Masonry Stones

the engineering properties of the rocks is the most important factors that determine
the use of stones for construction.
The stones used in the exterior cladding for buildings and heavily deployed in
Palestine
There are neighborhoods where many buildings full of this kind of construction,
despite the high cost compared with traditional construction
The use of this type of stone for the exterior lends a touch of beauty, the stones used
for multi-story residential buildings as well as commercial buildings.
Stone called with the name of the town or region that extracted from, such as
Jammai'n stone, Qabatiya stone , Beit Fajar stone ... etc. (relative to the area
Jammai'n .. Qabatiya .. Beit Fajar)

Stone rankings:
A) The stones are classified by the type of hammer and instruments used for the
stones, the face of the stone inscription in multiple formats including:
1- Mofajar or Molatush (bomber):
This stone could be produced by hammer the surface of the stone with a fork

2- Msemsm:
This stone could be produced by hammer the surface with chisel to form equal and
parallel lines horizontally or vertically, or 45-degree angle.

3- Tabzh:
Is the inscription of this form to leave the emergence of the face normal without any
refinement.

4- Matabba:
This form is engraved stone face first to settle either manually or chainsaw and
intensively as is required to be a stone face devoid of any cavity.

B) The stones are classified according to the characteristics of the physical and
mechanical properties the natural stone classifies to the following three items, Class
A, B, C
The characteristics are:
1 - Specific weight (Specific Gravity)
When testing the specific weight of the stone building by American Standard
Specifications
(ASTM - c 97) should be as shown below
Property and be a minimum specific weight class in A = 2.56, class B = 2.45 and a
maximum of 2.56, class C = 2.16 and a maximum of 2.45
2- Absorption
When testing the absorption of stone construction specifications by American
Standard (ASTM - c 97) must not exceed 3% absorption for Class A and no more
than 4.2% for Class B and not more than 7.5% of the Class C
Absorption by weight per cent share
3- Modulus of Rupture (Newton / mm 2)
When a test standards for modulus of rupture, the stones were classified according
to specifications by American Standard: (ASTM - c 99) must not be less than what is
mentioned below:
Class A rating 6.9, Class B minimum 5.2, Class C minimum 3.4
4- Abrasion Resistance
When testing the corrosion resistance of the stone building by American Standard
Specifications, (ASTM - c 241) should not be less weighted loss for all classes of
construction Stones 10%.

5- Visual inspection
When testing Stones construction it should be free from cracks, holes, gaps, pockets
of sand, mud (Alkmkha
), coincidences (tooth decay) , and the veins and Alraksh (which is small pockets full
of chalky material is distributed in abundance within the body of the stone).
The advantages of natural stone:
1- Not influenced by natural factors for long time (also depends on its source)
2- Thermal insulation and rigidity and durability
3- Maintain the shape and luster of natural
4- The lack of need for maintenance
5- Appropriateness for all weather conditions
6- Availability and ease to get it with reasonable price.
Disadvantages of natural stone:

1- Gaps in the form of pockets inside the stone, making it weak over time.
2- Decay: in the form of pockets filled with fossilized materials.
3- Cracks filled with materials mainly amorphous calcium carbonate.
4- Alrakesh: It is filled with pockets of chalky material which distorts the appearance
and makes it too weak.

Extraction of stones:

Is a process to extract stone from its position in the quarry. It is necessary before
extracting the stone to know the validity of stone for use and make sure that the
stone to achieve the requirements in terms of strength, rigidity, color and porosity in
addition to ease of extraction and accessed, size, and transport and the depth of
quarrying and near the layers of the surface. When making holes in the layers of a
quarry, holes are perpendicular to the direction of the layers in the case of the
presence of the rock layers act as a block without holes vertical and horizontal. Saws
are used in order to cut the rock of sizes and dimensions required.

Manufacturing:

After extracting the stone blocks from quarries, then it is squaring these blocks to the
required sizes through the following steps:
1) The rock mass (boulders) is transferred to the place of processing stones,
and in the first phase dividing it into pieces with a length of 25 cm (building
stone height).

2) The pieces of high 25 cm are divided into smaller partitions with a thickness
of nearly 5-10 cm with variable length.
3) The pieces of 25 cm height and 5-10 cm thickness are divided into suitable
segments which represents the length of required stone.
4) The last segment has 25 cm height, 5-10 thickness, and specified lengths,
these segments are engraved according to the requirements..
Stone Installation

There are two cases for the installation of stone:

1- During the construction process: the stone build and build the hollow
blocks, then the concrete were casting between them.
2- Construct the building, then the stone is cladding where required.
In both cases, is put a network of 6 mm diameter steel bars and concrete is
poured between the wall and the stone, but the difference in the concrete In
the first case is put sand and cement and gravel The second case is not
placed gravels.
Cleaning and polishing or Pointing (cement or mortar used to fill the joints
of stonework to improve its appearance and weatherproofing):

After the completion of the installation of stone the wedges remove between
the stones and then cleans the face of the stones from the dirt in one of two
ways, either pneumatic pump with sand or by the disc with a wire brush.
After the completion of the cleaning process are open spaces between the
stones and mortar is placed between the stones consisting of white cement
and sand crusher (quartz) and then cleaned the spaces between the stones
in black brush to draw small as desired, provided that the mortar is still soft
even imbibing Paint

Artificial stone

Outperform natural stone on industrial by being a natural material with

surfaces and contrasting colors (not identical) and gives His Excellency more
than artificial stone and design life is greater than for the artificial stone
(where the biggest period to ensure you can get for the artificial stone is a 15year up to 25 -30 year at best case while the natural stone is the biggest
overhaul of the age of the building itself.
Industrial stones result as pour molds of special mixed materials and the
problem of this kind that the weathering factors affect its quality.
The differences between the natural and artificial stone:
Natural stone: the modulus of rupture depends on the type of rock itself.
Artificial stone: the modulus of rupture depends on the type of concrete mix and
curing of concrete.
Natural stone: stone different size and shape.
Artificial stone: fixed dimensions and shape depends on the shape of the mold into
which concrete poured in.
Natural stone: stone absorption depends on the type of rock Class A (3-5%) and
Class B 5-7%.
Artificial stone: the absorption depends on the type of concrete used to form the
artificial stones.
Natural stone: the dimensions of natural stone upon request and can be cut and
completely non-uniform dimensions.
Artificial stone: its dimensions according to the template (mold).
Natural stone: the color of the stone is not completely uniform and being a naturally
depending on the type of the original.
Artificial stone: uniform color being completely.

Natural stone: high cost.

Artificial stone: nearly 50% of the cost of natural stone.
Natural stone: the possibility of its building (installed) known and easily.
Artificial stone: the possibility to build is a little harder than natural stone
Natural stone: the distance between the rows of natural stone is 5-8mm.
Artificial stone: need a slightly larger distance of 8-10mm.
Natural stone: it changes color with time and by natural factors have increasingly
beautiful.
Artificial stone: it changes color with time and by natural factors but relatively less
beautiful.
Natural stone: Cannot provide the same class if the stone is consumed.
Artificial stone: It could provide the same class in terms of size and colors if
the stone is consumed.
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