RILEM Technical Committee Specifications for testing and evaluation of lime-based repair materials for historic Structures
No project:TC LHS
Partners:
2017-2021
Description of the project:The test procedures for repair mortars and grouts for historic structures (HS) are following the standards established for cement-based mortars. These procedures lead to erroneous results as they are based on certain technical assumptions valid only for modern calcium-silicate cement based binders. However, in case of repair of HS the current trend is to support the use of lime-based binders that are in many ways regarded as compatible with the HS. The existing EN standards for lime (EN459), as well as the relevant to mortars series EN1015 do not address specific issues related to lime-based mortars and grouts, such as mixing and stirring scenarios, slow setting and hardening, time of testing mechanical characteristics and physical properties, testing durability (wetting-drying, freezing-thawing, sulphate attack etc). Therefore, laboratories dealing with the aforementioned materials often modify existing standard procedures addressed to other materials.
Objectives:The proposed TC aims at modifying /adapting the basic qualifying test procedures for mortars/grouts, not the specific ones (i.e. thermal properties). The direct benefit, for which is a significant need in the conservation practice, is to be able to use in design of repairs more realistic data in terms of properties, behaviour and performance of mortars/grouts containing non-cement binders (e.g. lime, lime-pozzolana, NHL) by adapting/modifying currently used test procedures for cement-based materials.
Main Activities:The TC will produce: Harmonized and unified testing procedures relevant to lime-based binders (pre-normative), for their use in mortars and grouts, concerning properties in fresh and hardened state as well as basic durability aspects. A state-of-the art report about test procedures currently in use to characterise behaviour and performance of historic mortars. A state-of-the art report about current field testing of historic porous building materials (mortar, stone, brick, adobe, ceramics)
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