Sep 18 2014
Lucideon, the international provider of materials development, testing and assurance, and formerly known as Ceram, has produced a technical guide, ‘Lime in Mortars: Hydrated Lime – Benefits of the Use in Mortars’ for the European Lime Association (EuLA).
Although lime has been used in mortars since Roman Times in much of Europe, there has been little direct research into how and why lime improves the properties of mortar, both during mixing and whilst in service.
Launched at the recent, 9th International Masonry Conference in Guimaraes, Portugal, the guide provides a review of the scientific literature around the benefits of using lime in cement-based mortars, in both the fresh (as mixed) and hardened state.
The guide also evaluates existing information and highlights the direct benefits to mortar in general use, and specifically the durability and performance characteristics of mortar in service.
Dr Andrew Smith, Head of Sustainability & Construction Materials, and author of the guide, commented:
“The guidance note provides the scientific basis for some of the beneficial properties that lime additions contribute to mortars, however it also goes to show that much of our understanding of how it performs is generally anecdotal. As a scientist, this came as a great surprise.
“I’ve grown up in the construction sector knowing that lime additions provide direct benefits in mortar, and was astonished to discover that the science behind how and why it works is not readily available.
“The document represents the current knowledge base, and provides lime and mortar manufacturers, users, and the scientific research community with a factual foundation of information from which to build as we start to fill the information gap.”
Download the free technical guide at: www.lucideon.com/construction.
About Lucideon
Lucideon is a leading international provider of materials development, testing and assurance.
Through its offices and laboratories in the UK, US and the Far East, Lucideon provides materials and assurance expertise to clients in a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, construction, ceramics and power engineering.
The company aims to improve the competitive advantage and profitability of its clients by providing them with the expertise, accurate results and objective, innovative thinking that they need to optimise their materials, products, processes, systems and businesses.
www.lucideon.com