The invention is directed to compositions and methods for the manufacture of pigmented solids structures for which can be used for construction and/or decoration. Manufacturing comprises fixing one or more pigments to an aggregate material such as crushed rock, stone or sand. The pigmented aggregate is incubated with urease or urease producing microorganisms, an amount of a nitrogen source such as urea, and an amount of calcium source such as calcium chloride forming calcite bridges between particles of aggregate. The resulting solid has a hardness and colorfastness for most any construction material. Using selected aggregate and pigment, the process also provides for the manufacture of simulated-stone materials such as clay or granite bricks or blocks, marble counter-tops, and more. The invention is also directed to composition containing microorganisms and pigment as kits that can be added to most any aggregate materials.

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for the manufacture of pigmented solids structures for which can be used for construction and/or decoration. Manufacturing comprises fixing one or more pigments to an aggregate material such as crushed rock, stone or sand. The pigmented aggregate is incubated with urease or urease producing microorganisms, an amount of a nitrogen source such as urea, and an amount of calcium source such as calcium chloride forming calcite bridges between particles of aggregate. The resulting solid has a hardness and colorfastness for most any construction material. Using selected aggregate and pigment, the process also provides for the manufacture of simulated-stone materials such as clay or granite bricks or blocks, marble counter-tops, and more. The invention is also directed to composition containing microorganisms and pigment as kits that can be added to most any aggregate materials.

An insulating material, in particular a permeable fire-proof insulating material comprising water glass and polystyrene, consisting of a hardening mixture which contains 1 to 32.4 wt % of expanded polystyrene, 57.5 to 96.0 wt % of aqueous sodium silicate solution, 2 to 6 wt % of aluminium hydroxide, 0.8 to 2.6 wt % water glass hardener and 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of water glass stabilizer, while the surface of the expanded polystyrene is provided with carbon black, the carbon black making up 0.1 to 1 wt % of total weight. A method for the production of insulating material, in particular a method for the production of permeable fire-proof insulating material comprising water glass and polystyrene, according to which firstly the polystyrene beads are mixed with an aqueous solution of carbon black so as to coat their entire surface, then is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution aluminium hydroxide and the whole is mixed so as to form an insulating mixture, and then a water glass stabilizer is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution, and then to this solution is mixed water glass hardener, with this solution being further stirred for 1 to 10 minutes to form a binder solution, and the insulating mixture is added to the binder solution with constant stirring, and the whole is mixed, and the resulting mixture is then poured into the application site.

An insulating material, in particular a permeable fire-proof insulating material comprising water glass and polystyrene, consisting of a hardening mixture which contains 1 to 32.4 wt % of expanded polystyrene, 57.5 to 96.0 wt % of aqueous sodium silicate solution, 2 to 6 wt % of aluminium hydroxide, 0.8 to 2.6 wt % water glass hardener and 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of water glass stabilizer, while the surface of the expanded polystyrene is provided with carbon black, the carbon black making up 0.1 to 1 wt % of total weight. A method for the production of insulating material, in particular a method for the production of permeable fire-proof insulating material comprising water glass and polystyrene, according to which firstly the polystyrene beads are mixed with an aqueous solution of carbon black so as to coat their entire surface, then is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution aluminium hydroxide and the whole is mixed so as to form an insulating mixture, and then a water glass stabilizer is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution, and then to this solution is mixed water glass hardener, with this solution being further stirred for 1 to 10 minutes to form a binder solution, and the insulating mixture is added to the binder solution with constant stirring, and the whole is mixed, and the resulting mixture is then poured into the application site.

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for the manufacture of pigmented solids structures for which can be used for construction and/or decoration. Manufacturing comprises fixing one or more pigments to an aggregate material such as crushed rock, stone or sand. The pigmented aggregate is incubated with urease or urease producing microorganisms, an amount of a nitrogen source such as urea, and an amount of calcium source such as calcium chloride forming calcite bridges between particles of aggregate. The resulting solid has a hardness and colorfastness for most any construction material. Using selected aggregate and pigment, the process also provides for the manufacture of simulated-stone materials such as clay or granite bricks or blocks, marble counter-tops, and more. The invention is also directed to composition containing microorganisms and pigment as kits that can be added to most any aggregate materials.

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for the manufacture of pigmented solids structures for which can be used for construction and/or decoration. Manufacturing comprises fixing one or more pigments to an aggregate material such as crushed rock, stone or sand. The pigmented aggregate is incubated with urease or urease producing microorganisms, an amount of a nitrogen source such as urea, and an amount of calcium source such as calcium chloride forming calcite bridges between particles of aggregate. The resulting solid has a hardness and colorfastness for most any construction material. Using selected aggregate and pigment, the process also provides for the manufacture of simulated-stone materials such as clay or granite bricks or blocks, marble counter-tops, and more. The invention is also directed to composition containing microorganisms and pigment as kits that can be added to most any aggregate materials.

For measuring the stress history in a simple form, which is widely applicable to various types of structural materials which the elastic modulus is different from each other, a large number of calcite particles is embedded as a stress sensor in a cement-based composite material that can be elastically deformed after receiving an external.

A twin-crystal density of the calcite particles is measured after an external force is applied to the composite material, to convert the twin-crystal density to a strain by an approximate formula set in terms of a strain ε (%) generated in the composite material and a twin-crystal density Dtw (lines/mm) of the calcite particles, and further to convert this strain to a stress by the elastic modulus of the composite material, whereby to estimate the history of stress and strain. The approximate formula between strain and twin-crystal density is independent of the modulus of the composite material and is used in a common form.

Roofing granules include heat-treated, porous, mineral-based granules having a moisture absorption of at least seven percent by weight and a blend of such heat-treated, porous, mineral-based granules and additional granules having a moisture absorption of less than five percent by weight. Use of the granules as roofing granules is also disclosed. A construction article includes a substrate, an organic coating, and heat-treated, porous, mineral-based aggregate having a moisture absorption of at least seven percent by weight at least partially embedded in the organic coating. A method of making the construction article is also disclosed.

Disclosed herein are concrete and asphalt crack filler compounds and methods for utilizing them. According to some embodiments, a method of utilizing one of the compounds can include the steps of (1) obtaining a surface crack filler compound, (2) depositing the surface crack filler compound into a surface crack (e.g., concrete, asphalt, etc.), and (3) depositing water onto the surface crack filler compound to cause the surface crack filler compound to solidify and fill the surface crack. Additionally, and according to some embodiments, the method can further include, prior to depositing the surface crack filler compound into the surface crack: removing debris from the surface crack using at least one of a brush, pressurized air, or pressurized water.

A fire-proof insulation material, in particular a fire-proof insulation material, which is composed of a harden-able compound which contains 19 to 40 wt % of porous glass balls, 60 to 81 wt % of an aqueous solution of sodium silicate having a density in the range of 1370 to 1400 kg/m.sup.3 and a molar ratio of SiO.sub.2 to Na.sub.2O in the range of 3.2 to 3.4, and 0.1 to 1 wt % water glass binder stabiliser, while further containing 2 to 10 wt % of chopped basalt fibre, and the surface of the porous glass balls having a diameter of 0.3 to 1 mm is provided with carbon black, the carbon black constituting 0.1 to 0.9 wt % of total weight. A method for producing a fire-proof insulating material, in particular a method for producing a fire-proof insulation material, according to which firstly the porous glass balls are mixed with an aqueous carbon black solution so that their entire surface is coated with carbon black, then the porous balls with carbon black are mixed with chopped basalt fibre and mixed to form an insulation compound, and a water glass stabiliser is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution and then a hardener is added to this solution, then the solution is stirred for 1 to 10 minutes to form a binder solution, and then the thermal insulation compound is poured into the binder solution while constantly stirring, and the whole is mixed, and then the resulting mixture is poured into the application site.