stone technology

 STONE - AS A BUILDING MATERIAL.
• Stone has been defined as the natural,

hard substance formed from minerals
and earth material which are present in
rocks.
• Stone has been considered as one of
the popular building material from the
olden days due to their availability in
abundance from the natural rocks.
• Building stones should possess enough
strenght and durability.
• The stone which are suitable for
construction of structures such as
retaining walls, abutments, dams,
roads etc are known as building stones.
• Building stones are obtained from the
rocks in quarries.
• The quarried stone may be in the form of
stone blocks, stone aggregate, stone slabs
etc.
• The stone is properly dressed and shaped
as per requirement where it is used.
• Stones have been used in all types of
construction since time immemorial. The
pyramids of egypt, the eiffel tower, the taj
mahal, the red fort, the great wall of china
and many more buildings are made of
stones.
• The greatest thing of stone is that they are
natural and do not required to be
manufactured.
• Based on the type, stones can be used in
buildings for flooring, roofing, masonry,
paving roads and also as aggregates for
concrete.
 BASED ON GEOLOGY, STONES OR ROCKS ARE
CLASSIFIED INTO THREE TYPES.
• Igneous Rocks - These are primary rocks which

are formed from molten magma. Generally
igneous rocks are strong and durable. The
examples are Basalt, Trap, Granite etc.
• Sedimentary Rocks - These are secondary
rocks and are formed by the denudation and
deposition of previously existing rocks due to
weathering agent. Water is the most powerful
and principal weathering agent. The other
destructive agents are frost, winds and
chemical actions. Examples are Limestones,
Dolomite and Sandstones.
• Metamorphic Rocks - Rocks which are formed
due to metamorphic action of pressure and
internal heat or by both alteration of original
structure due to heat and excessive pressure
are called metamorphic rocks. Examples are
Gneiss, Quartzite, Marble, Slate.
 TYPES OF BUILDING STONES
1) Granite
It is an igneous rock, which is hard, durable
and available in various colors. It has a high
value of crushing strength and is capable
of bearing high weathering. Granite is used
for bridge components, retaining walls,
stone columns, road metal, foundation,
stonework and for coarse aggregates in
concrete. These stones can also be cut into
slabs and polished to be used as floor slabs
and stone facing slabs.
2) Basalt and Trap

They are originated from igneous rocks in
the absence of pressure by the rapid
cooling of magma. They have the same
uses as granite.
3) Limestone
It is a sedimentary rock formed by
remnants of seaweeds and living organisms
consolidated and cemented together. It
contains a high percentage of calcium
carbonate. Limestone is used for flooring,
roofing, pavements and as a base material
for cement.
4) Sandstone
This stone is another form of sedimentary
rock formed by the action of mechanical
sediments. It has a sandy structure which is
low in strength and easy to dress.
5) Marble
It is a metamorphic rock which can be
easily cut and carved into different shapes.
It is used for ornamental purposes, stone
facing slabs, flooring, facing works etc.
6) Slate
It is a metamorphic rock which can be split
easily and available in black colour. It is
used for damp-proofing flooring and
roofing.
7) Quartzite
It is a metamorphic rock which is hard,
brittle, crystalline and durable. It is difficult
to work with and used in the same way as
granite but not recommended for
ornamental works as it is brittle.
8) Laterite
It is decomposed from igneous rocks occur
in soft and hard varieties. It contains a high
percentage of iron oxide and can be easily
cut into blocks. The soft variety is used for
walls after curing while the hard blocks are
used for paving the pathways.
 PROPERTIES OF GOOD STONES
1) Texture - A good building stones should have compact fine crystalline

structure which should be free from cavities, cracks or patches of soft or
loose material. Stones with such texture are strong and durable.
2) Toughness - The stone should be tough enough. Thoughness is resistance to
impact. This property is more important when the stone is subjected to
moving loads as in the case of railway ballast, road metal etc.
3) Hardness - The stone should be hard enough. Hardness is resistance to
abrasion and cutting. This property is more important for floors, pavements
etc.
4) Structure - A broken stone should have uniform texture free from cracks,
cavities and patches of soft material.
5) Durability - A good building stone should be durable. The factors like heat
and cold alternative wet and dry, dissolved gases in rain, high wind velocity
etc affects the durability.
6) Appearance - Those stones which are used for face work should be decent in
appearance. They should be able to protect their color for a long time and
should have compact texture.
 PROPERTIES OF GOOD STONES
7) Weight - it is an indication of specific gravity and density. A heavy stone

resists higher load.
8) Strength – A stone should be strong and durable to withstand the adverse
effects of weathering agencies.
9) Porosity and Absorption - Highly porous stones are not suitable as building
stones as the absorbed water cause disintegration.
10) Seasoning - Stones should be well seasoned before putting into uses. A
period of about 6 to 12 months is considered to be sufficient for proper
seasoning.
11) Workability - The stone should be workable so that cutting, dressing and
bringing it to required size and shape is easy and economical.
12) Fire Resistance - A good building stone should be fire proof. Sandstone,
argillaceous stone resists fire quite well.
 USES OF STONES
• Broken stones and stone chips are used

in foundation, roofs & floors of building
& as road metal & railway ballast.
• Stone blocks are mainly used in walls,
foundations & ornamental fascia work.
• Quartzite is used for rubble masonry,
road metalling also as a aggregate for
concrete.
• Lime stone slabs are used for flooring,
paving & roofing.
• Slates are used as roofing and flooring
materials.
• Granite is used in very common in
kitchen ota.
• Marble is extremely suitable for
ornamental & superior type of
building work.

stone technology

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 STONE - AS A BUILDING MATERIAL.

• Stone has been defined as the natural,

• Igneous Rocks - These are primary rocks which

2) Basalt and Trap

1) Texture - A good building stones should have compact fine crystalline

7) Weight - it is an indication of specific gravity and density. A heavy stone

• Broken stones and stone chips are used

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