Sedimentary Rocks

S E D I M E N T A R Y R O C K S
Add Your Website
C O N T E N T S
LOCATION AND FORMATION OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
VISUAL ASPECTS, FORM AND STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
U S E S I N A R C H I T E C T U R E
U S E S I N L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E
LOCATION AND FORMATION OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
1
India's geographical land area can be categorized (based on age) into:
Archean gneisses & schists

4B - Archean rock system
2.5B - Early Pre-cambrian era
Dharwar system
2.5B - Cuddapah system

Purana rock system
570M - Late Pre-cambrian era
Vindhyan system
570M - Dravidian rock system

245M - Palaeozoic era Carboniferous rocks
Jurassic system
After Aryan rock system
245M - Recent rocks
Gondwana system
Deccan trap
Teritiary system (Formatin of

Himalayas) U - Presence of sedimentary rocks
Add Your Website

2.5B - Purana rock system

570M - Proterozoic era

245M - Palaeozoic era

245M - Recent rocks

Dharwar system

Purana rock system
Vindhyan system

Jurassic system
245M - Recent rocks
Gondwana system
Deccan trap

Add Your Website


570M - Cuddapah system


245M - Recent rocks
The Proterozoic rocks are perceived in the Cuddapah region of
Andhra Pradesh.
After an extended period, the Cuddapah system of rocks,

composing of unfossiliferous clay, slates, quartzite, sandstone
and limestones was ordained on the old denuded soil of the
Deccan Peninsula. No fossils are found in the Cuddapah
formation.
FOUND IN -
The Cuddapah formation is seen in the Kurnool district of

Andhra Pradesh, southern parts of Chhattisgarh (Dantewara,
Baster, Kanker, Raipur, Durg), Singhbhum district of
Jharkhand, Kalahandi and keonjhar district of Orissa
(Kalahandi, Keonjharand) in Aravalli ranges expanding from
Delhi to Idar in Gujarat.
IMPORTANCE–
Rocks contains ores of Iron, Manganese, Copper, Cobalt, Nickel,

barites, jasper, Asbestos etc. Also contains building purpose
quartzite and limestones.

Dharwar system

Purana rock system
Vindhyan system

Jurassic system
245M - Recent rocks
Gondwana system
Deccan trap

Add Your Website


570M - Vindhyan system


245M - Recent rocks
THE VINDHYAN SYSTEM
1300- 600 million years ago
Comprises of ancient sedimentary rocks superimposed on the
Archaean base.
Vast stratified formation of limestones, shales, and sandstones.
Over 4000 m thick.
Comprises of two distinct but unequal sets of deposits –
THE LOWER VINDHYAN

1300-1100 million years ago
Marine in origin, mostly calcareous in nature and shows tectonic
deformation.
Found in sone valley in Chhattisgarh, Mewar.
THE UPPER VINDHYAN

Fluviatile In origin i.e. formed by river.
Generally lie in horizontal undisturbed strata.
Two famous Diamond Mines Panna and Golconda are found in upper
vindhyan rocks.
FOUND IN – Deccan trap covering Bihar to Rajasthan except

Bundelkhand. Also found in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
IMPORTANCE – Devoid of metallic minerals. But provides large

quantities of excellent and durable stones, limestones, ornamental
stones, flagstones, pure glass making sand and some coal.

Dharwar system

Purana rock system
Vindhyan system

Jurassic system
245M - Recent rocks
Gondwana system
Deccan trap

THE DRAVIDIAN ROCK SYSTEM D. THE DEVONIAN REGION
600-300 million years ago 400 million years
Devoid of any fossils.
Found in extra peninsular region. These formations do not occur in These rocks are identified in Muth quartzite of
the peninsular plateau as it was above the sea level at that time but Spiti and Kumaon and in Haridwar.
are found in continuous sequence in the Himalayas.
Contains abundant fossils which helps in determining the age of E. THE CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS
rocks. 350 million years
Coal formation started from this period, hence, named Comprises mainly of limestones, shales and
Carboniferous age. quartzite.
Coal formation started in the Carboniferous age.
A. THE CAMBRIAN ROCKS These rocks are divided into –
600 million years
Includes slates, clays, quartzite and limestones. UPPER CARBONIFEROUS – Made of limestone
Found in North West Himalaya. and dolomites. Mount
Everest is composed of this type of rocks.
B. THE ORDOVICIAN ROCKS
500 million years MIDDLE CARBONIFEROUS – Mainly found in Spiti
Includes quartzite, grits, limestones and sandstones. valley, Kashmir,Shimla and eastern Himalaya.
Found in spiti valley and Lidar valley of Kashmir and in the Kumaon
region. LOWER CARBONIFEROUS – Includes slates of
different types. Found in Pir panjal trap and some
C. THE SILURIAN ROCKS parts of Kumaon region.
440 million years
Found in Spiti valley, Lahul and Kullu valley and to some extent in
Kumaon region in Pir panjal trap and other parts of Kumaon region.

Dharwar system

Purana rock system
Vindhyan system

Jurassic system
245M - Recent rocks
Gondwana system
Deccan trap

THE JURASSIC SYSTEM
Marine Transgression in later part of Jurassic gave rise to thick

series of shallow water deposits in Rajasthan and Kuchchh.
Coral limestone, Shales, Sandstone and Conglomerates occurs in
Kuchchh.
FOUND IN- Covers wide areas in Tibet, South Ladakh, Spiti, Nepal
and Bhutan.
Add Your Website




245M - Gondwana system
THE GONDWANA SYSTEM
250 million years ago
Consists of sandstones with some shales and clays.
They are of continental origin, fluviatile and lacustrine deposits
deposited in geosynclinals troughs on ancient plateau surface.
The peninsula during the Upper Carboniferous period experienced
crustal movements, which led to the formation of basin-shaped
depressions.
The sediments are accumulated in the troughs and loaded troughs
subsided.
Fresh water and sediment accumulated in these troughs resulting in
terrestrial plants and animals.
These rocks have also marks of climatic changes from arctic cold to
tropical and desert conditions.
This system occurs around Permian period (250 million years ago)
FOUND IN – Along the Damodar valley in Jharkhand, along the

Mahanadi river valley in Chhattisgarh and Orissa, Madhya Pradesh,
Along the Godavari River. In extra Peninsular region found in Kashmir,
Darjeeling and Sikkim.
IMPORTANCE – Gondwana rocks contains 98% of Indian coal reserves.

They also have rich deposits of iron ore, copper, Uranium and
Antimony. Sandstone, Slates and Conglomerates are used as building
materials.

Dharwar system

Purana rock system
Vindhyan system

Jurassic system
245M - Recent rocks
Gondwana system
Deccan trap

Add Your Website




245M - Teritiary system
THE TERTIARY SYSTEM
60 to 7 million years ago
Rocks were formed from Eocene to Pliocene (60 to 7 million years
ago).
Quaternary is the name proposed for very recent deposits, which
contains fossils of species with living representatives
These include Sutlej-Ganga-Brahmaputra plains and Karewa
formations of the Kashmir valley.
Himalayas were born during this period and India came into its
present form in this period only.
It is generally divided into following –
THE EOCENE SYSTEM

60 million years ago
Found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and
Gujarat and in North-eastern part of India.
OLIGOCENE AND LOWER MIOCENE SYSTEM

Found in some parts of Assam, Kashmir (between Indus and Chenab),
Shimla area etc.
V I S UA L AS PECTS , FO RM A ND S TRUCTU RA L G EO LO G Y
2
Visual aspects of Sedimentary rocks including their finishes, existing forms and structural
geology
The physical properties of sedimentary rocks depend
Sedimentary rocks
primarily on the;
Sedimentary rocks, or layered • mineral composition
rocks are formed by the • Texture
concentration of inorganic or • Fabric
organic debris of variable size • Structure
and shape, deposited by • pore spaces
Geological Rock Cycle
mechanical means or by • grain cement
chemical precipitation.
Conglomerate, sandstone, slate,
limestone-marble, dolomite,
travertine and onyx-marble are
common sedimentary rocks in
use.
Illustration of grain size distribution and approx. mineral composition of different sedimentary
environments.
Generic relationship of
sediments and sedimentary
Fragmentary or clastic sediments rocks
• Coarse- to fine-grained residual rock

fragments produced through mechanical Organic,
Rock fragments Chemical
disintegration, found in various sizes and biochemical
shapes
• Fine to submicroscopic grain size;
Precipitated Shell limestone,
residual silt and clay-sized particles form Residues, soils sediments: coral limestone,
limestone, coquina
the weathering end product after
dolostone, onyx,
feldspars and some quartz. gypsum rock and
salt rock
Transitional, Organic residue,
Organic and biochemical sediments calcium shale coal, oil
• Organic and biochemical sediments: The

remains of animals and plants; many
limestones, limestone-marbles, and
dolomites.
Shale
The main features observed directly from the field are;
Bedding – including thickness, geometry,

nature of bed boundaries, and strike of A
the beds
Sedimentary structures – Including
erosional, depositional, deformational,
B biogenic and chemogenic
Textures – including grain size, sorting,

grading, porosity-permeability, grain
morphology, grain surface texture, and C
sediment fabric
Composition – Including clast types,

D mineralogy and fossil content
Colour – distinguishing between

weathered and fresh surfaces E
Nature and terminology for the geometry of bedding and
lamination:
Small and medium scale of erosional features and their
approx. relation to the flow of velocity:
Raindrop impressions are

preserved in intertidal
mudstone. (A rare find in the
sedimentological record)
Rill marks over the surface
of limestone caused by the
chemical erosive action of
rainwater (weathering)
Different types and origins of parallel stratification and
lamination:
(A) Swaley cross-stratification (length of hammer 30 cm), in the Barakar

river section. (B) Kinneya structure (arrow marked) on the top surface of the
silt-streaked mudstone layer. (C) The exposed top surface of smaller
accretionary hummocks. Note intense bioturbation in the troughs between
hummocks (length of pen 14 cm). (D) Section of a storm event bed showing
stratification architecture.
Raniganj Basin, India
Reference:
1. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=u9zt12_gE-
AC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=common+finishes+of+sedimentary+rocks+in+architecture&ots=x77kphVtFh&sig=446wAN
xBEFED2PVanzKtEjuCYRs&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
2. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2K8rqyKwUP8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=common+finishes+of+sedim
entary+rocks+in+architecture&ots=h2XdaZ59lz&sig=m8H26AOpyHwISCOSG2GuGtwkfQs&redir_esc=y#v=onepage
&q=sedimentary%20rocks&f=false
3. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=XgbguEkYT_0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR10&dq=Existing+finishes+of+sedime
ntary+rocks+(Hand+cut,+machine+cut,+sand+blasted,+polished+etc)&ots=84s43E6lXW&sig=gFdRadEPfcOFKoUb5
sTOV1axV6w&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=sedimentary%20rocks&f=false
4. https://ojs.cvut.cz/ojs/index.php/cej/article/view/8992/6806
5. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=3779mFyaT3oC&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=current+market+trends+for+s
edimentary+rocks&ots=OSXJMH1-Gl&sig=n1IFoaZUogxay1kHYQjJB39aFBQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
6. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Internal-structures-and-stratification-architecture-in-storm-event-beds-
A-Large_fig12_243653152
P H Y S I C A L P R O P E R T I E S
3
Physical properties of Sedimentary rocks
LIMESTONE
1.Fossils: Limestone often contains fossils of marine organisms,

such as shells, corals, and crinoids, that are preserved in the rock.
2.Bedding: Limestone often has well-defined layers, or bedding, that
can be horizontal or inclined.
3.Ripple marks: These are small ridges on the surface of the
limestone that form as a result of wave or current action in shallow
marine environments.
4.Mud cracks: These are polygonal cracks that form as mud dries
out and shrinks, indicating that the limestone was deposited in an
environment that alternated between wet and dry conditions.
5.Oolites: These are small, rounded grains of calcium carbonate that
are often found in limestone, indicating that the rock formed in a
shallow marine environment with high carbonate precipitation
rates.
6.Grain size: Limestone can range from fine-grained to coarse-
grained, depending on the depositional environment and the size of
the original sediment particles.
7.Color and texture: Limestone can vary in color from white to gray
to brown, and can have a crystalline, clastic, or microcrystalline
texture.
SHALE
Shales typically have a laminated structure and are fissile; i.e., they
exhibit a tendency to split into thin layers that are usually parallel
to the bedding-plane surface.
Such physical properties as permeability and plasticity are largely
dependent on the grain sizes of the constituent minerals. Shales’
color is determined primarily by composition.
In general, the higher the organic content of a shale, the darker its
color.
• Colour: Black, Grey
•soft, finely stratified sedimentary rock that formed from
consolidated mud or clay and can be split easily into fragile slabs.
•a fissile rock that is formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or
silt, has a finely stratified or laminated structure, and is composed
of minerals essentially unaltered since deposition.
•a rock of fissile or laminated structure formed by the
consolidation of clay or argillaceous material
Colour: Black, Grey

LATERITE
Laterite is frequently pisolitic (pealike).
Exposed surfaces are blackish-brown to reddish and commonly
have a slaggy, or scoriaceous, lavalike appearance.
Commonly lighter in colour (red, yellow, and brown) where
freshly broken, it is generally soft when freshly quarried but
hardens on exposure.
CORAL
1.Hardness: Coral has a hardness of 3.5 on the Mohs scale,
which makes it relatively soft compared to other gemstones. As
a result, it can be easily scratched or damaged, and it requires
special care when cleaning or handling.
2.Density: The density of coral ranges from 1.5 to 1.7 g/cm³,
which makes it fairly lightweight compared to other gemstones.
This makes it comfortable to wear as jewelry, but it also makes
it susceptible to damage from impacts or pressure.
3.Color: Coral can come in a wide range of colors, including
white, pink, red, orange, and black. The color of coral is
determined by the presence of pigments and other organic
compounds, as well as by the species of coral from which it is
derived.
4.Luster: Coral has a dull to waxy luster, which is characteristic
of organic materials. This is different from the glassy or
metallic luster of many other gemstones.
5.Transparency: Coral is opaque, which means that light cannot
pass through it. This is because it is made up of numerous
small calcium carbonate structures called polyps, which are
densely packed together.
6.Refractive index: The refractive index of coral ranges from
1.486 to 1.658, depending on the species and color of the coral.
This determines how light is bent and reflected within the
gemstone, and can affect its appearance and beauty.
COAL
Coal has a variety of physical properties, including:
1.Color: Coal can range in color from black to brown to grayish.

2.Hardness: Coal can range in hardness from very soft and
crumbly, like graphite, to very hard, like anthracite.
3.Density: Coal has a lower density than many rocks and
minerals, making it relatively lightweight.
4.Porosity: Coal can be very porous, with small spaces between
the coal particles.
5.Conchoidal fracture: Coal often fractures in a smooth, curved
pattern, known as conchoidal fracture.
6.Luster: Coal has a dull to shiny luster, depending on the type of
coal.
7.Streak: Coal produces a black or dark brown streak when
rubbed on a white, unglazed porcelain plate.
COQUINA
Type: Sedimentary Rock
Origin: Biochemical
Texture: Clastic
Composition
Calcite
Color: Tan
Miscellaneous: Poorly cemented shell fragments; Reacts with HCl; Hardness < Glass
Depositional Environment: Beach
Hardness:1-2
Specific Gravity:1.100-2.240
Toughness :Poor
Inclusions: Shells and fossils
Luster: Dull
Stability: Good
PEAT
Peat has typical characteristics, which include high natural moisture
content, high compressibility and water-holding capacity, low specific
gravity, low bearing capacity, and medium-to-low permeability
CONGLOMERATE
Type
Sedimentary Rock
Origin
Detrital/Clastic
Texture
Clastic; Coarse-grained (2 – 64 mm)
Composition
Quartz, Feldspar
Color
Tan to brown
Miscellaneous
Rounded clasts in a fine- to medium-grained matrix;
Immature
Depositional Environment
Alluvial Fan, Glacial (unstratified till), or Braided Stream
SANDSTONE
Texture: Clastic (only noticeable with a microscope).
Grain size: 0.06 – 2mm; clasts visible to the naked eye, often
identifiable.
Hardness: Variable, soft to hard, dependent on clast and cement
composition.
Colour: Variable through grey, yellow, red to white reflecting the
variation in mineral content and cement.
Clasts: Dominantly quartz and feldspar ( orthoclase, plagioclase)
with lithic clasts and varying minor amounts of other minerals.
Other features: Gritty to touch (like sandpaper).
Minerals: Quartz or feldspar
GENISIS
Parent Rock: Shale, granitic and volcanic rocks
Texture: Foliated, foliation on a scale of cm or more.
Grain size: Medium to coarse grained; seeing with the naked eye.
Hardness: Hard.
Colour: generally alternating lighter and darker sub-parallel discontinuous bands.
Mineralogy: Felsic minerals such as feldspar ( orthoclase, plagioclase) and quartz generally form the light coloured bands;
mafic minerals such as biotite, pyroxene ( augite) and amphibole ( hornblende) generally form the dark coloured
bands; garnet porphyroblasts common.
Other features: Generally rough to touch.
Structure: In addition to the gneissose texture described above, gneisses tend to be banded on a large scale with layers and
streaks of darker and lighter coloured gneiss. Granite and quartz veins and pegmatites are common.
U S E S I N A R C H I T E C T U R E
4
Uses of Sedimentary rocks in Architecture
LIMESTONE
Add Your Website
SHALE
1. Used in building wall,
facades, floor, decoration and
pavements. 1. Used in making brick, tiles and
2. Limestone is used as a cement (mixed with limestone)
crushed stone for road base 2. Used in road aggregate
and railroad ballast. It is used 3. Artifacts, Sculpture
as an aggregate in concrete 4. Used as building stone, as
3. Used in cement facing stone
manufacturing.
4. Used as retaining wall
LATERITE ROCK CORAL ROCK
1. Used as Laterite bricks and

base material for gravel roads 1. Used as construction material
2. Used in thermal insulation for road pavement and wall.
3. Used in road aggregate and 2. Used as a asphalt mixture in
construction aggregate china, pacific and Indonesia
4. Used as load bearing
structure
Add Your Website
COAL COQUINA
1. Used in cement manufacture

2. Steam coal (thermal coal)- 1. Serve as a groundwater
used in power generation. Aquifer
3. Coking coal (metallurgical coal) 2. Used as a source of paving
–mainly used in steel production. Material
4. Used as Road Aggregate 3. Substituted for gravel or
crushed harder rocks.
PEAT CONGLOMERATE ROCK
1. Earth-retaining structures, 1. best material for artifacts,

noise barriers, slope protection monuments, sculpture formation
Construction 2. used as an ornamental stone
2. Used as a traditional insulation for interior use
construction material 3. fine aggregate for construction
material
4. Used as road aggregate
SANDSTONE
• used for artistic purposes

• Used to create counter top for kitchen and bathroom
• serves as an aquifer for groundwater or as a reservoir
for oil & natural gas
• Flooring - sandstone is used in paving, flooring, roofing
• Used in road, construction and cement aggregate
• Building facades and cladding
• Used as pool deck
U S E S I N LA N D S CA P E A R C H I TE C TU RE
5
Uses of Sedimentary rocks in Landscape Architecture
LIMESTONE
1. Used as limestone pavers

2. Stepping stones
3. Flooring and cladding
4. French limestone fountain
5. A contemporary flush-edge
limestone pool deck
LATERITE ROCK
1. Used as constructing feature

wall and columns.
2. Used as laterite stepping stones
3. Landscape elements made of
laterite.
4. Laterite soil are commonly used
as road pavement materials to
provide a better sub base, gravel
for roads and base materials.
SHALE
1. Used in building a rock wall to

creating a “dry river”)
2. Used in road aggregate
3. Used as Shale, an ornamental
mulch
4. Ornamental elements
CORAL ROCK
1. Used as construction material

for road pavement and wall.
2. Used as a coral castle
3. Used as a coral stone wall
COAL
COQUINA
1. Used as a coal mulch
2. Steam coal (thermal coal)-
used in power generation.
3. Coking coal (metallurgical coal) 1. Coquina has also been used as
–mainly used in steel production. a source of paving material.
4. Used as Road Aggregate 2. Used as a garden mulch.
PEAT
CONGLOMERATE ROCK
1. Pressed peat is ideal for

building blocks 1. A conglomerate’s failure to break
2. Peat moss is used for cleanly limits its use as a dimensional
terrestrial plants stone. However, it is used in projects
that require low-performance
material.
2. Conglomerate can be used as a fill
material for roads and construction.
Hard rock may be cut and polished to
make dimension stone.
Add Your Website
T H A N K S

Sedimentary Rocks

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sedimentary Rocks

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

S E D I M E N T A R Y R O C K S

Add Your Website

LOCATION AND FORMATION OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

VISUAL ASPECTS, FORM AND STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Archean gneisses & schists

2.5B - Cuddapah system

570M - Dravidian rock system

Teritiary system (Formatin of

4B - Archean rock system

2.5B - Purana rock system

570M - Dravidian rock system

After Aryan rock system

Archean gneisses & schists

2.5B - Cuddapah system

570M - Dravidian rock system

Teritiary system (Formatin of

4B - Archean rock system

2.5B - Purana rock system

570M - Dravidian rock system

After Aryan rock system

After an extended period, the Cuddapah system of rocks,

The Cuddapah formation is seen in the Kurnool district of

Rocks contains ores of Iron, Manganese, Copper, Cobalt, Nickel,

Archean gneisses & schists

2.5B - Cuddapah system

570M - Dravidian rock system

Teritiary system (Formatin of

4B - Archean rock system

2.5B - Purana rock system

570M - Dravidian rock system

After Aryan rock system

THE LOWER VINDHYAN

THE UPPER VINDHYAN

FOUND IN – Deccan trap covering Bihar to Rajasthan except

IMPORTANCE – Devoid of metallic minerals. But provides large

Archean gneisses & schists

2.5B - Cuddapah system

570M - Dravidian rock system

Teritiary system (Formatin of

Archean gneisses & schists

2.5B - Cuddapah system

570M - Dravidian rock system

Teritiary system (Formatin of

Marine Transgression in later part of Jurassic gave rise to thick

4B - Archean rock system

2.5B - Purana rock system

570M - Dravidian rock system

After Aryan rock system

FOUND IN – Along the Damodar valley in Jharkhand, along the

IMPORTANCE – Gondwana rocks contains 98% of Indian coal reserves.

Archean gneisses & schists

2.5B - Cuddapah system

570M - Dravidian rock system

Teritiary system (Formatin of

4B - Archean rock system

2.5B - Purana rock system

570M - Dravidian rock system

After Aryan rock system

THE EOCENE SYSTEM

OLIGOCENE AND LOWER MIOCENE SYSTEM

• Coarse- to fine-grained residual rock

• Organic and biochemical sediments: The

Bedding – including thickness, geometry,