Hontoria’s stone (Burgos, Spain): Characteristics and weathering

This paper deals with petrological and petrophysical features of the Hontaria's stone, Burgos (Spain), with which many important monuments were built in northern Spain, in orderr to establish a basis for individual monument restoration. The study contains an historical reference to sorne buildings in which this stone was employed, geological considerations of the origin area, laboratory analysis of the samples, and results of the most common characterization tests. As a conclusion, it can be stated that the Hontoria's stone is apure limestone, with good mechanical and hydrological behaviour, resistent to weathering, easy to quarry (underground mining) and with large resources

Study of the Influence of Fines on a Self-Compacting Concrete

The paper presents the results of the tests of a self-compacting concrete made with fines which include Portland cement and three fillers: hornfels, limestone and metakaolin, in a weight proportion between 23% and 45% of the admixtures. The first mix proportions were designed with a high proportion of Portland cement (720-750kg/m3), and are compared to those having a smaller content of cement and more fillers. The results obtained show that the limestone filler percentage should be higher than the hornfels one, and both of them significantly higher than that of the metakaolin so as to facilitate the fluidity and self-compactability. AIso, the higher proportion of fillers causes a rounded porosity in the mixing which has a bearing on better compressive strength results.

40ar/39ar Dating of alunite from the Pueblo Viejo Gold-Silver District, Dominican Republic

New 40Ar/39Ar ages for alunite from the Moore and Monte Negro deposits in the Pueblo Viejo district, as well as from a newly discovered alunite-bearing zone on Loma la Cuaba west of the known deposits, are reported here. The ages range from about 80 to 40 Ma, with closely adjacent samples exhibiting very different ages. Interpretation of these results in the context of estimated closure temperatures for alunite and the geologic and tectonic evolution of Hispaniola does not lead to a simple conclusion about the age of mineralization. The simplest interpretation, that mineralization was caused by a buried Late Cretaceous (~80 Ma) intrusion, is complicated by lack of intrusions of this age in the area and absence of alteration in overlying limestone. The alternative interpretation, that mineralization was formed during Early Cretaceous (~110 Ma) magmatism and that the 40Ar/39Ar ages were completely reset by Late Cretaceous thrusting, is complicated by a lack of information on the timing and thermal effects of thrusting in central Hispaniola. Alunite studies have yielded similar unclear results in other pre-Cenozoic ore systems, notably those of the Lachlan fold belt in Australia

Polypropylene fiber-reinforced self-compacting concrete for the reconstruction of the cathedral of La Laguna, Canary Island, Spain

High performance materials are needed for the reconstruction of such a singular building as a cathedral, since in addition to special mechanical properties, high self compact ability, high durability and high surface quality, are specified. Because of the project’s specifications, the use of polypropylene fiber-reinforced, self-compacting concrete was selected by the engineering office. The low quality of local materials and the lack of experience in applying macro polypropylene fiber for structural reinforcement with these components materials required the development of a pretesting program. To optimize the mix design, performance was evaluated following technical, economical and constructability criteria. Since the addition of fibers reduces concrete self-compactability, many trials were run to determine the optimal mix proportions. The variables introduced were paste volume; the aggregate skeleton of two or three fractions plus limestone filler; fiber type and dosage. Two mix designs were selected from the preliminary results. The first one was used as reference for self-compactability and mechanical properties. The second one was an optimized mix with a reduction in cement content of 20 kg/m3and fiber dosage of 1 kg/m3. For these mix designs, extended testing was carried out to measure the compression and flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, toughness, and water permeability resistance

Planta de trituración y clasificación en cantera de caliza

Con este proyecto se va a diseñar una planta de trituración y cribado en una cantera de caliza, capaz de producir, como mínimo, 1 000 000 toneladas al año en puesto primario. El presente documento consta de una memoria que engloba diferentes estudios geológicos y técnicos, así como de un estudio económico en el que se detalla el coste que supondría la planta. Este documento se completa con varios anexos y planos que aparecen en la última parte del proyecto. ABSTRACT This project will design a crushing and screening plant in a limestone quarry, capable to produce at least 1 000 000 tons per year in primary position. This document consists of a memory that encompasses different geological and technical studies, as well as an economic study which details the cost involved in the plant. This document is completed by several annexes and plans that appear in the last part of the project.

Diseño de un método de validación de ensayos químicos de cementos

La caliza, como agregado de un cemento, debe cumplir una serie de especificaciones, entre ellas que el contenido de carbono orgánico total presente en la misma este limitado. En el Laboratorio Oficial para Ensayo de Materiales de Construcción (LOEMCO), el análisis del carbono orgánico total en calizas se realiza a través del método normalizado de oxidación húmeda. Debido a que no presenta resultados muy precisos se quiso sustituir por un nuevo método denominado Rock Eval, con el que a su vez se quería conseguir una mejor caracterización de las muestras. Para que un método sustituya a otro, hay que validarlo. En el presente proyecto se ha buscado validar el método Rock Eval, para la determinación del carbono orgánico total de calizas, y con los pasos seguidos para validarlo, se ha generado un procedimiento de validación general de ensayos químicos para el Laboratorio Oficial para Ensayos de Materiales de Construcción. ABSTRACT Limestone, as cement aggregate, must fulfill certain requirements; among them the total content of organic carbon present therein is limited. At Laboratorio Oficial de Ensayos de Materiales de Construcción (LOEMCO), the analysis of total organic carbon in limestone is carried out through the normalized method of wet oxidation. Due to this approach does not present accurate results, it was desired its substitution by a new method so-called Rock Eval, which at the same time it was aimed to achieve a better characterization of the samples. In order to substitute a method by new one, it has to be validated. In the present project it has been sought to validate Rock Eval method, to the determination of total organic carbon in lime stones, and with the followed steps to validate it, it has been generated a general validation procedure of chemical testing for Laboratorio Oficial para Ensayos de Materiales de Construcción.

Estudio de vibraciones en una cantera de caliza con empleo de detonadores electrónicos

El proyecto refleja el estudio de vibraciones entre dos voladuras, una iniciada con detonadores no eléctricos y otra iniciada con detonadores electrónicos, con aproximadamente la misma cantidad de explosivos y situadas en el mismo punto, en una explotación ubicada al sureste de la Comunidad de Madrid en el término municipal de Morata de Tajuña. Es una explotación en la que se extrae caliza mediante arranque por voladura utilizando como carga base una emulsión y como carga columna anfo. En la cantera suelen realizarse dos voladuras cada mes. El estudio de vibraciones se realizó debido a las quejas de los vecinos ante la onda aérea que producían las voladuras y las posibles grietas en estructuras cercanas a la explotación. ABSTRACT The project reflects the study of vibrations between two blasts, one started with nonelectric detonators and other with electronic detonators, with approximately the same amount of explosives placed in the same spot, on a quarry located at southeast of the Community of Madrid the town of Morata de Tajuña. It is a quarry where limestone is extracted by blasting using as base charge an emulsion, and ANFO as column charge. The quarry do two blast per month. The study of vibrations it´s did to the complains of the neighbors to the aerial wave that it´s produce by the blasts and possible cracks in the structures near at the quarry.