A contribution to preservation of salt-laden construction materials: An effective, eco-friendly and inexpensive system of renovation plasters

Abstract

Prolongation of construction service-life is a crucial way of reducing maintenance costs and carbon footprint related to civil engineering industry. Salinity and dampness are recognized as the main factors affecting porous materials stability. Hence, it is essential to provide effective and easily accessible measures against them. The main goal of the presented manuscript is to satisfy this need by proposing a complex system of renovation plasters, which combines cost effectiveness with high quality. Five renders’ compositions, i.e., one base and four top plasters are designed and extensively studied. Apart from tests required by Association of Science and Technology of Building Maintenance and Monuments Preservation (ger. Wissenschaftlich-Technische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Bauwerkserhaltung und Denkmalpflege, WTA), the experimental analysis also includes testing of resistance to corrosion factors, such as UV-aging, or cyclic frost action among others. The presented results confirm that the designed materials meet WTA requirements, but also maintain their properties for a long period of time. Since the proposed plasters consist solely of widely available and cheap components, the final price of a ready-to-use render is reduced by 90 % comparing to commercial mortars available in the market. Additionally, the life cycle analysis (LCA) proves that the proposed materials are eco-friendly solutions in comparison to conventional plasters.