Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the influence of different additives, including natural additives such as olive oil and eggs, on repair and restoration mortars. This work enables us to verify the effects of these natural components and their impact on the physical and mechanical characteristics of various types of repair mortars. Four mortar formulations were developed and analysed: Two jointing mortars, including the control sample MF1, without additives; and two finishing mortars (plaster). The physical and mechanical analysis of these different mortar samples showed that each additive had effects on the durability, percentage of absorption and porosity of the samples, as well as on their water repelling, and waterproofing properties. The control sample MF1 had the highest content of total porosity and water absorption. In the other samples, the water absorption and porosity contents decreased with an increase in the quantity of crushed bricks. In addition, sample MF3, which contained two volumes of crushed bricks per one volume of lime and an addition of 5% olive oil, had the lowest water absorption and porosity content and the highest resistance to compression and bending. The results obtained demonstrate that the mortars with natural additives MF3 and MF4 have reduced rate of water absorption, porosity, and water absorption by capillarity than control mortars (MF1) and samples with only crushed bricks added (MF2). Key words: Repair mortar, natural additives, compatibility, crushed brick, olive oil, eggs, water repellent, durability.
Highlights
In any restoration work, the important thing is respect for the monument in all of its values, and in particular with regard to the materials with which it was built
These results showed that the sample with the highest water absorption (20.94%) and total porosity (35.60%) content was MF1, which did not contain crushed bricks, nor any additives
The use of natural additives and crushed bricks have given some good and promising results: i) Crushed brick helps to improve the mechanical strength of mortars
Summary
The important thing is respect for the monument in all of its values, and in particular with regard to the materials with which it was built. The documentation relating to the composition of old mortars in Algeria is not very rich, apart from some recent studies on the characterization of archaeological materials. Some studies have concentrated the preservation of building materials (stone, brick, and mortar), and in particular on strategies for their preservation (Esbert and Montoto, 1991; Groot et al, 1999; Sánchez-Moral et al, 2005; Hughes, 2012)
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