Inert material is a bulk non-metallic material of natural and artificial origin used in civil, road and industrial construction. It is also used for civil works. Let us consider inert materials in more detail: what it is, where they are used.
Varieties of inert materials
Inert materials are mined during the development of the quarry, as well as through the processing of various rocks. They are dense and porous, differ in the size of the fractions. In fine-grained materials, the fraction size does not exceed 5 mm. The scope depends on their technical features. Inert building materials are solid non-combustible minerals:
- Gravel - a rock containing interspersed with other types of minerals, varies in size fractions.
- Crushed stone - is a rock with a fraction size of 5 mm or more, obtained by crushing.
- Sand is a loose material with a small fraction size, mined in floodplains of rivers and quarries.
- Expanded clay - is a granular material with fractions having a porous structure, obtained artificially by burning clay or slate.
Inert materials are inexpensive building materials. They also include all inorganic natural resources, including chalk, clay and shellfish. They are used on construction sites in large volumes and can reduce the cost of construction. Special equipment is used for mining.
Areas of use
An inert material is a raw material used as an inexpensive aggregate in solutions of asphalt concrete and concrete, as well as in dry building mixtures. Bulk materials are used in the following areas:
- when arranging the courtyard and the adjacent territory, in landscape design;
- to level the surface or give it a relief in accordance with the layout;
- for laying drainage systems, communications and drainage;
- the construction of residential buildings, industrial facilities and various structures;
- in the construction of roads and railways;
- for roughing and finishing of premises, in the manufacture of ceramic tiles.
Building materials can be easily delivered to the construction site by vehicles of various carrying capacities. They are transported in bulk or delivered packaged in bags. Some types of inert materials, such as sand, need additional processing before their intended use. By washing, sand removes impurities, and screening allows you to separate large fractions.
How to choose inert materials?
Inert building materials are the basis for private and industrial construction. The quality of work directly depends on the correct choice of building materials. These or other properties of materials make them in demand in certain areas. Thanks to frost resistance, crushed stone is used for laying tracks, arranging railway embankments and landscapes. It is necessary as a filler when pouring foundations that withstand increased load. Granite screenings are added to asphalt concrete and paving slabs. Gravel and sand mixtures are excellent for leveling the territory, as well as in the production of reinforced concrete.
Secondary Inert Materials
Secondary inert materials are those that are reused. They undergo additional processing, such as crushing, and retain their original characteristics. The use of such recyclables can significantly reduce construction costs. Secondary building materials include:
- asphalt crumb;
- concrete and brick battle;
- secondary crushed stone.
Asphalt crumb is suitable for the construction of temporary roads, arrangement of sites, backfilling of potholes and pits. Concrete fighting is appropriate for the arrangement of parking lots and construction sites, backfilling of reservoirs. Secondary crushed stone is used for filling reinforced concrete products, arranging paths and “alpine hills”. Brick battle is suitable for filling gabion, under the screed, as well as in landscape design.