Explanation: Many otherwise sound building stones like granites and other coarse grained igneous rocks are poor in fire resistance. These may become unsuitable for use in heat intensive situations.

Explanation: By workability of a stone is understood the ease in the effort and the economy with which it can be extracted from its natural place of occurrence and finally given a proper shape called dressing.

Explanation: Granites show very high crushing strength, low absorption value, least porosity, interlocking texture, variety of appealing colours and capacity to get brilliant polish.

Explanation: Use of limestone as facing stones, even if quite strong, should be avoided in situations where- the air is polluted with industrial gases, such as in industrial towns; along sea coasts where sea-water-rich winds can attack them directly.

Explanation: Abrasive is more a qualitative than quantitative property and may be broadly defined as the resistance, which a stone offers to rubbing action of one kind or another.

Explanation: Following are most important properties a good road stone should possess- sufficient hardness and toughness; durability at the place of use; cementation capacity; non-swelling or hydrophobic property.

Explanation: Hardness is defined as the resistance of stone to rubbing and grinding action under the wheel of the traffic as also due to mutual attrition. It is known that the aggregates of roads and pavements undergo repeated shaking movements under the traffic load.

Explanation: Marbles have sufficient strength to beam building loads and at the same time can be given any desirable shape because of their low hardness. Marble can take a brilliant polish.

Explanation: Common bitumen is generally anionic in character. Any aggregate having electrolytic property will behave as hydrophobic or water repelling and vice-versa. This holds well in aggregates.

Explanation: Basalts are dark coloured basic igneous rocks that have been extensively used as road materials in areas of their occurrence. The rock is generally characterised with a crushing strength between 2000-3000 kg/cm2 and also with great toughness.

Explanation: The tensile strength of rock samples may be determined directly or indirectly. The direct method would require elaborate means to avoid bending while applying tensile forces. Hence usually indirect methods are used to find out the tensile strength of the stones.