Abstract:
In coastal areas of Portugal, many historical buildings and fortresses still exist that were constructed in
masonry with aerial lime mortars. These mortars are often found to be in good condition, showing appropriate cohesion and adhesion to the background, although usually they show surface degradation as a result of
the aggressive marine environment.
The aim of this paper is to present and characterize the mortars used for the renders and plasters of one of
these fortresses, that of Nossa Senhora da Luz which was constructed and modified over several centuries.
The study of the mortars permitted to identify a construction period chronology improving the knowledge of
the changes in formulation of the aerial lime mortars thus allowing to select compatible repair solutions
