The ornamental rock sector in Galicia (NW Spain), in particular the granite extraction and processing sector, has undergone tremendous development in recent years as a direct consequence of the use of non-aggressive rock mass extraction methods and the progressive modernization and automation of the different processes for processing and finishing the slabs, as well as the improvement of in-plant logistics. Nevertheless, it has been ascertained that cutting parameters entered as setpoint values in the diamond circular saws, used for the subdivision of slabs of the different commercial granite varieties, do not fit clear technical criteria for the optimization of cutting efficiency, but are selected and pre-set based on the experience of the circular saw operator. In order to evaluate the validity of thus selected cutting parameters and to provide the sector with a more objective tool, the cutting performance of seven granite varieties from Galicia which have high sales was analysed. Thus, each available slab was subdivided using four different cutting settings resulting from modifying two of the parameters which most affect cutting efficiency: cutting speed (m/min) and cutting depth (mm). These parameters, in turn, have an influence on power consumption (kWh), diamond saw blade wear (mm) and average production (mm2/min). Thereby, an exhaustive data acquisition process was carried out in order to create a complete database with the representative information of the cutting of each of the seven tested varieties and determine the optimum configuration for cutting each material, based on the results of a graphical analysis of the mean of data and the analysis of the variance (ANOVA).
Resumen: La abrasividad de las rocas tiene gran influencia en algunas de sus aplicaciones, como en los sectores de la piedra natural y en el de ingeniería y obra civil. Para su cuantificación existen más de 15 métodos de ensayo. En este trabajo se hace una revisión de estos métodos clasificándolos en dos grandes grupos: en el caso de la piedra natural se considera el desgaste de los materiales rocosos en contacto con un útil de desgaste, mientras que, en obra civil, por el contrario, se presta atención al desgaste que la roca provoca en los útiles de corte o perforación. Por otra parte, se consideran también aquellos métodos en los que la abrasividad de las rocas se define en función de la variación del valor de alguna de sus propiedades.Palabras clave: Abrasividad, metodos de ensayo, rocas, propiedades fisicas, petrografia.Abstract: The abrasiveness of the rocks has a great influence in some of their applications, such as in the natural stone and in the civil engineering sectors. There are more than 15 test methods for its quantification. This work summarizes these methods and their classification into two large groups: in the case of natural stones the wear of the rock materials when in contact with a wear tool is taken into account; on the other hand, in civil engineering attention is paid to the wear that the rock causes in the cutting or drilling tools. In addition, those methods, in which the abrasiveness of rocks is defined according to the variation of the value of some of its properties, are also considered.Keywords: Abrasivity, testing methods, rocks, physical properties, petrography.
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