Properties of Stones selecting them for engineering works

 The following properties of the stones should be looked into before selecting them for
engineering works .
 There are 13 types in the selecting methods .

1. Structure

2. Texture

3. Density

4. Appearance

5. Strength

6. Hardness

7. Percentage wear

8. Porosity and Absorption

9. Weathering

10. Toughness

11. Resistance to Fire

12. Ease in Dressing

13. Seasoning

Let’s describe all types above given.

Structure:

 Structure type is the structure of the stone may be stratified (layered) or unstratified. Structured
stones should be easily dressed and suitable for super structure. Unstratified stones are hard
and difficult to dress. They are preferred for the foundation works.

Texture :
 The Texture is Fine grained stones with homogeneous distribution look attractive and hence
they are used for carving. Such stones are usually strong and durable.

Density :
  Density is the Denser stones are stronger. Light weight stones are weak. Hence stones with
specific gravity less than 2.4 are considered unsuitable for buildings.

Appearance :
 The Appearance is A stone with uniform and attractive color is durable, if grains are compact.
Marble and granite get very good appearance, when polished. Hence, they are used for face
works in buildings.

Strength :
 Strength is an important property to be looked into before selecting stone as building block.
Indian standard code recommends, a minimum crushing strength of 3.5 N/mm2 for any building
block. Table 1.1 shows the crushing strength of various stones. Due to non-uniformity of the
material, usually a factor of safety of 10 is used to find the permissible stress in a stone.

 Hence even laterite can be used safely for a single-story building, because in such structures
expected load can hardly give a stress of 0.15 N/mm2. However, in stone masonry buildings care
should be taken to check the stresses when the beams (Concentrated Loads) are placed on
laterite wall.

Name of Stone Crushing Strength in N/mm2

Trap 300 to 350

Basalt 153 to 189
Granite 104 to 140
Slate 70 to 210
Marble 72
Sandstone 65
Limestone 55
Laterite 1.8 to 3.2

Hardness :
 Hardness type is an important property to be considered when stone is used for flooring and
pavement. Coefficient of hardness is to be found by conducting test on standard specimen in
Dory’s testing machine.
  For road works coefficient of hardness should be at least 17. For building works stones with
coefficient of hardness less than 14 should not be used.

Percentage wear :
 Percentage wear is measured by attrition test. It is an important property to be considered in
selecting aggregate for road works and railway ballast. A good stone should not show wear of
more than 2%.

Porosity and Absorption :

 Porosity and Absorption an All stones have pores and hence absorb water. The reaction of water
with material of stone cause disintegration.

 Absorption test is specified as percentage of water absorbed by the stone when it is immersed
under water for 24 hours. For a good stone it should be as small as possible and in no case more
than 5.

Weathering :
 Weathering is a Rain and wind cause loss of good appearance of stones. Hence stones with good
weather resistance should be used for face works.

Toughness :
 Toughness is resistance to impact is called toughness. It is determined by impact test. Stones
with toughness index more than 19 are preferred for road works.

 Toughness index 13 to 19 are considered as medium tough and stones with toughness index less
than 13 are poor stones.

Resistance to Fire :
 Resistance to Fire: Sand stones resist fire better. Argillaceous materials, though poor in strength,
are good in resisting fire.

Ease in Dressing :
 Ease in Dressing is the Cost of dressing contributes to cost of stone masonry to a great extent.
Dressing is easy in stones with lesser strength.
  Hence an engineer should look into sufficient strength rather than high strength while selecting
stones for building works.

Seasoning :
 Seasoning is a stone obtained from quarry contain moisture in the pores. The strength of the
stone improves if this moisture is removed before using the stone.

 The process of removing moisture from pores is called seasoning. The best way of seasoning is
to allow it to the action of nature for 6 to 12 months. This is very much required in the case of
laterite stones.

All the above following properties of the stones should be looked into before selecting them for
engineering works, this all methods are testing in labs and etc.