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Sawing of blocks of siliceous dimension stone: influence of texture and mineralogy

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Abstract

The sawing of granite blocks using multi-blade gangsaws and an abrasive mixture is one of the most complex operations in the rock transformation industry. The surface quality of the finished slabs is the major determinant of the volume of material to be removed in subsequent polishing operations, thus influencing the final cost of the product. To determine this quality, a portable piece of equipment which records direct measurements of the roughness of the slab surface was developed. The measurements were carried out on two types of granite slabs of high commercial value. These granites showed mineralogical similarities, but great differences in cutting speed and the cost of the industrial process. The paper discusses the results in relation to Knoop hardness, Amsler wear, deep abrasion and petrography and concludes that the texture of the rock has the most important influence on the cost of production of polished slabs.

Résumé

Le sciage de blocs de granite à l’aide de scies multi-lames et de produits abrasifs est l’une des opérations les plus complexes dans l’industrie de transformation des pierres dimensionnelles. La qualité de surface des plaques réalisées contrôle le volume de matériau à enlever dans les opérations de polissage, influençant ainsi le coût du produit final. Afin de déterminer cette qualité, un équipement portatif permettant de mesurer la rugosité des surfaces de ces plaques a été mis au point. Les mesures ont été réalisées sur deux types de plaques de granite de forte valeur commerciale. Ces granites présentaient des caractéristiques minéralogiques semblables, mais de grandes différences dans les vitesses de découpe et le coût du procédé industriel. L’article présente les résultats obtenus relatifs à la pétrographie et aux tests de dureté de Knoop, de résistance au polissage de Amsler, d’abrasivité profonde. Il conclut que la texture de la roche a la plus forte influence sur le coût de production des plaques polies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) for their financial assistance; Centro Tecnológico do Mármore e Granito (CETEMAG), Instituto de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Estado de São Paulo (IPT), Fundação Parque de Alta Tecnologia de São Carlos (PARQTEC) and Granitos Moredo S.A. for their help and support during the experimental phases; Drs. Ely Borges Frazão and Antonio Carlos Artur for constructive criticism and Dr. Bruce Ekane Ewang for reading and revising the script.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geotecnia–Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense, 400, Centro, CEP 13566-590, São Carlos, Brazil

    Rogério Pinto Ribeiro, Antenor Braga Paraguassú & José Eduardo Rodrigues

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  1. Rogério Pinto Ribeiro
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  2. Antenor Braga Paraguassú
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  3. José Eduardo Rodrigues
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Correspondence to Rogério Pinto Ribeiro.

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Ribeiro, R.P., Paraguassú, A.B. & Rodrigues, J.E. Sawing of blocks of siliceous dimension stone: influence of texture and mineralogy. Bull Eng Geol Environ 66, 101–107 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-006-0049-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-006-0049-y

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