Chapter 9

BUILDING MATERIALS
Module 1 Lecture 2a
STONE and CONCRETE MASONRY
AN OVERVIEW
 TYPES OF ROCKS USED IN STONE MASONRY
 QUARRYING AND PRODUCING OF BUILDING STONES
 TYPES OF STONE MASONRY WALLS AND THEIR
CONSTRUCTION
 PRECAST CONCRETE MASONRY AND CONSTRUCTION OF
WALLS
MASONRY IN GENERAL
 Masonry is generally defined as an assembly of
stone, brick, concrete masonry units, structural clay
tile, architectural terra cotta, glass block, gypsum
brick, or similar material bonded together with
mortar to form walls and other parts of the building.
 Basic categories of masonry
– Stone masonry
– Brick masonry
– Concrete masonry
COMPARISON
 Similarities
– All stacked
– Mortar Joints
 Differences
– Shape
 Concrete Masonry Unit and bricks are molded
 Stone is cut and carved or shaped
– Physical Properties
 Concrete Masonry Unit and bricks made/produced in a
controlled environment
 Stone provided by nature
CLASSIFICATION OF STONES
ACCORDING TO GEOLOGICAL ORIGIN
 ROCK
 Geologically defined as any
natural material hard or soft
consisting of one or more
minerals. Thus, a rock can be
both soft and hard.
 the hard material of the earth’s
crust. It is normally exposed
on the surface of the earth or
sometimes underlying the soil.
 Immovable matter
STONE
 a solid non-metallic mineral
matter of which a rock is made.
 stones can only be hard and
they cannot be soft for that
matter.
 Movable matter
IGNEOUS ROCK
 Formed by the solidification or
crystallization of molten magma,
such as that caused by the
volcanic activity, and pressure
caused by the shifting of the
earth’s surface.
 Igneous rocks are also known as
primary, un-stratified or eruptive
rocks.
 Two basic types:
o Intrusive igneous rocks crystallize
below Earth's surface, and the slow
cooling that occurs there allows
large crystals to form.
o Extrusive igneous rocks erupt onto
the surface, where they cool quickly
to form small crystals. Some cool so
quickly that they form an amorphous
glass.
The igneous rock most widely used
as a building stone is granite.
SEDIMENTARY ROCK
 Formed by the deposition of sediment
by glacial action, running water in rivers
or seas.
 These deposits have been layered and
solidified through pressure induced by
overlying materials and by cementing
together through chemical action such
as gases contained in water.
 Three basic types of sedimentary rocks:
o Clastic sedimentary rocks are formed from
mechanical weathering debris (breccia,
conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and
shale)
o Chemical sedimentary rocks form when
dissolved materials precipitate from solution.
(rock salt, iron ore, chert, flint, some
dolomites, and some limestones)
o Organic sedimentary rocks form from the
accumulation of plant or animal debris.
(coal, some dolomites, and some
limestones)
 Limestone Sandstone

Some examples of these rocks are

limestone, sandstone, travertine and
shale.

Shale

Travertine
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
 May be either igneous or
sedimentary rocks that have
undergone a change in character,
structure, texture, or chemical
composition due to the natural
agencies, as moisture, heat,
pressure, or a combination of these
forces usually while buried deep
below Earth's surface.
 Two basic types of metamorphic
rocks.
o Foliated metamorphic rocks such as
gneiss, phyllite, schist, and slate have
a layered or banded appearance that is
produced by exposure to heat and
directed pressure.
o Non-foliated metamorphic rocks such marble

as hornfels, marble, quartzite, and

novaculite do not have a layered or
banded appearance.
 Rocks become harder and more
crystalline, as marble and slate.

slate
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Examples of Transformation of Rocks
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
To qualify as a construction material,
building stone must be chosen based
on certain physical characteristics:
 Compression strength – while most types of
stone have more than adequate compressive
strength, the shear strength of stone, however,
is only about 1/10 of its compressive strength.
 Flexural strength – a stone must be able to
resist deformation under load.
 Abrasion resistance - is important when stone
is used for flooring, paving, and stair treads.
 Workability – a stone’s hardness and grain
texture must allow it t be quarried, cut and
shaped.
 Water absorption – a stone’s porosity affects
its ability to withstand the elements over a long
time, staining by sealants, and discoloration.
 Appearance – includes color, grain pattern and
texture.
TYPICAL BUILDING
STONES
 GRANITE
Physical Characteristics Colors
 Crystalline, igneous rock  Depending on the quarry, it can be
composed mainly of feldspar obtained in the following colors
− White
and quartz with lesser amount
− Gray
of mica and hornblende − Buff
 One of the hardest and most − Beige
difficult to cut and finish − Pink
− Red
 For exterior applications, it is
− Blue
one of the most enduring − Green
− Brown
− Black
 Classification
 Building granite – used either
structurally or as a veneer for
exterior or interior wall facings,
steps, paving, copings, or other
building features
 Masonry granite – used in large
blocks for retaining walls,
bridge piers, abutments, arch
stones, and similar purposes
Finishes
 Polished – mirror gloss, with sharp reflections
 Honed – dull sheen, without reflections
 Fine rubbed – smooth and free from scratches; no sheen
 Rubbed – plane surface with occasional slight “trails” or scratches
 Shot ground – plane surface with pronounced circular markings or trails having no regular
patterns
 Thermal – plane surface with flame finish applied by mechanically controlled means to
ensure uniformity. Surface coarseness varies, depending upon grain structure
 Sand-blasted coarse stippled – coarse, plane surface produced by blasting with an
abrasive; coarseness varies with type of preparatory finish and grain structure
 Sand-blasted fine stippled – plane surface, slightly pebbled, with occasional slight trails or
scratches
 8-cut – fine bush-hammered, with interrupted parallel markings, corrugated finish
 6-cut – medium bush-hammered finish, similar to, but coarser than 8-cut
 4-cut – coarse bush-hammered finish, with same characteristics as 6-cut
 Sawn – relatively plane surface with texture produced by wire saw, gang saw, rotary or
circular saw and shot saw
 LIMESTONE
Physical Characteristics Colors
 Sedimentary rock composed chiefly of  Oolitic limestone is available in:
calcium carbonate; chief varieties are − Gray
oolitic limestone and dolomitic limestone
− Buff
 Oolitic limestone may be cut freely in any
direction without fracture or splitting,  Dolomitic limestone is available in:
without pronounced cleavage planes, − Pink
possessing remarkable uniformity of − Gray tones
composition, texture and structure; this − Bluish gray
attribute lends itself to ease in machining − Light to dark brown
and provides flexibility of shape and
texture at low cost
 Dolomitic limestone is richer in
magnesium carbonate; frequently
somewhat crystalline in character; has
higher compressive and modulus of
rupture strengths; has broader range of
colors
 Classification
 Classified by the degree of fineness of
the grain particles and other natural
characteristics; contains a few
distinguishable calcite streaks and
spots, fossils of shelly formation, pit
holes, reedy formations, open texture
streaks, honey-comb formations, iron
spots, travertine-like formation, and
grain formation changes.
 Graded as follows
− Select – fine- to average-grained stone
− Standard – fine- to moderately large-
grained stone
− Rustic – fine- to very coarse-grained
stone
− Variegated – unselected mixture of the
above 3 grades
Finishes
 Smooth – produced by planer or grinder
 Plucked – machine finish obtained by rough planing the surface
 Machine-tooled – parallel concave grooves are cut into the stone
 Chat-sawed – produced during gang-sawing using a coarse pebbled surface
resembling sand-blasting
 Shot-sawed– using steel shot during gang-sawing, a coarse, uneven finish is
produced
 Split face – rough, uneven, concave finish is produced through a splitting action
 Rock face– similar to split face, except that the face of the stone is dressed by
machine or hand to produce a bold, convex projection along the face of the stone
 Gang sawed – consists of nearly parallel striations up to about 1/16” deep
 Sand rubbed – fine sand used as abrasive to produce a smooth finish
 Honed – smoothest flat plane finish without a surface shine
 Polished – shiny and reflective surface
 Tapestry – a heavy, sand-blasted finish that emphasizes the petrified plant life of
the stone
 Split rusticated finish – produced by a combination of sawing and splitting
 MARBLE
Physical Characteristics Colors
 Metamorphic rock, generally a  Intrusion of other substances during
metamorphosed limestone composed of formation of marble results in colorful and
crystalline and compact varieties of veined stone that makes it one of the
calcium carbonate and/or magnesium desirable decorative building stones that
carbonate can take a high polish to reflect these
characteristics. Marble can range from:
 Its crystalline structure permits polished
− White to
marble to gleam, since light penetrates − Black
a short distance and is then reflected
 Domestic marble colors include:
from the crystalline structure
− Pink
 Varies greatly in its ability to withstand − Tan
atmospheric durability; acid rain, fumes − Rose
and industrial pollution may cause − Brown
severe deterioration to point where the − Red
material will be etched, flake, and − Green
ultimately crumble and disintegrate − Gray
− Blue-gray
 Classification
 Classified by groups as follows:
− Group A – sound marbles and stones
with uniform and favorable working
qualities
− Group B – similar in character to
Group A, but working qualities
somewhat less favorable, occasional
natural faults, limited waxing and
sticking necessary
− Group C – uncertain variation in
working qualities; geological flaws,
voids, veins, and lines of separation
common; require repair by waxing,
sticking and filling
− Group D – similar to Group C, but
with a larger proportion of natural
faults and maximum variations in
working qualities; comprises marbles
prized for their decorative qualities
Finishes
 Polished – mirror-like, glossy surface that brings out the full color and character of
the stone; produced by polishing a honed surface with a textile buffer and fine
abrasives
 Honed – a velvety-smooth surface with little or no gloss produced by machine or
hand rubbing with special abrasives
 Grit – a smooth, dull finish obtained by rubbing with an abrasive grit
 Sand, blown – a smooth, matte surface achieved by a light sandblasting
 Sand, wet – a smooth surface obtained by rubbing with a machine using sand and
water as abrasives
 Sanded – a smooth, dull finish produced bu rubbing with sand
 Natural – a moderately, rough, textured face produced by sawing with sand and
water as abrasives
 Split face – a rough, natural face of stone produced by machine splitting
 SANDSTONE
Physical Characteristics Colors
 Sedimentary rock usually consisting  Come in variety of colors:
of quartz, cemented with silica, iron − Sandstones of pure silicon dioxide
oxide, or calcium carbonate are white
 Durable and has a very high crushing − With iron oxide impurities, sandstone
and tensile strength colors are available in:
− Pink
 Bluestone and brownstone are
− Tan
sandstone named for their colors
− Yellow
− Brown
− Red
− Gray
 Sizes and Uses
 Used as a rubble stone masonry and
as split face ashlar stone masonry in
varying width from 3 to 5 inches, in
height from 2 to 12 inches, and in
length from 8 to 36 inches

Finishes
 Sandstone is available in split-face,
rustic-face, pitched-face, chat-sawed,
sand-sawed, and smooth-sawed
finishes
 SLATE
Physical Characteristics
 Very fine-grained metamorphic rock
derived from sedimentary rock shale
 Characterized by an excellent parallel
cleavage entirely independent of the
original bedding, by which cleavage
the rock may be split easily into
relatively thin slabs
Colors
 Owes its colors to ingredients other
than shale. Carbonaceous or iron
sulfides produce the dark colors of
black, blue, and gray
 Iron oxide accounts for the red,
purple, chlorite, and green
 Select slate is uniform in color.
Ribbon slate contains bands or
ribbons of darker color and
sometimes ribbons of differing colors.
 The colors may be unfading or
weathering (color changes with
exposure to weather)
 Finishes
 Honed – semi-polished finish, smoother
than sand-rubbed, but without a high
sheen surface
 Sand-rubbed – surface is rubbed with a
60-grit abrasive to remove all natural
clefts
 Natural cleft – natural split or cleaved
face; moderately rough with some
textural variation
 Semi-rubbed – approximately half of
natural cleft face is removed
 Gauging – a grinding process used on
the backs of natural cleft surfaces to
produce a more even thickness for
better fit
 Uses
Slate is not used for ashlar or rubble
masonry, but primarily as a facing veneer.
 Interior walls
 Flooring
 Paving
 Flagging
 Treads and risers
 Stools
 Shelving
 Blackboards
 Electrical panel boards
 Fireplaces
 Bases
 Roofing shingles
 TRAVERTINE
Physical Characteristics Colors
 A sedimentary rock and a variety of  Available in gray, pink, rose and
limestone which is deposited from shades of tan
solution Finishes
 A product of chemical precipitation
from hot springs
 Travertine can take a high polish and is
finished, used, and set like marble.
 Cellular, with the cells usually
concentrated in thin layers that
 When travertine is used for structures,
such as countertops, the fissures may be
display a stalactic structure
filled with chips of travertine and colored
 Some that take a polish are sold as
mortar to match the adjacent areas.
marble and may be classified as
travertine marble under the class of
commercial marble
 As a result of its manner of formation,
travertine is characterized by many
irregular cavities
 Finishes
 Travertine can take a high polish and is
finished, used, and set like marble.
 When travertine is used for structures,
such as countertops, the fissures may
be filled with chips of travertine and
colored mortar to match the adjacent
areas.
BASALT
Also known as traps, is commonly
used in road construction, as
aggregate in concrete production,
rubble masonry works for bridge
piers, river walls, and dams. The
basalt stone structure is medium to
fine grained and compact.
LATERITE
Used as building stone, but its
outer surface needs to be
plastered. It contains a high
percentage of iron oxide and can
be easily cut into blocks. Laterite
occurs in soft and hard varieties
and its strength is increased with
seasoning. Laterite color may be
brownish, red, yellow, brown and
grey.
GNEISS
This type of stone is used for minor
construction since the presence of
deleterious substances in its
constituents makes it undesirable
for building construction. However,
hard varieties of gneiss stone may
be employed in construction works.
It has fine to coarse grains, and its
color may be light grey, pink,
purple, greenish gray and dark
grey.
QUARTZITE
It is used as building blocks, slabs,
and as aggregate for concrete. The
structure of quartzite is fine to
coarse grain and mostly granular
and branded, and mainly
composed of feldspar and mica in
small quantities. The crushing
strength is between 50MPa to
300MPa.They are available in
different colors like white, gray,
yellowish.