Assessment of technological properties of calcareous and non-calcareous clays used for the brick-making industry of Zaragoza (Spain)
The granulometric, mineralogical, and geochemical features of two different types of clayey raw materials (carbonated clays, CC; and non-carbonated clays, NCC) used for the brickmaking industry near Zaragoza (Spain) have been studied. Their particle-size distribution suggests that they may be classified as silty clays and are suitable for use as thin-walled hollow bricks. For technological testing, prismatic bars obtained by extrusion under vacuum conditions from raw materials were fired from 800 to 1050 °C. Technological determinations, such as linear shrinkage, bulk density, hydric tests, and an accelerated decay test, indicate that both CC and NCC are suitable to be used as bricks for building, although bricks made of NCC would be of better quality. In addition, pore-size distribution suggests that the durability of the highest temperature fired products will be higher because of an increase both in the dominant pore access radius and in the percentage of larger pore sizes.
Nomenclature Based on Sand-silt-clay Ratios
ABSTRACT Following a canvassing of sedimentationists an attempt is made to standardize nomenclature of sediment types relative to sand, silt, and clay content. A triangle diagram with boundaries between types, which met with general approval, is submitted and compared with other systems which have been used for the purpose. The new system uses old well established names and has a simplicity and symmetry which make it easily remembered. The boundaries appear to be well located for description of sediments such as those that have been analyzed in large volume from the investigations of the northern Gulf of Mexico (API Project 51), but it is inadequate in describing well sorted sediments with median diameters near the boundaries of sand and silt or silt and clay. The nomenclature suggested applie only to sediment grade sizes so that other names should be used depending on other characteristics of the sediments. Furthermore, the nomenclature should not be applied to sediments containing large percentages of gravel.
Thermal behaviour of masonry walls: Mathematical modelling and field monitoring
This Canadian study shows that the potential use of their procedure is very broad since the data computed can be used to investigate deterioration problems, to check risks associated with any proposed thermal upgrading and to perform stress analysis. The variation between the computed data and recorded data is small, except at peaks where the maximum differences occur.