Perhaps it is impossible to imagine a construction process in which it would not be intended to use an inert material. For any builder, such an element of construction is not a curiosity. Words like rubble or sand are not special. But before they get to the construction site, they go through a thorny and long way.
What it is?
Inert materials are stone materials of natural or artificial origin. Before they get to the construction site, they are specially processed using various equipment. Extraction is conducted by open pit mining. Most often, this type of building material is used for the construction of buildings, railways or roads. It also plays an important role in the manufacture of quality concrete mortars and mixes. They are purchased in large quantities by enterprises that specialize in the manufacture of building mixtures, concrete mortars, reinforced concrete products and so on.
The main advantage that any inert material for construction has is its low cost. As a rule, it is used as an auxiliary material, contributing to an increase in the mass of the solution or mixture. At the same time, construction costs are significantly reduced.
The following inert building materials are most commonly used.
Crushed stone
Obtained in the process of crushing rock and rock. Frost-resistant and durable. It has properties such as density and water saturation. Most often used in the construction of railways or motorways, as well as in creating a solid foundation for various structures. It can be used to ennoble and create landscape compositions.
Building sand
As a result of the destruction of rocks, a loose mixture is formed. The list of works in which this inert material takes part is huge. Sand is used for the construction of buildings and road surfaces, in the process of laying utilities, in a number of finishing and landscape works. It is an excellent filler for building concrete mixes. Quarry sand is considered cheaper, since various impurities may be present in it. But river sand, mined from the bottom of reservoirs, is cleaner. Therefore, it will cost an order of magnitude more expensive.
Expanded clay
A material with a porous structure, somewhat reminiscent of crushed stone. It has excellent sound and heat insulating qualities. It is resistant to chemical influences. Not afraid of fungus or acids. It has been used in construction since the sixtieth year of the last century.
Granite Screenings
Inert material widely used by builders around the world. Most often used for the manufacture of asphalt concrete, paving slabs and concrete. You can meet him as part of various decorative finishing materials. In the winter, it can be used to reduce the slip coefficient (sprinkled on roads and sidewalks).
Gravel and sand mixture
Typically used to level the roadway. The mixture can be used in landscape work if necessary to align large areas. It is divided into two types: enriched and natural.
Features of transportation
Bulk materials are delivered to the construction site either from the warehouse or from the quarry. Inert materials are usually transported by specialized companies that have all the necessary equipment and special vehicles for this.
During the transportation of inert goods, it is necessary to take into account a number of characteristics that they possess. Firstly, they all have a loose structure, which makes it impossible to transport by personal transport. Secondly, the need to hire special equipment for transportation is due to the fact that cargo volumes can be very, very large-scale. Someone needs a couple of bags of river sand to ennoble the site, and someone and two KAMAZ gravel will not have enough for the construction of a country house.
As a rule, experts call such a load very mobile. This is because any inert building material, whether gravel, sand or expanded clay, can easily crumble along the way. During transport, the fact that different materials have different friction coefficients should also be taken into account. And only experienced specialists can determine such nuances and understand the features of transportation of a particular inert material.
Turning to specialists in the delivery of such goods, of course, will slightly increase construction costs. But on the other hand, ignorance of the nuances of transportation and the features of inert building materials can be much more expensive. As a rule, professionals deliver goods quickly, without loss on the road. Without knowledge of the matter, self-transportation can be much more expensive. Experienced builders say that it is better to mix concrete with your own hands and at the same time spend less than save on poor-quality self-delivery of bulk cargo.