Mechanical Properties of Mortars for Structural Restoration of Historic Masonry Buildings

Mortars used for structural restoration of historic masonry buildings are made with the aim of ensuring the durability of masonry over time. This requirement is ensured if the mortars are compatible with historical materials in terms of physical, chemical and mechanical properties. In this work an experimental study on the mechanical characterization of lime-based mortars used for the structural restoration of monumental historic buildings is presented. The experimental study was performed in laboratory on two distinct types of mortars: injection mortar and mortar for surface restoration. Compression and bending tests were performed on cubic and prismatic specimens. The results of laboratory tests were compared with those obtained from semi-destructive tests performed in-situ to obtain empirical formulations for the assessment of the in-situ strength.