Mortars for Restoration: Set-up Parameters and Developing Mortar Design Areas

Abstract

AbstractDesigning mortars for restoration work is a crucial step in any conservation project. Mortars are complex, composite materials and their characteristics are dependent upon the raw materials used, as well as several design parameters. Especially in the case of monument protection, it is important to design a mortar with required characteristics to ensure its compatibility in relation to the historical materials, and its effectiveness in terms of the restored monument’s mechanical performance. In this chapter, first, a discussion is made on the effect of the design parameters and raw materials of a mortar on its characteristics, taking into account international literature. Following this, an interdisciplinary methodological approach is presented, focused on the design of restoration mortars, considering the characteristics of the historical materials of the monument, the environmental stresses it is subjected to, and the vulnerability of the structure to mechanical stresses. This approach considers any architectural or geometric characteristics which may set limitations to which the restoration mortar must abide by. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to correlate and examine mortar characteristics within a combined space, where compatibility and performance are simultaneously achieved.KeywordsMortarsPCARestorationCompatibilityPerformanceMortar design