of UHPC provide diverse media of presentation for lighting systems—whether recessed wall washers, contour light strips, or projection lamp designs, structural provisions must be completed during the detailed material development stage. Taking the renovation of Century Plaza on Nanjing East Road as an example, the Qinglong team, through parametric design, reserved 5mm-diameter optical fiber channels in 30mm ultra-thin UHPC light-transmitting panels, achieving a dual effect of pure stone texture by day and dynamic light and shadow by night. This design concept of “architecture as medium” requires designers to fully understand the material properties of UHPC: its compressive strength of over 200MPa allows precision holes to be opened, while the fiber reinforcement system guarantees the structural stability of components after the holes are opened.

2. Three Core Dimensions of Structural Provisions

In actual engineering, the Qinglong technical team has summarized a “three-dimensional provision method”: in the spatial dimension, installation slots are reserved according to luminaire specifications, with width tolerance typically controlled within ±1mm; in the mechanical dimension, BIM simulation is used to calculate the impact of hole openings on component load-bearing capacity, with local carbon fiber reinforcement applied where necessary; in the thermal dimension, a 0.5mm-thick aluminum foil heat-dissipation layer is designed on the back of UHPC components to meet the heat dissipation needs of LED luminaires. In a provincial cultural center project, in order to achieve uniform lighting across a 300-meter continuous curved UHPC curtain wall, Qinglong innovatively adopted a “precast embedded inserts + on-site fine adjustment” process, controlling luminaire installation error within 3mm and ensuring that light projection angle deviation does not exceed 1°.

3. Design Strategy Differences Determined by Material Properties

The combination of different decorative materials with lighting systems requires differentiated solutions: UHPC is well suited to high-precision linear light slots, as its casting and forming precision can reach 0.1mm; GRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) offers greater cost advantages in large hollow-out light sculptures, such as the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project in which Qinglong participated, where GRC was used to precast 2.8-meter-high light-transmitting reliefs with light transmittance controlled by adjusting the glass fiber content; GRG (Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum), with its sound-absorbing properties, is an ideal choice for theater ceiling lighting and acoustic design; while GRP (Glass Reinforced Thermosetting Plastic) performs outstandingly in the field of outdoor weather-resistant luminaire housings. This thinking of material suitability is precisely Qinglong's core competitiveness as a comprehensive materials supplier.

4. Whole-Life-Cycle Quality Control System

From detailed design to after-sales maintenance, Qinglong has established a full-process quality control mechanism: the design phase uses Rhino and Grasshopper for parametric optimization of lighting paths; the production phase ensures the positional accuracy of reserved holes through automated molds; the installation phase uses 3D laser scanning technology to achieve millimeter-level positioning; and the maintenance phase provides a five-year regular inspection service, with a focus on checking the sealing at the interface between the lighting system and UHPC. This craftsman spirit of “meticulousness and the constant pursuit of excellence” has enabled Qinglong's overseas projects (such as a UHPC lighting curtain wall on a twin-tower building in Malaysia) to maintain stable operation for ten years even under tropical climate conditions.

When the building skin becomes a canvas for light and shadow, the integration of UHPC and lighting systems is not merely a technical matter but a profound dialogue between aesthetics and engineering. As a national high-tech enterprise, Qinglong Group has always taken “creating beautiful architecture” as its mission, and through 28 years of accumulated technology, provides designers with full-chain support from concept to realization. In the architecture of the future, the collision of materials technology and the art of light and shadow will surely give rise to even more breathtaking spatial experiences.