Ballast is an important material in construction. It is primarily used in the construction of railroads and can also be used in the construction of building foundations. Furthermore, its primary purpose is to provide stability. This article will focus on everything you need to know about Ballast.
What is Ballast?
Ballast is one material you will often come across when working in the construction industry. Ballast is granular material, usually broken stone or gravel. It serves the primary purpose of stability, for example, when used for the foundation part of a building. It also ensures good drainage, mainly when used in railroad construction.
What are the Characteristics of Good Ballast?
So how do you identify the perfect Ballast for use? This process is essential because you don’t want to incur losses later after your construction project is done. Moreover, different surveys show that you should keep a close eye on some factors.
The Ballast should be able to;
- Resist Crashing under heavy pressure from heavy loads
- Have good drainage
- Have minimum soakage
- Easy to get to cut costs on supply
- Offer resistance to abrasion, especially for railway construction
- Have large spaces to prevent capillary action
- Ballast used on railroads should not be prone to chemical action with the metal sleepers and rail
- Favor handpicking without losing cohesion
- Maintain its position under traffic conditions
Functions of Ballast
There are vast options of use for Ballast that you might not know. So don’t stop reading just yet if you want to know more.
- It corrects track alignment.
- Bestows a degree of elasticity to the railroad
- It makes it easy to maintain the correct levels of track lines
- Holds the metal sleepers intact to prevent movement due to the action of heavy load.
- Stabilizes the foundation of buildings
Types of Ballast
Ballast is made from stone, gravel, bricks, cinders, and more. It, therefore, translates to having different types of Ballast. For example, the ballast price in Kenya heavily depends on the size.
1. Stone
Ballast made from stone is considered the best option for any construction purposes. It is because it is strong and has high resistance to heavy pressure. Its drainage system is also excellent therefore soaking is not a problem you will experience with this material. The best stone for the production of Ballast is complex and non-porous.
2. Gravel
Following closely in durability is Ballast from Gravel. It is the most common option for people in the countryside. Gravel is mainly obtained from the river beds. The smooth pebbles are then broken to ensure they stay intact.
3. Brick
Brick ballast is made from bricks broken into small pieces. Although this Ballast has many disadvantages, it powders very easily, forming a dusty track quickly. Occasionally, rails constructed on brick ballast are seen to rust eventually.
Conclusion
It is always advisable to conduct extensive research before buying any material. As a result, this article is all the relevant information you may want to know. You leave this site more knowledgeable about Ballast. Check also ndarugo stones.
