Building Materials and Construction

2. STONE MASONRY
General
Masonry is defined as the art of construction in which building units, such as clay bricks, sandlime, bricks, stones, Pre-cast hallow concrete blocks, concrete slabs, glass bricks, combination of
some of these building units etc are arranged systematically and bonded together to form a
homogeneous mass in such a manner that they can with stand point to other loads and transmit
then through the mass without fail or disintegration.
Masonry can be classified into the following categories.
1. Stone masonry
2. Brick masonry
3. Hallow block concrete masonry
4. Reinforced masonry
5. Composite masonry

Technical terms
1. Course: A course is a horizontal layer of bricks or stones. Its thickness is generally equal to
the thickness of a stone or brick plus thickness of one mortar joint.
2. Bed: The surface of a stone perpendicular to the line of pressure (lower surface of bricks or
stones in each course).
3. Back: The inner surface of wall not exposed is called back. The material forming back is
known as backing
4. Face: The exterior of the wall exposed to weather is known as face. The material used in the
facing of wall is known as facing.
5. Hearting: It is the interior portion of a wall between facing and backing.
6. Header: A header is a full stone unit or brick which is so laid that its length is perpendicular
to the face of the wall. Thus, the longest length of header lies at right angles to the face of the
work. In the case of stone masonry header is sometimes known as through stone.
7. Stretcher: A stretcher is a full stone unit or brick which is so laid that its length is along or
parallel to the face of the wall. Thus, the longest length of the stretcher lies parallel to the
face of the work.
8. Bond: The method of arranging bricks or stones so that the individual units are tied together.
The bond distributes the load coming on the structure evenly and prevents the formation of a
vertical crack.
9. Joint: The junction of adjacent units of bricks or stones is known as a joint. Joints parallel to
the bed of bricks or stones are known as bed joint. Bed joints are thus horizontal mortar joints
upon which masonry courses are laid. Joints perpendicular to the face of the wall is known as
cross-joint or vertical joints. All joints are formed in cement mortar, lime mortar or mud
mortar. A joint which is parallel to the face of the wall is known as wall joint.
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10. Cornice: A cornice is a course of stone provided at the top of wall. It is generally moulded
and given ornamental treatment. It is weathered and throated to dispose of rainwater. In order
to prevent from overturning of the cornice, sufficient bearing and extra weight at the top in
the form of parapet wall should be provided.
11. Closer: A piece of stone which is used to close up the bond at the end of stone courses is
known as a closer and it helps in preventing the joints of successive courses to come in a
vertical line.
12. Spalls: The chips of stones used for filling the empty spaces in stone masonry.
13. Quoins: The external corners or angles of a wall surface are called quoins and the stones
forming quoins are known as quoin stones. The quoin stones are selected from large and
sound stones and their beds are properly dressed.
14. Sill: It is a horizontal stone, concrete or wood, employed for the purpose of shedding off rain
water from the face of wall immediately below the window opening.
15. Throating: A groove cut provided on the underside of a projecting course of masonry in
order to check the creepage of rainwater from the underside of the projected portion.
16. Weathering: The upper surface of stone used for sill, cornice and coping is dressed in a
loping way so that the water may flow off easily. This is termed as the weathering.
17. Corbel: It is the extension of one or more course of stone or brick from the face of a wall to
serve as a support for roof truss, beam, weather shed etc. The corbel should extend at least
two-third of their length into the wall.
18. Coping: It is the course placed upon the exposed top of an external wall to prevent the
seepage of rainwater. This course is generally provided at the top of a compound wall or a
parapet wall and it is suitably weathered and throated.
19. String course: It is a horizontal course provided at suitable levels between the plinth and
cornice. It breaks the monotony of a plane surface and it is sometimes moulded and given
architectural treatment. The string course is suitably weathered and throated so as to thorm
off the rainwater clear of the wall surface.
20. Jambs: The sides of the openings such as doors, windows etc. are known as the jambs and
they are constructed similar to quoins. The jambs may be either plain or square or splayed or
rebated. The splayed jambs are proffered as they allow the shutters to open up at an obtuse
angle and thus permit more light and air into the room.
21. Buttress: It is a sloping or stepped masonry projection from a tall wall intended to strengthen
the wall against the thrust of a roof as shown in figure below.
22. Through stone: A through stone is a stone header. Through stones are placed across wall at
regular interval. If the thickness of wall is small, through stone may be of length equal to the
full width of the wall. If, however the wall is considerable thick, two through stones with an
overlap are provided as shown in figure. Through stones should be strong, and non-porous,
and should be of sufficient thickness.

Compiled by Dr. Prashanth J. and Dr. Harish N.

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Building Materials and Construction

Cornice

Coping

Various terms

Compiled by Dr. Prashanth J. and Dr. Harish N.

String course

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Different types of jambs

Buttress

Through Stone

Stone masonry
The construction of stones bonded together with mortar is termed as stone masonry where the
stones are available in a abundance in nature, on cutting and dressing to the proper shape, they
provide an economical material for the construction of various building components such as
walls, columns, footings, arches, lintels, beams etc.

Uses of stone masonry

Stone masonry construction is used in
(i)
Building foundations, dams, monumental structures
(ii)
Building walls, piers, columns, pillars, light houses and architectural works.
(iii)
Arches, domes, lintels and beams
(iv)
Roofs, paving jobs
(v)
Cladding works
(vi)
Railway ballast, black boards and electrical switch boards

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Selection of stone for stone masonry
The selection of stones for stone masonry depends upon
a. Availability
b. Ease of working
c. Appearance
d. Strength and stability
e. Polishing characteristics
f. Economy
g. Durability
The table given below broadly outlines the different types of stones used for different purposes.
Sl. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Purpose
Heavy engineering works Ex: stocks,
breakwaters, light houses, bridges, piers
Buildings situated in industrial towns
Pavements, railway ballast, door sits and steps
Electrical switch board
Fire resistance works
Carving and ornamental works
Face work and architectural purposes

Stones used
Granite, gneiss
Granite and compact sandstone
Granite slabs and slate
Marble slabs and slate
Compact sandstone
Marble and laterite
Marble, granite closer grained
sand stone

Joints in stone masonry

The various joints commonly used in stone work are described below:
1. Butt or square joint: This joint is formed by placing two stones side by side.
2. Rebated or lapped joint: This joint is usually provided by stones laid on slopes to prevent
the movement of one stone over the other by sliding.
3. Bed or tabled joint: Its function is similar to that of rebated or lapped joint.
4. Cramped joint: The function of cramp which may be made of slate or any metal, is to
prevent the tendency of the joint to be pulled apart.
5. Plug joint: Plug joint is an alternative of cramp joint and consists of plug holes, made
dovetail-shaped in plan and cut below the top surface of stones. The stones are joined by
filling the holes with cement or lead.
6. Dowel joint: This type of joint ensures stability of the components against displacement
or sliding. The dowels may be of slate, gun metal, copper or brass. They are generally set
in cement mortar.
7. Joggle or grooved or tongued joint: To prevent sliding along the side joints, joggle made
up of metal or slate is placed in between the groove between the two adjacent stones.
8. Rusticated joint: This type of joint is frequently used in plinths or masonry in lower
storeys of buildings to give the structure massive appearance.
Compiled by Dr. Prashanth J. and Dr. Harish N.

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Butt Joint

Tabled Joint

Plug Joint

Rusticated Joint

Lapped Joint

Cramped Joint

Dowelled Joint

Joggle Joint

Types of stone masonry

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Building Materials and Construction

Based on the arrangement of the stone in the construction and degree of refinement in the surface
finish, the stone masonry can be classified broadly in the following two categories:
1. Rubble masonry: Undressed or roughly dressed stones are used in this type of masonry
work. The joints are considerably wide.
2. Ashlar masonry: Carefully dressed stones of uniform size are used and the joints between
stone blocks are very thin and uniform.
1) Rubble masonry: In this category, the stones used are either undressed or roughly dressed
having wider joints. The masonry has wide joints, since stones of irregular sizes are used.
Rubble masonry may be of following types,
i)
Uncoursed random rubble masonry.
ii)
Coursed random rubble masonry.
iii)
Uncoursed square rubble masonry.
iv)
Coursed square rubble masonry.
v)
Built to regular courses masonry.
vi)
Polygonal rubble masonry.
vii)
Flint rubble masonry.
viii) Dry rubble masonry.
(i) Uncoursed random rubble masonry: This is the cheapest, roughest and poorest form of stone
masonry. The stones used in this type of masonry very much vary in their shape and size and are
directly obtained from quarry. Since, the stones are not of uniform sizes and shapes, greater care
and ingenuity have to be exercised in arranging them in such a way that they adequately
distribute the pressure over the maximum area and at the same time long continuous vertical
joints are avoided.
Sound bond should be available both transversely as well as longitudinally. Transverse bond is
obtained by the liberal use of headers. Larger stones are selected for quoins and jambs to give
increased strength and better appearance. This type of masonry is also known as uncoursed
rubble masonry.
(ii) Coursed random rubble masonry: The method of construction is same as above except that
the work is roughly leveled up to form courses varying from 30 to 45 cm thick. All the courses
are not of the same height. For the construction of this type of masonry, quoins are built first and
line (string) is stretched between the top of quoins. The intervening walling is then brought up to
this level by using different size of stones. Figure shows the procedure, in which the stone have
been numbered in the order in which they are placed. This form of masonry is better than
uncoursed random rubble masonry.

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Fig.: Uncoursed random rubble masonry

Fig.: Coursed random rubble masonry

2) Ashlar masonry: Ashlar masonry consists of blocks of accurately dressed stone with
extremely fine bed and end joints. This is costly type of masonry and requires skilled
workmanship. This masonry is further subdivided into following types,
i)
Ashlar fine tooled
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ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)

Ashlar rough tooled

Ashlar rock, rustic or quarry faced
Ashlar chamfered
Ashlar block in course
Ashlar facing

General principles in the stone masonry construction

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The stones to be used for stone masonry should be hard, tough and durable.
The pressure acting on stones should be vertical
The stones should be perfectly dressed as per the requirements
The heads and bond stones should not be of a dumb bell shape.
In order to obtain uniform distribution of load, under the ends of griders, roof trusses etc
large flat stones should be used.
6. The beds of the stones and plan of the course should be at right angles to the slope in the
case of sloping retaining wall.
7. Wood boxing should be filled into walls having fine dressed stone work to protect it
during further construction.
8. The mortar to be used should be good quality and in the specified faces.
9. The instruction work of stone masonry should be raised uniformly.
10. The plumb bob should be used to check the vertically of erected wall.
11. The stone masonry section should always be designed to take compression and not the
tensile stresses.
12. The masonry work should be properly cured after the completion of work for a period of
2 to 3 weeks.
13. As per as possible broken stones or small stones chips should not used.
14. Double scaffolding should be used for working at higher level.
15. The masonry hearting should be properly packed with mortar and chips if necessary to
avoid hallows.
16. The properly wetted stones should be used to avoid mortar moisture being sucked.

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