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Testing of Building Stones - Rock Tests On Lab & Field

There are various lab and field tests performed on building stones and rocks to determine their physical and chemical properties. Some of the key tests mentioned in the document include hardness testing using Moh's scale, crushing strength testing, transverse strength testing, impact testing, fire resistance testing, attrition/abrasion testing, acid testing, porosity and water absorption testing, and crystallization testing. The results of these tests are used to evaluate properties like hardness, strength, toughness, resistance to fire and weathering, porosity, and suitability for construction materials.

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209 views3 pages

Testing of Building Stones - Rock Tests On Lab & Field

There are various lab and field tests performed on building stones and rocks to determine their physical and chemical properties. Some of the key tests mentioned in the document include hardness testing using Moh's scale, crushing strength testing, transverse strength testing, impact testing, fire resistance testing, attrition/abrasion testing, acid testing, porosity and water absorption testing, and crystallization testing. The results of these tests are used to evaluate properties like hardness, strength, toughness, resistance to fire and weathering, porosity, and suitability for construction materials.

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BuildingStone&RockTests

June14,2016 SaujanyaNepal

Therearevariouskindsoflabandfieldtestsavailableforbuildingstonesorrocks.Thesestoneorrocktests
aregenerallyperformedtodeterminethephysicalqualityofstonematerialsusedforconstructionwork.Few
tests such as Acid test may be performed to determine the chemical quality of building material or stones.
Manyoftheknownbuildingstone&rocktestsareexplainedbrieflybelow:

1.Hardnesstest
Hardnessistheresistanceofastonetoindentation,reboundorscratch.
ItistestedbyapenknifewiththeaidofMohsscaleofhardness.

Minerals Mohs Hardnesstest


Scale
Talc 1 easilyscratchedwiththethumbnail
Gypsum 2 scratchedbythethumbnail
Calcite/Marbles 3 notscratchedbythumbnailbuteasily
cutbyknife
Fluorite 4 canbecutbyknifewithgreater
difficultythancalcite
Apatite 5 canbecutonlywithdifficultybyknife
Orthoclase/ 6 canbecutwithknifewithgreat
Feldspar difficultyonthinedges
Quartz 7 notscratchedbysteel,scratches
glass
Topaz 8
Sapphire/ 9
Corundum
Diamond 10

HardnesstestisalsocarriedoutinDorrystestingmachine.

2.Crushingtest
Threecubesamplesofsizearecutandplacedinwaterfor72hours.
Theyaretestedincrushingtestmachinewithloading13.7N/mm2perminute.

3.Transversestrengthtest
Aspecimenofthestonewhoselengthistentimesitsdepthisplacedonwedgeshapedsupportsnearits
ends. A vertical load applied at the centre is gradually increased until failure occurs. The transverse
strength,calledthemodulusofrupture,inMPaiscomputedas

Where,

W=breakingloadappliedatthecentreinN,

L=distancebetweenthesupportsinmm,

b=widthofthespecimenblockinmmand

d=depthofthespecimenblockinmm

Transverse strength tests are usually made on specimens of 25mm square in section. The approximate
valuesforordinarystoneare:Granite1017.5MPalimestone3.520MPaandsandstonesintherange
415MPa.

4.Impacttest
Fortoughness
Asteelhammerof20Nisallowedtofallaxiallyinthespecimen.
Theblowatwhichthespecimenbreaksrepresentsthetoughnessofthestone.

5.Fireresistancetest
Thestonewhichisfreefromcalciumcarbonatecanresistfire.
Presence of calcium carbonate can be detected by few drops of dilute sulphuric acid which will produce
bubbles.

6.Attritiontest
Todeterminetherateofwearofstonesemployed.
AlsoknownasabrasiontestandiscarriedoutinDevalsAttritionTestingMachine.

7.Acidtest
Keptinsolutionof1%H2SO4orHClandcheckedfordepositsonsurface.
Thestoneshavinghighpercentageoflimecontentexhibitefflorescencewhensubjectedtoactionofacids.

8.Porosityandwaterabsorptiontest
Theporosityofthecommonlyusedstonesvariesfrom0to20%.
Thepercentageofwaterabsorbedbyanairdriedstonewhenimmersedinwaterfor24hoursistermedas
absorptionofstone(airdrybasis).
A good building stone must absorb less than 5% water and those stones that absorb more than 10% of
watershouldberejected.
Sandstonesshouldnotabsorbwatermorethan10%,17%incaseoflimestonesand1%ingranitesoftheir
volumewhendippedfor34hours.
9.Smithstest
Thistestindicatesthepresenceofearthymatter.

10.Crystallizationtest:
Todeterminethedurabilityorweatheringqualityofthestone.
Asampleofstoneisimmersedinsolutionofsodiumsulphateatroomtemperatureanddriedinhotair.
Theprocessofwettinganddryingiscarriedoutfortwohoursthedifferenceinweightifanyisrecorded.
Littledifferenceinweightindicatesdurabilityandgoodweatheringqualityofthestones.

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