A Projection Report On The Effect Of Geometric Properties (shape) On The Strength Of Interlocking Paving Stone

2.6    Materials Involved
2.6.1    Granite (Stone Dust):
The word granite comes from the Latin word granum, a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of such a crystalline rock. Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. It has a medium to coarse texture, occasionally with some individual crystals larger than the groundmass forming a rock known as porphyry. Granites can be pink to dark gray or even black, depending on their chemistry and mineralogy. Outcrops of granties sometimes occur in circular depressions surrounded by  a range of hills, formed by the metamorphic aureole or hornfels.
Granite is nearly always massive (lacking internal structures), hard and tough, and therefore it has grained widespread used as a construction stone. The average density of granite is 2.75g/cm3 and its viscosity at standard temperature and pressure is approximately 4.5x1019. Sand dust are granite but in finer grains compared to granite itself. (Shackel, 1990).
2.6.2    Cement
Cement is basically a binder, a substance which sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word “cement” traces to the Romans, who use the term “opus caementiciuum” to describe masonry which resembled concrete and was made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder. The volcanic ash and pulverized brick additives which were added to the burnt lime to obtain a hydraulic binder were later referred to as cementum. Cements used in construction are characterized as hydraulic or non-hydraulic.
The most important use of cement is the production of mortal and concrete – the bounding of natural or artificial aggregates to form a strong building material which is durable in the face of normal environmental effects.
Concrete should not be confused with cement because the term cement refers only to the dry powder substance used to bind the aggregate materials of concrete. Upon the addition of water and or additives the cement mixture is referred to as concrete, especially if aggregates have been added. Cement is made by heating limestone with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to temperature of 14500c in a kiln, by a process known as calcination. The resulting hard substance, called “clinker’ is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make ‘Ordinary Portland cement’ (known as OPC). Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-specialty grout. The most common use of Portland cement is in the production of concrete which is a composite material consisting of aggregate (Gravel and sand), cement and water. As a construction material, concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired, and once hardened, can become a structural (load bearing) element. Portland cement may be gray or white (Pavers, 2012).
2.6.3    Interlocking Stone Treatment After Production
In some cases, after production, the interlocking tiles was subjected to soak in water for seven days and dried under room temperature or under shield or in door for two weeks. After which it was left for another three days without watering, and sun dried for 4 days. This indicates that the produced interlocking tiles were treated for twenty eight days.
2.6.4    WATER
The use of water in concrete  as an addition to react with the cement and this causing it to set and harden, also facilitate mixing as compaction of fresh concretes. 
    The water used in this project is clean and pure. The use of impure water for washing aggregate can adversely affect strength and durability, if it deposits harmful substances on the surface of this particle.