Eco-efficient mortars with enhanced mechanical, durability and bactericidal performance

Abstract

The cracking phenomena readily found in cement-based building structures not only paves the way for deleterious structural damage resulting from water penetration, but also degrades the aesthetic elements of the edifice. Lime-pozzolan mortars, however, demonstrate a promising alternative against the effects of weathering by accommodating expansion, contraction, temperature variability and moisture change. The present work identifies lime and metakaolin amounts, curing time and temperature as key factors affecting both the mechanical and durability properties of mortars using metakaolin-lime mixtures. In order to improve application-specific mortar performance along mechanical, durability and bactericidal lines, the present work employs a small percentage of activators that bring about effects in terms of bactericidity, strength gain enhancement and strength improvement at long curing time. Furthermore, this new mixture is especially suited for replacing cement-based mortars due to its specific characteristics of flexibility, water vapour permeability and environmentally sound, composition consisting of a lower measure of both embodied energy and manufacturing-related CO2 emissions.