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Mortar Materials in Building Conservation

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2025) | Viewed by 3882

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 190 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: cultural heritage protection against global threats; resilient cultural heritage; behavior of historic materials and structures

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Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Polytechnic School, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: cement; lime; bricks; stones; additives; coatings; bio-materials; nano-modification
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In historic buildings, mortar materials represent the most important composite influencing their sustainability, but at the same time they are also a material carrying valuable information and significant heritage values. Sustainability research on mortar materials must study the mechanisms of their degradation and develop technologies to prevent their destruction. Climate change causes more frequent hazardous situations accompanied by extraordinary demands on the behaviour of mortar materials when they are saturated with water and subjected to repeated alternating mechanical or temperature cycles, including fires. With the onset of more intense weather conditions, it is important to learn about the durability and life cycles of conservation materials and processes that save degrading mortar materials. A persistent problem is the determination of the compatibility limits of changes in the material properties of treated materials and the methods of their testing. At the same time, we must not forget the effects of the application of these new technologies and materials on the environment and, in particular, on the health of restorers and residents. Mortar materials not only carry the monumental values of works of art on their surface, but also contain hidden information that can be revealed by scientific methods. These include, for example, the determination of the age of the material from the time of production, the determination of the provenance of the components, including the raw material, and the technological traces of production and construction, e.g., formwork fingerprints. The results of basic and applied research in these areas are welcome to be contributed to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Miloš Drdácký
Prof. Maria Stefanidou
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • impact of climate and weather on mortar characteristics and durability
  • mortar and plaster degradation mechanisms
  • mortar resilience during exceptional loading or environmental situations
  • conservation materials and procedures improving mortar materials behavior
  • in situ testing of mortar qualities before and after conservation interventions
  • lifecycles of efficiency of mortar conservation, protection, or strengthening materials
  • mortar conservation with reduced health risks
  • mortar materials as an information carrier

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 11029 KiB  
Article
Degradation Mechanisms of Mortar and Plaster Layers
by Miloš Drdácký, Radek Ševčík, Dita Frankeová, Veronika Koudelková, Jaroslav Buzek, Marek Eisler and Jaroslav Valach
Materials 2024, 17(14), 3419; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17143419 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1250
Abstract
This article presents a case of complex investigation of defects of lime mortar and plaster that have been developing over a period of 48 years in a house in Prague and are strongly influenced by thermal and salt crystallization cycles. The aim of [...] Read more.
This article presents a case of complex investigation of defects of lime mortar and plaster that have been developing over a period of 48 years in a house in Prague and are strongly influenced by thermal and salt crystallization cycles. The aim of this research was to describe the degradation phenomena of mortars and plasters observed on a narrowly limited part of the building, combining structural elements of different types and ages and to explain the mechanisms of their formation and development. The geometric characteristics of the defects were determined by non-destructive methods, especially optical interference moiré, laser profilometry, photogrammetry, and infrared thermography. Material data were determined on samples by electron microscopy, ion exchange chromatography, and direct moisture content measurements. The results supported the hypothesis of the increase in the deformation of large buckles of detached plasters by the mechanism of buckling caused by loading of the edges with compression generated by volume changes. Direct loading of the boundary surfaces causes the formation of bulges in the confined areas. This study shows the importance of failure analysis of real structures to gain knowledge about the behavior of structures and materials under long-term service conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mortar Materials in Building Conservation)
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17 pages, 5212 KiB  
Article
Effect of Cow Dung Additions on Tropical and Mediterranean Earth Mortars-Mechanical Performance and Water Resistance
by Raphael N. Pachamama, Paulina Faria, Marco A. P. Rezende and António Santos Silva
Materials 2024, 17(12), 2885; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122885 - 13 Jun 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1328
Abstract
Cow dung (CD) is a material that has been used for millennia by humanity as a stabilizer in earth building techniques in vernacular architecture. However, this stabilization has been little addressed scientifically. In this study, the effect of CD additions was assessed on [...] Read more.
Cow dung (CD) is a material that has been used for millennia by humanity as a stabilizer in earth building techniques in vernacular architecture. However, this stabilization has been little addressed scientifically. In this study, the effect of CD additions was assessed on earth mortars produced with one type of earth from Brazil and two other types from Portugal (from Monsaraz and Caparica). The effect of two volumetric proportions of CD additions were assessed: 10% and 20% of earth + sand. The German standard DIN 18947 was used to perform the physical and mechanical tests, and classify the mortars. In comparison to the reference mortars without CD, the additions reduced linear shrinkage and cracking. An increase in flexural and compressive strengths was not observed only in mortars produced with earth from Monsaraz. In mortars produced with the earth from Caparica, the addition of 10% of CD increased flexural strength by 15% and compressive strength by 34%. For mortars produced with the earth from Brazil, the addition of 10% of CD increased these mechanical strengths by 40%. The increase in adhesive strength and water resistance promoted by the CD additions was observed in mortars produced with all three types of earth. Applied on ceramic brick, the proportion of 10% of CD increased the adherence by 100% for the three types of earth. Applied on adobe, the same proportion of CD also increased it more than 50%. For the water immersion test, the CD additions made possible for the mortar specimens not to disintegrate after a 30 min immersion, with the 20% proportion being more efficient. The effects of the CD on mechanical performance, including adhesion, were more significant on the tropical earth mortars but the effects on water resistance were more significant on the Mediterranean earthen mortars. CD has shown its positive effects and potential for both tropical and Mediterranean earthen plasters and renders tested, justifying being further studied as an eco-efficient bio-stabilizer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mortar Materials in Building Conservation)
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