Preface

Sand is a type of naturally occurring material that is granular, loose, and fragmented, consisting of particulate matter such as rock, coral, shells, and so on. Sand is typically finer than gravel but coarser than silt.

This book discusses some contemporary issues related to sand in construction in engineering projects, which are critical components in civil construction and often require detailed management techniques and unique solutions to address failures and remedial measures.

This book brings together a collection of chapters covering construction problems and solutions. Chapter 1 is concerned with the role of sand in mortar's properties. It discusses the diachronic presence of mortars and emphasizes the role of aggregates to understand their impact on the longevity and durability of mortars.

Chapter 2 discusses the development of bentonite-modified concrete and reviews the literature about the physical and chemical properties of bentonite, bentonite-blended cement mortar, bentonite-modified cement concrete, and reinforced concrete. It also presents the history and development of bentonite-modified concrete.

Chapter 3 examines the effects of mill conditions on breakage parameters of quartz sand in the district of Şile on the Black Sea Coast of İstanbul. The authors obtained the specific rate of breakage values from the particle size distributions acquired after various grinding periods. As a result of grinding tests, an increase in the rate of breakage is observed due to the increase in ball diameter.

Chapter 4 presents the Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of Organoclay-Wood Fiber in Cement-Based Mortar. This paper is orientated to study the compressive resistance and thermal conductivity of compressed and stabilized clay blocks in the cement matrix. The effect of the content of wood fiber (WF) became studied as a reinforcement material in cement mortars. The porosity, compressive energy, thermal conductivity, and the composite of cement hydration had been investigated.

Chapter 5 discusses the sources, properties, remediation, and engineering and construction applications of oil-contaminated sand. Oil leakage during the exploration, production, and transportation of crude oil is considered to be a significant issue worldwide because crude oil spills severely impact the environment and also affect the physical and chemical properties of the surrounding soil.

Chapter 6 presents a study of a building project consisting of nine floors, eight flats, and two elevators. The study uses Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and Industry Foundation Classes eXtensible Markup Language (IFCXML) data. BIM is recognized as the most effective platform for information exchange on building projects in the construction industry.

It supports the development of various software. It facilitates automated or semiautomated ACCC of the building projects for compliance with building regulations and standards for the participants (designer, architect, engineer, contractor, owner, etc.) involved in the building production process.

I would like to express my gratitude to IntechOpen for their efforts in publishing this book and to the contributing authors for their work and patience.

> **Sayed Hemeda** Professor, Faculty of Archaeology, Conservation Department, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt Liberal Arts and Culture Centre (LACC), Egypt Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Egypt

> > **1**

**Chapter 1**

**Abstract**

mortars.

**1. Introduction**

the world cultural heritage [2].

Properties

The Role of Sand in Mortar's

**Keywords:** sand, mortars, composites, mechanical-physical properties

Mortars are among the first building materials used in constructions, even from prehistoric times. Their study reveals a great source of information regarding the evolution of their technological characteristics and application techniques, the availability and exploitation of raw materials, as well as the wider socioeconomic aspects of each era. In any case, it seems that ancient masons were fully aware of the significant role of mortars in constructions and could exploit the raw materials that were available along with the application techniques [1]. In particular, the role of the quality of aggregates on the properties of old mortars has been known since, at least, Roman times. Natural sands of different origins and nature (river, quarry, sea) and crushed bricks combined with binders which were usually lime-based, were used for many centuries (**Figure 1**). These mortars were of different types and served as bedding, renders or plasters, floors, and mosaics' substates forming masterpieces of

It is evident from the classic authors that the Romans preferred sharp sands to rounded sands, as they knew that these would produce stronger mortars; for example,

Mortars are diachronic composite materials used in masonry construction to serve multiple roles. Their durability and esthetic harmonization in constructions of the different eras were the reasons why numerous research works have been realized over recent decades. Each time, the role of the mortars' components revealed significant pieces of information on the technology used. Despite the indisputable role of the binders on the mortar's quality, aggregates of different characteristics had a significant role in the behavior of mortars. The addition of aggregates to a binding system in mortars technology has proved to confer technical advantages as they contribute to volume stability, durability, and structural performance. Apart from the different types of aggregates, as their mineralogy and origin are concerned, the volume content in the mixture, the maximum size, and their gradation influences the structure of a binder—aggregate mixture and the performance of mortars overall. In the present article, the diachronic presence of mortars is presented. The role of aggregates is emphasized to understand their impact on the longevity and durability of the

*Maria Stefanidou and Parthena Koltsou*
