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.