This document discusses the types, importance, and uses of rocks in construction. It outlines three main types of rocks - igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic - and describes their formation processes. It then discusses specific rock types like granite, limestone, sandstone, and marble, outlining their common construction applications like buildings, monuments, and bridges. The document emphasizes the importance of understanding a rock's properties for determining appropriate construction uses and foundations. Proper geological analysis is important for engineering projects to be built safely and economically.

1. Types, Importance and
Uses Of Rocks In
Construction.
AHMAD SAMEER NAWAB
KARDAN UNIVERSITY KABUL, AFGHANISTAN.

2. outlines
 Types
 Applications
 Importance

3. Introduction
 A rock is a solid cumulative of minerals located in the earth's lithosphere.
 Rocks are generally classified into igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic
rocks.
 Rocks consist of mixtures of minerals, fragments of other rocks and organic
matter.
 These are classified on the basis of their mineral, chemical and textural
composition.
 Rocks are essentially mixtures and therefore it is not possible to determine
detailed physical and chemical properties.

4. Introduction

Rocks are extremely important in terms of their properties of stability and
strength as a geological material on which construction foundations are
made and historically as building material from which important and
monumental buildings are made.
 Stone used for wall , building, and bridge construction over history until
recent times is generally cut from natural rocks.
 The building stones are normally extracted by surface quarrying, drilled
and split using diamond saws or iron wedges, and then shaped and
polished according to their requirements.

5. Introduction
 Traditional stone masonry is rarely used today, because stone is expensive to
quarry, cut and transport, and the building process is labour and skill-
intensive.
 Instead, most modern stonework utilises a veneer of stone ( thin, flat pieces )
glued against a wall of concrete blocks.
 This is known as veneered stone or stone cladding.
 Over the years an advantage of stone made from durable rock is that it is
sustainable.
 Over time constructions have collapsed or fallen into disuse because of wars
natural disasters, or economic considerations.
 The stone walls have then become available for construction of other local
buildings, or bridges.

6. Igneous Rocks
 Igneous rocks are created when molten magma cools down and is split into two main types.
 These are mainly plutonic and volcanic rocks.
 The upper 10 miles of the earth's crust comprises almost entirely of igneous rocks.
 Plutonic or intrusive rocks come into being when magma cools and crystallizes gradually within the
earth's crust.
 Granite is a typical plutonic rock. Volcanic or extrusive rocks results from magma reaching the
surface either as lava or as fragmental missiles.
 Basalt and pumice are examples of volcanic / extrusive rocks. There are more than 700 types of
igneous rocks.
 The two important factors used for the classification of igneous rocks are the particle size, and the
mineral composition of the rock.

7. Sedimentary Rocks
 Sedimentary rock formation results from the sedimentation of material in the earth's surface and
within collections of water .
 They are extensive in their spread over the earth's crust, covering 70% to 80% of the land
area, but they comprise only about 5% of the earth's total crust.
 The study of sedimentary rock provides much information as to the evolution of life on earth.
 Sedimentary rocks alone can contain fossils. Sedimentary rocks are deposited in layers as in
strata, referred to as bedding. Sedimentary rocks are classified as clastic, chemical precipitate
or biochemical. Limestone and sandstone are examples of clastic formations.
They also are important sources of coal, drinking water and fossil fuels. Many construction-
related activities are based on the geotechnic properties of sedimentary rock.

8. Sedimentary Rocks
 Sedimentary rock can be mechanically formed from materials (gravels, sand, silt and clay)
suspended in flowing water. The suspended materials are then deposited and consolidated. The
mechanically formed sedimentary rocks are of three types:
 Rudaceous rocks which is the cementing together of boulders, for example, conglomerate.
 Arenaceous rocks for example sandstone,
Argillaceous rocks which clay rocks for example shale
 Organically formed Sedimentary rock consists of accumulated animals and plants remains.
 These include Calcarious rocks, lime stone Carbonaceous rocks, coal Chemically formed
sedimentary rocks are formed by precipitation and accumulation of soluble constituents.
 These include Carbonate rocks, Limestone, dolomite, Sulphate rocks, Gypsum, Chloride rocks, salt.

9. Metamorphic Rocks
 Metamorphic rocks form when rocks undergo metamorphosis/changes due to heat and
pressure.
 Igneous and sedimentary rocks mainly undergo this change and become metamorphic rocks.
 Gneiss, marble, slate, schist and quartzite are some of the different types of metamorphic rocks.
 The major types of metamorphism are contact and regional.
 The former takes place when magma is injected into the surrounding solid rocks while, the latter
is primarily associated with large masses of rock spread over a very wide area.
 This regional metamorphosis is caused mainly by temperature and pressure.

10. Application of rocks to construction..
 There are huge variations within each of these rock types, caused by specific mineralogy and
geology conditions, and while any stone can be used for building, they each have constraints
that make them more or less suitable for different purposes.
 Granite, sandstone and limestone can all be used for building walls, but slate is only suitable for
roofs and floors.
 Some types of granite can contain mineral salts that cause spalling, where the outer face of
stone falls off; slate can contain harmful minerals that break down on exposure to the
atmosphere causing stone damage; and sandstone can be too porous and fragile for load-
bearing structures.
 An knowledge of the rock material is required to understand how it can be used in a
building, what its limitations are, and how it will weather over time.

11. Limestone
 Limestone has been used widely in the UK for construction of important buildings and
monuments.
 Portland stone strongly resist weathering but it can be readily worked (cut and carved) by
masons, and this is one of the reasons why Portland Stone is so favoured as a monumental and
architectural stone.
 [Portland stone ( a white -grey limestone) has been used in the construction of St. Paul's
Cathedral (1666), Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster(1347), The British Museum
(1753), Somerset House (1792), the General Post Office (1829), the Bank of England, the Mansion
House and the National Gallery.
 This scale of utilisation is reflected in many major cities in the UK. Often building are made from
other materials such as reinforced concrete and are faced with Portland stone.

12. Sandstone
 Sandstone is a sedimentary rock and is also readily worked and some
sandstone (but not all) have good weathering properties although not
nearly as good and Portland stone and granite.
 Sandstone in widely used in the UK for construction of buildings including
Stonehenge, Chester Cathedral, Tintern Abbey Shrewsbury Cathedral.

13. Granite
 Granite is and Igneous rock which has extremely good weathering properties because
it is very hard.
 This hardness makes it relatively difficult to work. Granite has been used in a large
number of important buildings in the UK including Truro Cathedral, London Tower
Bridge, Parts of St Pauls Cathedral, Nelson's Column.
 Granite has been mostly mined in the South West of England (Devon and Cornwall and
in Aberdeenshire. Aberdeen is called the Granite city.

14. Marble
 Marble is a granular limestone that has been recrystallised under the influence of heat
pressure and aqueous solutions.
 There are a wide varieties of mables providing many pleasing surfaces when polished.
 It is a very soft decorative rock which can be worked and polished to great effect.
 Marble is also strong and durable and can withstand weathering Marbles are used
principally for buildings , monuments, interior decorations, statues , table surfaces and
novelties.
 Many of the famous italian statues are made from marble. Notable marble building
include the Taj Mahal in India , the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy, the Parthenon in
Greece.

15. Application of rocks to Geotechnics
/Foundations..
 The factors that are important when considering erection structures on rock foundations are
listed below
 .. Faults, joints, stratigraphy
.. Ground Water levels, springs, surface water, or other effects of ground-water regime.
.. Potential cavities due to mines , tunnels and other caves etc.
.. Potential problems due to dissolving , swellin, and/or erosion
.. Potential rock slope instability.
.. Utility service lines e.g gas water , sewage etc.

16. Application of rocks to Geotechnics
/Foundations..
 It is most important when considering a rock site for construction that detailed information is
available on the local and adjacent areas.
 Often there is is significant information available on the local ground geology from national
ground survey organisations such as the British Geological Survey. (BGS). The preliminary
geotechncial reports should be based on obtaining detailed local information using boreholes.
 In fact the BGS (see link below) provides stores data on completed boreholes, mines, underwater
springs, wells etc.
 The rock structure is an important consideration for geotechnics an the following factors are very
important.
 Note the factors are each listed from best condition to worst

17. Application of rocks to Geotechnics
/Foundations..
 .. Thickness of Bedding.
- Massive: 1m thick or greater.
- Thick bedded: beds from 0,2 to 1m thick.
- Medium bedded: beds from 100mm to 300mm thick.
- Thin bedded: 100mm. thick or less.
... Degree of Fracturing (Jointing).
- Unfractured: fracture spacing - 2m or more.
- Slightly fractured: fracture spacing - 0,6m to 2m.
- Moderately fractured: fracture spacing - 200mm to 600mm.
- Highly fractured: fracture spacing - 50mm. to 200mm.
- Intensely fractured: fracture spacing - 50mm. or less.
.. Dip of Bed or Fracture.
- Flat: 0 to 20 degrees.
- Dipping: 20 to 45 degrees.
- Steeply dipping: 45 to 90 degrees

18. Importance Of Usage
 In order to carry out civil engineering projects safely and successfully, such as constructing
road, bridges, tunnels. Tanks, reservoirs and buildings, selection of site is important from the
viewpoint of stability of foundation and availability of construction materials, geology of
area is important and rock-forming region, their physical nature, permeability, faults, joints
etc.
 Thus geology is related to civil engineering in construction jobs with economy and success.
 Geology provides a systematic knowledge of construction material, their structure and
properties.
 The knowledge of erosion, transportation and deposition by surface water helps in soil
conservation, river control, coastal and harbor works.

19. Importance Of Usage
 The foundation problems of dams, bridges and buildings are directly
related with to geology of the area where they are to be built.
 Geological maps and sections help considerably in planning many engineering projects.
 Igneous rocks, granite, basalt, gabbro and the most important species used in the best way to
carry big weight such as road construction.
 Metamorphic rocks, marble, gneiss and schist column is not suitable as material for road
construction because it is weak in bearing pressure means the break.
 Sedimentary rocks, limestone, sandstone and clay stone used limestone and dolomite in the
construction of roads and the lime stone is also used in concrete to withstand the pressure.
Sedimentary rocks are also significant in economic terms, being relatively soft and easy to cut
they are often used as construction materials.

20. References
 www.prezi.com