IS :1123-1975

(RePPilrmed 1993 )
( Reaffirmed 1998 )

Indian Standard

METHODOFIDENTIFICATIONOF
NATURALBUILDINGSTONES
(First Revision )
Fourth Reprint SEPTEMBER 1998

UDC 691.21 : 552.12

0 Copyright 1975

BUREAU
MANAK

Gr 4

OF

BHAVAN,

INDIAN

STANDARDS

9 BAHADUR
SHAH ZAFAR
NEW DELHI
110002

MARG

December 1975

IS : 1123- 1975

lndian Standard
METHOD OF IDENTIFICATIONOF
NATURAL BUILDING STONES
(First
Stones

Revision)

Sectional

Committee.

BDC 6
Rehresenting

SIiRl C:. B. L..

Public Works
Jaipur

>L\THVR

SIlRl K. K. ACRX~ALA
SHRI K. K. MADHOK
(&mUf?)
SHRIT.N.BHARCAVA
QHRIJ. K. CHARAN
SIIRIK. N. SUBBA RAO (Al/mate)
cHIEP.ARCHITECT
SHRI G. C. DASS
SIIRIP. R. DAS (&6rnole)
SHRI Y.N. DAVL

of Rajasthan,

Ministry of Shipping and Transport (Roads Wing)

Engineer-in-Chiefs Branch, Army Headquarters
Central Public Works Department,
National Test House, Calcutta
Department
of Orology
Rajasthan, Udaipur

&

New Delhi

Mining,,

Government

of

Public 1Vorks Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh,

Lucknow
Public Works Department,
Government
of Orissa,
Bhubaneswar
Central Road Research Institute (CSIR), New Delhi

DEPUTY DIRECTOR (RESEARCH), CONTROL &

RESEARCH LABORATORV
DR AI. P. DHIR
SARI R. L. NAXDA (Allermfe)
DIRECTOR, ERT
DIRECTOR (CSMRSj
DEPUTY DIRECTOR (CSAIRS) (Alterm&)
DIRECTOR,MERI
RESEARCH OFFICER,MERI
(Altcmatc)
SHRI hl. K. GUPTA
SHRI S. D. PATHAK (Alternate)
DR IQBAL AL1

Public Works Department,

Government
Baroda
Central Water Commission, New Delhi
&
Power Department,
Irrigation
Maharashtra, Bombay

of Gujarat,

Government

of

Himalayan Tiles and Marble Pvt Ltd, Bombay

Engineerin Research Laboratory,
Prades% , Hyderabad

SHRI A. B. LINGAM (Al&mate)

SI~RI D. G. KADKADE
SHRI V. B. DESA~(Alternate)
SHRI T. R. MEHANDRU
SHRI PREM SWAKUP

The Hindustan Construction

Government of Andhra

Co Ltd, Bombay

Institution of Engineers (India), Calcutta

Department of Geology & Mining, Government of Uttar
Pradesh, Lucknow

SHRI A. K. AGARWAL(Alternate)
DR A. V. R. RAO
SHRI J. SEN GUPTA (Alternate)

National Buildings Organization,

New Delhi

Geological Survey of India, Calcutta

DR B. N. SINHA
SHRI S. R. J?RADHAN(Alternate)

Public Works Department, Government of Kamataka,

Bangalore
PublLaWz;h
Department, Government of Tamil Nadu,

SUPERINTZNDING
ENGINEER(DESIGNS)

S JPERINTENDING ENGINEER (DESIGN)

CHIEF

Government

Builders Association of India, Bombay

SHRI R. C;. GL;PTA (dlkmale;

DEPUTY DIRECTOR (RESEARCH)

DEPW

Department,

ENGXNEER(I&D) (Altumab)

0
BUREAU

OF

Copyright
INDIAN

1975
STANDARDS

This publication is protected under the Indian Copy&M

Act (XIV of 1957) und reproduction
in whole or in
part by any means except with written permission of the publisher shall be deemed to be an infringement of

copyright under the said Act.

IS : 1123- 1975
( Continnedf~ompage 1 )
Members

Representing

SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER (DESIGN & PLY)

SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER (PLo CIRCLE)
SUPERINTENDING SURVEYOR OF WORKS

SHRI D. AJITHA SIMHA,

Director (Civ Engg)

Public
Works Department,
Government
of Andhra
Pradesh, Hyderabad
Public Works Department,
Government of West Bengal,
Calcutta
Public Works Department,
Government
of llimachal
Pradesh, Simia
Director General, BIS (&o~ccio Member)
Secretary
SHRI K. &I. MATHUR

Deputy Director

(civ Engg), BIS

IS t 1123 - 1975

Indian Standard
METHOD OF IDENTIFICATIONOF
NATURAL BUILDING STONES
(First Revision)
0, FOR

EWORD

0.1 This Indian

Standard
(First Revision)
was
adopted by the Indian
Standards
Institution
on
19 July 1975, after the draft finalized by the Stones
Sectional Committee
had been approved by the
Civil Engineering
Division Couucil.

and identification
of rocks and thus before ascertaining the strength properties it is also necessary
to identify the types of rock.
This standard had
therefore
been formulated
to cover standard
methods
for identification
of natural
building
stones.
This standard was first published in 1957
which covered the aspects of petrographical
examination
of building
stones.
While revising the
standard its scope is limited to only identification
of natural building stones which is in fact needed
by the various research laboratories of stones using
departments.

0.2 Building stones are available in large quantity

in various parts of the country and to select and
utilize them for their satisfactory performance
it is
necessary to know the various strength properties
determined
according to the standard procedure.
The strength of the rocks depends on its mineral
constituents
which form the basis of classification

1. SCOPE

ed by blasting,
not be included

1.1 This standard

lays down the procedure
for
identification
of some of common types of natural
building stones.

driving wedges, heating,

in the sample.

etc, shall

2.2.2 Field Stons and Boulders - A detailed inspection of the stone and boulders over the area where
The
the suppl*r is to be obtained shall be made.
different kmds of stone and their condition at various quarry sites shall be recorded. Separate samples
for each class of stone that would be considered
for use in construction as indicated by visual inspection shall be selected.

2. SELECTION OF SAM$LE
2.1 The sample shall be selected to represent the
type of grade of stone under consideration.
The
samples shall be from the fresh rock and not weathered.

3. PROCEDURE

2.2 The sample shall be selected by the purchaser

or his authorned
representative
from the quarried
stone or taken from the natural rock, as described
in 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 and shall be of adequate size to
permit the preparation
of the requisite number of
test pieces.

3.1 The sample shall be examined macroscopically

for its colour, structure, texture and mineral constituents .
3.2 The type of rocks shall be identified according
to characteristics
given in Table 1. In -case of
doubt guidance can be obtained from engmeering
properties of the rock given in Table 1.

2.2.1 Stones from LGdges or Quarries - The ledge

or ,auarry face of the stone shall be inspected to
determine any variation in different strata,
Differences in colour, texture and structure
shall be
Separate samples of stone weighing at
observed.
least 25 kg each of the specimens shall be obtained
from all strata that appear to vary in colour, texturoand structure.
Pieces that have been damag-

4. REPORTING
4.1 Date of sample taken, identification
and the type of stone shall be reported.

of sample

TABLE1

CEARA CTBBSTICS

OF BUlLDlNG

I3

STONBS

..

(C&use 3.2)

AVERAGE
ENGINEERI~
--Specific
Gravity

(6)

(7)

(6)

Compressive
Strength
(9)
kg/cm

1.

Granite*

White to light
and pink.

grey

CrYstalline,
C-

finim~

Essentially

quartz

and feldspar with

sometime;
mica, amphibdes
and pyroxenes PI

massive
sheeted and banded; jointscommon.

accessorier

Used
a

primarily .for
I&& raw;

related rtmchares,
wv-ts.
ke&
pedestal.
momlmental
buildings,
institutional
a n d
-ial
buildmgs,
table
top,
coarse aggregate,
road me&l, -etc.
Polished
manite
a Cry longlasting
lustre.
Good
foreign market.

Granites
o c c u r
throuehout
t h e
em&y.
on2
nlativelv
number of suitable
colour or texture
are
available.
Most granites arc
characterised
b v
joints
an d fract-s.
It is desired
that granites shall
be free from Ram,
etc. Granites may
be
graded
by
their compressive
strength.

2.63-2.75

I@.%

shear
Strength

$?;;&

Ab%on

kg/a

140-500

kg/cm

Percent

Percent

0.4-4

439-67.9

70-250

2500

-_

Crystalline,
medium
to coarse grained;
massive; joints
common.

Essential
are .

3.

sycnitc*

Light
coloured
to
dark green, grcy
and bluish grey.

CrystaIline, medium
to coarse grained;
massive; j oints
c0mm0.

Essential

Grey to dark grey.

Crystalline, medium
to coarse grained;
massive; joints
0Xllm0Il.

Essential
minerals
are
plagioclase
feldspar and dark

used as 3. good
aggrcgate material and
road metal, etc.

Pound in a number
of places in India.

2.8-3.0

1 8OO3 000

150-300

Crystalline, medium
to coarse grained;
banded and often
jointed.

Consists of Iime-feldspar and pym~ene

(a&e) ; acces.wria
may be &vine,
biotite, hornblende
and rarely quartz.

May be used where

available
for
bridge piers, river
walls dam and related structures; it
may also be used
for
pk3VUIl~llU,
kerbs and in buildings
(same
as
granite).

It~a,~gh

2.90-3.2

1 8003 In0

150-300

4.

Diorrtc*

2.

Gabbro

minerals

Samewe

as

granites.

are alkali feldspar

sometimes
with
nepheline (nepheline syenite). Common
accessories
hornblende,
E%ite and a&e.

Sycnites

abundant

are

less
t h a n

2w-2+Jo

(13)

(12)

Light grey.

2%3.0

350-500

Resistance

(II)

Granodiorite*

sameuseasgranites.

Porosity

tifi

Elasticity

-4

0.50

1.381.54

(14)
Wm

2 x IO 10
6x10

6 x IO5 to
8210

granites.

a,;12mgh
low

porosity, makes it
suitable for heavv
strctres.

g
2

(10)

2.

minerals
quartz
and
Pla~lasefe1dsq.w
accessone!
like biotite
and
hornblende.

PROPERT~S (&r F&WE)

0.25

0.1-0.2

7x10to
10x 10

7 x 10 to
11x10~

TABLE 1 CHARACTERISTICS
SL

TYPE

PkfYsIcAL

,-_-_-_h_-__

No.

(2)

(1)

PRoPERTIes

Texture &
structure

Colour

(3)

OF BUlLDING

STONES -

Conld

USES
Mineralogical
Composition

Specific
Gravity

(3

(3

(4)

(7)

(8)

compressive
Strength
(9)
kg/cm:

2.

3.

Limestone
dolomite

Laterite

and

White,
grey,
pink,
red,
blue,
buff
brown,
green
yellow,
b I a c k,
etc. (Colour
due
to
impurities
in
the form of silicates
and carbonates).

gml,lX;
Bedded,
fine grained.

Brownish red,yellow,
brown,
grey
and
mottled colours.

Porous,
oolitic
and
pisolitic with cavities; at times bed&d.

cosists

.ZSCiidly

of calcite (calcium
with
carbonate
varying
ax+lts
of
*agCSml
carbonate.

2.

chamnockite

Gneisser

Light
grey.

grey

Li;l;p,y

.,

to

dark

s,

pink,
yreemsh

A mixture of hydrated oxides of iron

a n d aluminium
frequently
w i t h
dio!;~sac=.
titanium
oxide
and
free
silica.

Fine to coarse grained, massive banded and sometimes

foliated.

Fine to coarse grainalternative

ed:
dark
and
white
bands
(gneissosc
StfUCtUrC).

3.

Quartrite

White,
grey,
yellowish & brownish
g-Key, buff (colour
is
dependent
on
the impurities
in
the cement].

2.142.8
(limestone)
2.52.8
(dolomite).

Generally

Freshly
quarried
laterite
is
soft
and
porous,
but
when exposed t o
atmospheric
conditions it hardens
and makes a very
touah
material.
When used in walls
it should be plastered from outside.

1.85

Galerally
used
as
slabs and block in
the construction of
building,
monnmentr, paeme.is,
kerbl, etc, roan a
soux
of aggregate material.

Occurs in association
with
Khondalites
in
the
Eastern
,Gl+
Its streqth

Not comloly
used
because of delitcrious conrtitutev.but
may
be used in
minor
CClStlU~tions ifeasily available. Hard gncissrr
may
be used fiw
constructirw
0 r
buildings
and do.wtzfive
wwky and
as
Ilp=P
stone.

Varying
composition
of bands are likely
to give low rtrength of the rocks.
WiVi;ly
found
in

&j?&

lk*f

300-Z 500
(lime-

(IO)
kg/cm
100-500

TC.pdle
strength

:I])
k&ma
SO-250

Poroltiy

Resistance

Modllus

*hrt%o

Elasticity

(13)

(12)
Percent
520

(14)

Percent
1.3-241

stone)

kg/cm*
;.(O,;;s

L to

and
(dolomite).

stone
(Porbandar
stone)
used aa ornamental
and
building stone.

1.

Limestone
is found
to occur throughout India. Itshould
be devoid of any
argillaceous
band,
softer vein, cracks

Gewally
used
as
slab
and tiles in
any type of construction
used in
buildings.
Also

Shear
Strength

Fine to coarse graincd often granular

and banded.

Composed

of by,,

kldSPi3r,
hornblends,

:tc.

used
a.5
blocks in the coustruction
of buildings,
iyaw%
and
buildings.

Used as blocky ;uul

slabs for buildinrr

19-23

-~

2.7-3.0

7.94 x 102
9-34?Z 104

SiZ,E%j
granite.
2.5-3.0

500-2 000

50-X0

0.5-1.5

2.01 x lo>
4.9 tz 10

2.

jj.2.cjj

1 jl)O-J 000

IOIl-6')O 100-300

iJ.Z-0.6

9.J x 10

Bureau of Indian Standards

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