OREANDA-NEWS  High-strength paving stones glowing in the dark for sidewalks, pedestrian paths, squares and garden areas were developed by OmSTU scientists. According to them, the new paving stone material will not only ensure comfortable movement of pedestrians in any climatic zones, but will also be able to serve as a source of lighting, the press service of the university told RIA Novosti.

Employees of the Laboratory of Industrial Design and Visual Ergonomics of the scientific and educational resource center "Technologies, Equipment and Materials" of Omsk State Technical University (OmSTU), together with colleagues from LLC Neftekhim Plant, have developed paving stones, which, according to their data, has high strength, manufacturability, energy and economic efficiency.

"We have created a composite material that can withstand the high loads caused by the movement of pedestrians on its surface, and in all climatic zones. Paving stones made of this material will be able to glow brightly at night and noticeably during the day (the color can be any, depending on the landscape and the design of the environment)," said Alexander Golunov, head of the OmSTU laboratory.

He noted that the energy consumption of one unit will not exceed the energy consumption of a conventional light bulb, which will allow people to comfortably walk around the park or square. At the same time, up to several dozen units can be connected to one current converter, which will reduce the cost of the delivery package.

"The light blocks can be connected to a control system, and then, thanks to a pre—developed program, it will be possible to control lighting in a private courtyard, in a park or in a park," the scientist added.

According to Golunov, the construction of the paving stones will ensure the possibility of its flexible production from raw materials available on the market. At the same time, the products will be inexpensive.

"The paving stones will be laid like a regular pavement, however, power supply must be provided for each element. They can also be connected to solar panels. An important factor is the tightness of the unit and its connection to the power source, they will be protected from moisture penetration during a short immersion in water," he said.

The OmSTU project will improve urban space and improve the landscaping of parks and squares, said Nadezhda Dimentieva, manager of the Neftekhim Plant LLC.

"In terms of its mechanical properties, price and quality, the material being developed is unique," she stressed.
At the moment, the authors have already produced an experimental batch of four products. In the future, they plan to design a robotic installation to perform some of the technological operations.