Study of Bonding between Façade Stones and Substrates with and without Anchorage Using Shear-Splitting Test—Case Study: Travertine, Granite, and Marble

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation into the bond strength of three common façade stones, namely, travertine, granite, and marble, to a concrete substrate using a shear-splitting test. The effects of anchorage, the number of curing days, and the presence of an anti-freezing agent in cement–sand mortar on bond strength were studied. The results show that the number of curing days had a significant impact on the bond strength between the stones and the substrates. The presence of an anti-freezing agent and accelerator increased bonding during the initial days, but this effect gradually decreased. The use of anchorage had a positive effect on the bond strength, particularly with fewer curing days. Granite had the lowest bond strength when no anchorage was used due to its low permeability. Based on the findings, a novel fuzzy logic approach was proposed to predict the bond strength. This study provides valuable insights into improving the bonding of façade stones to substrates and can aid in the safe and efficient use of these materials in construction.