Review of Last Class

Mortar and Plaster

Outline
1. Selection of Mortar
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS
Mortars and plasters

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
NIRMA UNIVERSITY
Mortars
◉ Building mortars are mixtures, used for the joining of bricks and stones.
◉ Mortar may be defined as a paste obtained by adding water to a mixture of fine
aggregates such as sand and binding material.
◉ The pyramids of Egypt have been built with clay-gypsum, gypsum-lime and
lime mortars.
◉ The safety, strength and durability of resulting wall or any structure depends
on the quality of the mortar used as a binding medium.
◉ Plaster: It is a lean mortar that has been prepared for the specific use of
providing a protective covering on the inner or outer faces of construction.
Functions

◉ It provides binding force or cohesion between the structural units.

◉ It act as a medium for distributing the forces throughout the structure
uniformly.
◉ Additional strength and resistance against rain penetration and other such
weathering agencies.
Qualities or properties of good mortar

 The mortar mix should be easily workable – easily It should be economical to make without
transported to the place of application. compromising on any of the qualities.
 It should be sufficiently plastic – easily placed on
the bed of construction in the form of thin, smooth
and uniform layer.
 It should be capable of retaining sufficient water
during its application.
 It should be durable and strong in itself on drying
and hardening and at the same time, it should not
react in any way with the construction units.
 It should set and harden quickly – construction
could be done with speed.
 It should not develop any cracks on drying.
Classification of mortars

Based on types of building material: depending on the nature of the job – mortar may be made
by using one or more cementing materials.
 Lime mortar are mixture of fat lime or nature of job.
hydraulic lime, sand and water.  It can not be used to make mortar with cement
 Fat lime – requires loss of moisture – not – it is reactive to some cementing materials.
suitable for construction in damp and moist  Commonly used in foundation works.
conditions.
 Hydraulic lime – suitable for damp
situations.
 Cement mortar are prepared from Portland
cement or its varieties, sand and water.
 Surkhi mortar: ordinary type of mortar
where sand is partly or wholly replaced by
surkhi (crushed burnt bricks) in lime mortar.
 The ratio of lime to surkhi will depend on the
Lime Mortar
 Based on types of building material
 Gypsum mortars are prepared from gypsums  Gauged mortars are prepared by adding Portland
or anhydride binding materials. cement and lime together in properly determined
 rarely used in tough construction – proportions as binding materials.
application as plasters.  Stronger, denser and durable than ordinary lime
mortars.
 Composite mortars: may be surkhi-motar
(surkhi, lime and water), lime-surkhi-sand
mortar, cement-lime mortar and cement-clay
mortar.
Based on Nature of Application
 Brick laying or masonry mortar: main mortars used as binding medium between the
brick masonry units in the construction of foundation and walls.
 Finishing mortars or plasters: are lean mortars used for protective covering over walls
and also in ornamental work and for architectural purpose.
 It should be homogeneous mix.
Based on Density of mortar

 Heavy mortars: Bulk Density – greater than 1500 kg/m3.

 Aggregate - Heavy quartz or sand.
 Special type of heavy mortar – X-rays shielding mortars - Bulk Density
– 2200 kg/m3 or more.
 Light weight mortars: Bulk Density – lesser than 1500 kg/m3 .
 Aggregate – sands poorer in quartz and also crushed lightweight rock
such as pumice, blast furnace slag.
 Special type of Light weight mortars - Bulk Density – 600 - 1000 kg/m 3
– for making sound proof ceiling and walls.
Lime mortars
 Definition: homogeneous mixes of lime with various proportions of fine sand,
surkhi, pumice, ash, in water.
 Common mortar in ordinary type of building construction work.
Preparation:
 Selection of raw materials: lime, sand, surkhi, pumice, ash are common
materials used in lime mortars.
 Lime – binding material
 Sand – more commonly used – may be partly or wholly replaced one or more
materials.
 Fat lime: used in dry type of construction.
 Hydraulic lime: used in water rich areas and damp conditions.
Selection of raw materials  Pozzuolana materials: natural or artificial
materials that exhibits some binding properties
 Sand: Good quality for making when used with cement or lime. – pumice, cinder,
strong and durable mortar – pure in surkhi and ash.
composition and free from impurities
and sharp grained in structure.  Surkhi – finely grinding well-burnt bricks.
 Purpose to add sand in mortar:
 Cinder – fine residue from the burning of coals in
 To bear the load – sand + lime
railway engines.
(cement) = stone like mass.
 To resist shrinkage and cracking.  Suitable for making lightweight mortars.
 To increase bulk of the mortar.
 Pumice – natural highly porous volcanic rock
formed by accumulation and compaction of ash
 Water: which is suitable for drinking purpose. from volcanoes.
 Water should be free from alkalies, acids and organic
residues.  Suitable for making lightweight mortars.
b. Proportioning of the raw materials

 Aim: to fix such ratios of the ingredients that gives a mortar of desired qualities (strength,
durability, finish and cost).
 Mortar used in different places in a construction are subjected to different forces – no
general rule for proportioning a mortar mix can be framed.
 Additional facts should also be remember while selecting ratio.
 If more sand is added than recommended – short in workability, difficult to place.
 If less sand is added than recommended – very stiff and will stick – show considerable
shrinkage on drying.
 When In doubt – add a little more (not less)
 The amount of water - carefully fixed after trials – neither too lean and nor too stiff.
C. Mixing of raw materials
 Manual mixing: common method for ordinary construction.
 Done either on a watertight platform made of masonry or in tank of suitable
dimensions dug in the ground.
 First place measure volume of lime on platform and mix it properly.
 Water is added in small quantities a time. Mixing is continued till a mortar of
uniform consistency is obtained.
 Mortar mill mixing: mechanical device for grinding the mortar ingredients in
the presence of water.
 Either run by an animal (lime chakki) or by motor power (grinding mill).
Uses of lime mortars
 For foundation works: fat lime mortar can be used in all types of foundation work in dry
sub grade – water table is 2.4 m below the foundations level.
 For all masonry works: loading – 20 to 60 tonnes/m 2 (light and medium loading)
 Fat lime and hydraulic lime, both are suitable.
 Lime mortar can be replaced by cement mortar.
 Lime mortar can not be applied when:
 Sub grade soil is moist – water table is within 2.4 m.
 Heavy loading is expected.
 Construction is massive and very thick.
Hardening of lime mortars
For Fat lime: two process
 Loss of moisture: water mixed in mortar and with lime during hydration is lost
by evaporation.

 Carbonate formation: calcium oxide absorbs carbon dioxide from the

surrounding and forms calcium carbonate – responsible for giving the strength,
bond and durability.

 For hydraulic lime: similar to cement mortar.

 Formation of crystalline gel of hydrous calcium silicate as a reaction of calcium
and silica compounds in the presence of water.
 Fat lime mortar used in thick construction or deep below the ground – may not
gain full strength even after many years of their application – because non
Precautions

∫ Mortars with hydraulic lime – should be used within 4 hours after

mixing.
∫ Lime mortars with surkhi – should be used within 24 hours after
mixing.
∫ Composite (lime and cement) mortars – should be used within 2 hours
after mixing.
∫ All lime mortar shall be kept wet after grinding.
 Cement mortars
 Cement mortar is homogeneous paste of fixed proportion of cement, sand and water.
Preparation:
 Selection of raw materials: the Portland cement must be pure, undamaged. Ordinary
Portland cement is most suitable.
 Sand: Good quality for making strong and durable mortar – pure in composition and free
from impurities and sharp grained in structure.
 Must be thoroughly clean before using.
 No other aggregate can replace sand completely in cement mortars.
Proportioning of the raw materials.
 For ordinary masonry work – 1 cement: 3 sand to 1 cement: 6 sand
 For reinforced brick work & work in moist condition - 1 cement: 2 sand to 1 cement: 3
sand
 For Architectural work – 1 cement: 3 sand
 For load bearing structures - 1 cement: 2 sand to 1 cement: 3 sand
Precautions
 The setting process starts even within the first hour of its preparation - should be used
within 30 minutes after adding water to the cement and sand mixture.
 The structural units – bricks and stones must be soaked in water before laying on the wall.
If dry units, it will absorb moisture quickly.
 If cement sand mortar – place should be kept wet at least for seven days.
Gauged mortars
 Cementing material – cement and lime both
 Lime – for economical purpose and cement – for strength.
Methods for making gauged mortars
 The three ingredients: lime, cement and sand are mixed together in dry condition in
predetermined volume (1 cement, 1 lime,1 sand or 1 cement, 2 lime, 6 sand etc)
 Then add small quantity of water, increase the quantity of water gradually – mixing is
continued till homogeneous paste of desired consistency is obtained.
 Lime sand mortar: predetermined volume of cement is added in dry state then mix
thoroughly. Add small quantity of additional water.
 Cement sand mortar: same as lime sand mortar but use slacked lime in finely powered
form.
Plasters
 Lean mortars used mostly for covering masonry surfaces.
 Lean mixes of cementing materials with fillers such as sand, surkhi and crushed stones.
 Jaggery, white of eggs and soured curd are also added for special effects
 Protective plasters – saves the brick or stone from direct and destructive attacks of
atmosphere and also from wind, rain and harmful industrial gases, used on the exterior
walls
 Decorative plasters – appealing shades and finish designs to the construction, used on the
interior walls
Types of plasters

 Lime plaster, cement plaster, gypsum plaster etc. Cement plaster: lean mix of Portland cement
Lime plasters: mixing thoroughly slaked lime and and sand with water.
sand in ratio of 1 lime and 2-3 sand surkhi by volume  Suitable for all type of plastering works.
with good quantity of water till homogeneous lean  Proportion for all purpose – 1 cement : 3
paste is obtained. sand
 Apply in single coat.
 Specially useful as protective plasters on the inner
 The surface of the plaster is kept wet for at
side of the walls.
least 3 days after application by sprinkling
Moghul plaster – 1 lime : 3 sand : 1 surkhi to which water on it at regular intervals.
some Jaggery, white of eggs have been also mixed.
 These later materials improve the adhesive
property, strength and beauty of plaster.
 Lime should be thoroughly slaked and free from
unburnt lime, grit and pebbles.
Lime Plaster
Moghul Plaster
Types of plasters
Common ratio are:
 1 cement: 1 lime: 6 sand for external plasters, below damp proof course
 1 cement: 2 lime: 9 sand for external plasters on walls
Guniting plaster: 1 cement: 3 sand which is applied under great pressure – 2.5 kg/cm 2
with the use of special gun.
 From gun, thoroughly mixed plaster is thrown out on the surface of application with
the help of compressed air.
Gypsum plaster: binding material – gypsum.
 Used for making architectural fancies and decorative designs on walls and roofs.
 Properties of gypsum plaster:
(i) Great resistance to fire
(ii) Set and harden quickly
(iii) Undergo very little expansion or contraction
Sand
 Rock particles that ranges in grain size River sand: occur as accumulations of great
between 2 mm and 1/16 mm. extent along the base and banks of rivers
shape – almost round.
 In composition, an oxide of silica (SiO 2) .
Generally free from clay, salt and organic
 Mostly broken grains of mineral quartz (SiO 2) impurities.
produced as result of breakdown of granites, Most commonly used for making mortars,
sandstone and similar rocks by natural process plasters and concrete.
of weathering and erosion.
Classification:
According to mode of origin: Pit sand, stream sand
and marine sand.
Pit sand: generally sharp and angular – deposited
by wind and form accumulations in soil.
 Sand when cleaned and washed
makes good mortar.
Marine sand: occur on beaches and along sea Clean sand: well graded-mostly quartz particles in
shore. wide range of grain size.
 Silty sand: poorly graded – considerable
 Shape – rounded grains of quartz
proportion of silt (1/16 to 1/256 mm size) and
 Covered with the salts which are not easily other non-plastic fines.
separable.  Clayey sand: poorly graded – prominent clay
 If used in mortar, concrete – salts react fraction (below 1/256 mm size) and also plastic
with the binding material. fines.
 Clean sand must be used for making mortar
 Marine sands are considered of inferior
plaster and concrete.
quality and should be better avoided.
 Sand is also obtained artificially by crushing
 If it is only source available – must be used natural quartzite rock to the required grain size.
after thoroughly washed.  According to grain size: course sand – 2-1 mm,
 According to composition: clean sand, silty medium sand – 1-0.25 mm and fine sand – 0.25 –
sand and clayey sand. 0.15 mm.
Bulking of sand

 Volume of sand will be more when water is present in it

even in small quantities.
 Two batches of sand, one dry and one wet, may have same
weight with different volume.
 Volume of moist sand is more than dry sand.
 Bulking of sand: the change or increase in volume of sands
on getting moist.
Important in construction.
 All the mix design denotes the proportion of sand in
essentially dry state.
 Factors affecting on rate of bulking:
 Percentage of moisture content – bulking effect is
maximum when moisture content in sand is between 4 to
6 %. As water-content percentage increasing – this
effect goes on decreasing.
 Grain size of sand particles – fine sand shows higher
bulking rate as compared to coarse sand.
Functions of sand:
 Increase in bulk: increase volume of mortar and concrete from 50 to 100 % - use as
cementing materials highly economical.
 Prevention of shrinkage: cement and lime suffer considerable shrinkage on setting. If only
cementing material used then they will shrink and develop cracks. Sand – helps in
preventing development of cracks.
 Imparting strength: cementing material may not be as strong when used alone.
 The sand particles are quite hard, resistant and strong in themselves and impart these
qualities to the set mix.
Qualities of sand:
◉ Inert composition: sand is to be mixed with lime or cement – it must be chemically inert.
Silica – rich sand is suitable.
◉ Shape and size of grains: for imparting an interwoven and strong base, sand should have
angular and sharp-edged outlines.
◉ Rounded grains will result in too porous mortar and concrete.
◉ Freedom from impurities: must be free from impurities like clay, oxides of iron and salts.