Influence of the aggregates’ nature and particle size distribution on the mechanical properties of lime-based mortars

Abstract

The requirements of reliable and durable solutions to repair ancient building structures without causing new damages lead to choosing materials compatible with the old ones, such as aerial lime, pozzolan-lime or natural hydraulic lime binders. The use of local materials can reduce the environmental impacts of the construction sector and control costs. The performance of mortars depends primarily on the characteristics of their components. The volume content of aggregates in mortars is around 75-85% and so the mortar’s performance is strongly affected by the aggregates’ properties, grading and packing. This paper intends to study the mechanical performance of lime-based mortars, using aggregates of different lithological natures, which can be found in various regions, as well as different grain size distributions. For this purpose, mortar mixes of aerial or natural hydraulic lime with three sands of different mineralogical composition (siliceous, calcareous and basaltic), composed of two grain size ranges (standard and optimized), are studied. An evaluation of the mechanical behaviour over time is made and the effect of grading and aggregate type on the mechanical behaviour of mortars is evidenced and discussed.