Properties of Good Building Stones in Civil Engineering Constuctions | Requirements of Good Building Stones - Civil Crush

Requirements of Good Building Stones

Good building stones have the following requirements:

• Strength

• Durability

• hardness

• toughness

• specific gravity

• porosity and absorption

• dressing

• appearance

• Seasoning 

• cost

(i) Strength: The stone must be able to resist the load on it. This is usually not a primary concern as all stones have good strength. However in case of large structure, it may be necessary to test the strength.

(ii) Durability: The stone chosen should be able to resist the adverse effects of natural forces like wind, rain and heat.

(iii) Hardness: The stone used in floors and pavements must be able to resist the frictional forces caused by the movement of men and materials over them.

(iv) toughness: Stones must be hard enough to sustain the stress developed due to vibration. Vibrations can be caused by the machinery on top of them or by the load acting on them. The aggregates of stone used in road construction should be hard.

(v) Specific gravity: Heavy stones should be used for construction of dams, retaining walls, docks and harbors. The specific gravity of a good building stone is between 2.4 and 2.8.

(vi) Porosity and Absorption: The building stone should not be porous. If this porous rain water enters the pour and reacts with the stone and breaks it. At higher altitudes, water freezes in the pores and results in dissolution of the stone.

(vii) Dressing: Giving the required shape to the stone is called dressing. The clothes should be easy to wear so that the cost of dressing is low. However, care should be taken that this is not at the cost of the required strength and durability.

(viii) Appearance: In case of stones used for face work, where appearance is a primary requirement, its color and ability to achieve polish is an important factor.

(ix) Seasoning: Good stones should be free from quarry sap. Laterite stones should not be used for 6 to 12 months after excavation. They are allowed to get rid of mine sap by the action of nature. This process of removing the juice of the mine is called seasoning.

(x) Cost: Cost is an important consideration in the selection of construction material. The proximity of the mine to the construction site reduces the cost of transportation and hence the cost of stones.