oq-gem

Glossary for gem taxonomy

Authors: Luke Allen, Andrew Charleson, Svetlana Brzev, and Charles Scawthorn

This online Glossary explains around 400 terms contained in the GEM Building Taxonomy v 2.0 and nearly 700 images.

The terms have been listed in alphabetical and numerical order. Text description of each term is accompanied by illustrations (photos and/or drawings) where possible.

We welcome contributions in the form of photographs or images, illustrating glossary terms. If you have any questions you can also contact us at buildingtaxonomy@globalquakemodel.org


Limestone is a sedimentary rock made primarily of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate).  Limstones are usually white or grey, but maybe coloured brown, yellow,  or red  or blueish, grey, or black (due to iron oxides or carbon).  Most limestones are usually  fine grained and featureless, but may also be medium to coarse grained, or contain fossils. Because calcite is a not much harder than a fingernail, limestones are generally soft and can be scratched with metal easily.  A diagnostic characteristic of limestone is that it effervesces (bubbles) when in contact with a solution of weak (5%) hydrochloric acid.

SPLI_Algeria_Farsi_3

Limestone blocks used for stone masonry construction, Algeria (M. Farsi)

SPLI_Greece_Pomonis_1

Loadbearing masonry walls built using limestone - note hewn stones in the corners and wooden lintels, Pylos, South West Peloponnese, Greece (A. Pomonis)

SPLI_Nepal_Schildkamp_1

Limestone wall construction, school building, Nepal (M. Schildkamp)

SPLI_Canada_Lee_1SPLI_Canada_Lee_2

Limestone masonry, multi-family housing, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (J. Lee)

SPLI_Canada_Lee_3SPLI_Canada_Lee_4

Limestone masonry, single-family home, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (J. Lee)

SPLI_Canada_Lee_5SPLI_Canada_Lee_6

Limestone masonry, single-family housing, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (J. Lee)

SPLI_Canada_Lee_7

SPLI_Canada_Lee_8

Limestone masonry construction, church, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (J. Lee)

SPLI_Algeria_Farsi_1

Limestone masonry wall in Ben-Daoud damaged in the 2010 Algeria earthquake (M. Farsi)

SPLI_Algeria_Farsi_2

Limestone masonry wall in Beni-Ourtilane damaged in the 2000 earthquake (M. Farsi)

SPLI_Italy _Brzev_1

Limestone wall construction, Italy (S. Brzev)

SPLI_France_BrzevS_1

Limestone masonry walls in a six-storey residential building, Nice, France (S. Brzev)

We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.