ABSTRACT
Stone, the primary geomaterial, has been used for building since man gave up the nomadic lifestyle of a hunter-gatherer and began to build permanent settlements. Natural stone is used in civil engineering for structural elements, facing and cladding, and hard landscaping. Current uses of natural stone in buildings include load-bearing and self-supporting masonry, masonry façades to framed buildings, cladding and lining, roofing, flooring, and miscellaneous elements.
