STONE

STONE Stones are amorphous pieces of rock of earthy or mineral matter. Nowadays, stones have many used in construction because its durability, but the first use was in the stone age as hunting tools. Stones, according to their composition, can be classified as igneous, methamorphic and sedimentary. In this way, stones have differents caracteristics like color, form and composition. Due to the strength of stones these are used in architecture to built walls, structural systems, and others. However, the disadvantage of stones make its used more limited, because it is difficult to transport and to shape. Finally, stones have been replaces for other materials with more advantajes like concrete; that is why stones are now been used more like a decorative material in architecture.

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**STONE PARAGRAPH** Stone is a natural material composed of minerals. It can be sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous according to its formation process. Stones, as a construction material, have many advantages like durability, adaptability to sculptural treatment and they can be easily found in nature that is why they have ** been used since primitive age **. However, there are some disadvantages too, such as the difficult to quarry, transport and cut, so their treatment is expensive. Also they are weak in tension and unstable with load pushing at angles. Stones can be found as broken stones or rubble or sometimes as ashlars masonry for regular cut blocks, for example. Finally, ** although stone has been replaced as a structural material by cheaper and more efficient manufactured products, it is still widely used as a surface veneer for its practical and expressive qualities. ** media type="file" key="STONE.wma" align="center" width="300" height="45"