Comparisons
Precast Concrete Paving Flags vs Kota Stone & Granite Stone
Technical comparison covering performance, manufacturing, durability, installation and other relevant criteria for precast concrete paving flags vs kota stone & granite stone.
COMPARISON OF FACTORY-MADE PRECAST CONCRETE PAVING FLAGS WITH KOTA STONE AND GRANITE STONE
FOR RAILWAY PLATFORMS
| Parameter | Concrete Flags produced in Vacuum Wet Press | Kota Stone | Granite Stone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sizes mm | 300 x 300, 300 x 450, 300 x 600, 400 x 400, 600 x 600, 600 x 900 | 300 x 300, 300 x 600, 400 x 400, 400 x 600, 500 x 500, 550 x 550, 600 x 600, 600 x 900 | Cut to size from blocks as required |
| Thicknesses | 50, 60, 80, 100, 150mm | 20, 25, 30, 40mm | Cut to size from blocks as required |
| Dimensional Tolerance | As per EN 1339:2003 Class R: Length / Width / Thickness: +/- 2mm |
Length / Width: +/- 5mm Thickness: +/- 2mm |
As per IS 14223 Part 1: 1995: Length / Width: +/- 2mm Thickness: +/- 1mm |
| Colours | Grey, Yellow, Red, Black, and other concrete colours. In Hong Kong, Concrete Flag Stones have been used with different colours on different stations, for colour coding. | Blue Green; Brown, Honey | Multicoloured |
| Finish | As produced (including Tactile Surfaces, Textures or Matt finish); Additional optional finish: Shot blasted, etc. | Only Matt or polished finishes available. Tactile surface not possible. | Only Matt or polished finishes available. Tactile surface not possible. |
| Compressive Strength | Not applicable as per EN 1339:2003 | Compressive Strength: 70 MPa | As per IS 14223 Part 1: 1995: Compressive Strength: 130-220 MPa |
| Bending / Breaking Strength | Bending Strength (as per EN 1339:2003 Class 3): 4.0MPa min.; Breaking Strength (as per EN 1339:2003 Class 300): 24 kN min. | Not known | Not known |
| Water Absorption | As per EN 1339:2003 Class B: ≤ 6% |
< 1% | As per IS 14223 Part 1: 1995: <0.5% |
| Abrasion Resistance | As per EN 1339: 2003 Class I: ≤ 20mm |
As per IS 1237: 1980: Avg. 2.2mm, Max. 2.5mm | As per IS 14223 Part 1: 1995: Avg. 2.0mm, Max. 2.5mm |
| Density | 2.4 kg/m3 | 2.5 kg/m3 | As per IS 14223 Part 1: 1995: 2.60 - 2.68 kg/m3 |
| Laying | Base: 1:3 Cement Sand Mortar, thickness 25mm | Base: 1:4 Cement Sand Mortar, thickness 20mm | Base: 1:4 Cement Sand Mortar, thickness 20mm |
| Cost | Rs.1500/sq.m. for 50mm | Rs.1193.78/sq.m. for 40mm | Rs.2000-2500/sq.m. |
| Life | 10 years | 5 years | 10 years |
| Cost/Year | Rs.150/sq.m. | Rs.239/sq.m. | Rs.200-250/sq.m. |
| Service Durability | Problems of Cracks in Parcel Loading areas due to brittle nature; Edge and corner cutting defects arising from poor workmanship result in water seepage and cracks. | Very slippery when wet | |
| Availability | All over India as per PBMA Members Mfg. Locations map enclosed | Quarried only in Kota District of Rajasthan and must be transported from there. | Rajasthan, Odisha and Karnataka have 98% of granite reserves. |
| Surface uniformity | Uniform, have an even surface and are non-slippery under wet conditions. | Uneven and slippery, particularly under wet conditions. | Uneven and very slippery, particularly under wet conditions. |
| Colour Uniformity | Uniformity in colour and shade since concrete is produced from aggregates and cement mix and pressed hydraulically. | No uniformity in the colour and shade as Kota Stone is mined naturally. | No uniformity in the colour and shade as Granite is mined naturally. |
| Brittleness | Produced with high uniform density in a Vacuum Wet Press resulting in high strength and do not crack even under heavy loads. Also, they can be produced with 80mm thickness for heavy duty applications. | Kota Stone is very brittle which results in cracks being developed when heavy parcels fall on them or with wheel loaders running on them. Besides, it cannot be produced in very high thicknesses. | Granite is quite brittle which may result in cracks being developed when heavy parcels fall on them or with wheel loaders running on them. Besides, it cannot be produced in very high thicknesses. |
| Environment | It is environmentally friendly, as waste of mines like quarry dust, and stone aggregate is mixed with cement to produce a very useful product. | Kota Stone is a mined product. Mostly it is mined in forest areas. Thus, it is not environmentally friendly. | Granite is a mined product, requiring blasting, causing air and noise pollution. Also, cutting and polishing require huge quantities of water. |
| Finishing at Site | Concrete Flag Stones are moulded and finished in a Vacuum Wet Press with great dimensional accuracy. They are ready to be used without cutting or causing debris. | Kota Stones need to be edge-cut before installation resulting in a lot of debris which need to be disposed at the platform site. | Granite needs to be edge-cut before installation resulting in a lot of sludge, which needs to be disposed properly at the platform site to avoid increased silting and pollution of water sources. |
| Polishing | Concrete Flag Stones are precast pre-finished products which do not need polishing. Installation is very quick resulting in faster work completion and shorter finishing schedules without any problems of sludge disposal. | Kota Stone needs to be polished after installation, which requires skill and is very time consuming. This requires longer construction time and usually results in delays. | Granite needs to be polished after installation, which requires skill and is very time consuming. This requires longer construction time and usually results in delays. |
2022.02.16
