Physico-Chemical, Petrographical and Mechanical Properties of Mortars used in an Ancient Roman Basilica in Amasra/Turkey

Year 2015, Volume: 28 Issue: 4, 609 - 621, 05.01.2015

Sedat Kurugöl Ahmet Güleç

Abstract

In this study, physicochemical, petrographic and mechanical properties of original lime mortars from a Roman Period basilica in Amasra dated to the 1^st or 2^nd centuries are examined. The study of mortar samples has been performed through polarising and stereo microscope observations, mineralogical (XRD) analyses, chemical (ICP-ES), physical and mechanical analyses. The micro structure and semi-quantitative chemical composition of the binding media and aggregate phases were determined by Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive (SEM-EDS) analysis. This mortar possessed its hydraulic characteristic is due to the addition of volcanic rock with pozzolanic nature. Mechanical tests revealed that the average compressive strength of mortars is 6,1 N/mm² and flexural strength is about 3,3 N/mm². Pull-off tests for determining the adhesion properties proved that a good adhesion is established between mortar and andesite stone owing to its pozzolanic nature.

Keywords

Basilica, lime mortar, physicochemical- mechanical characterization, andesite, adherence

References

• Sakaoğlu, N., Çeşm-i Cihan AMASRA. Kültür Bakanlığı, Tarih Vakfı Yay., (Turkish book), İstanbul; 1999.
• Vitruvius, Mimarlık Üzerine On Kitap. Şevki Vanlı Mimarlık Vakfı Yay., (Turkish book) İstanbul; 2005.
• Ünsal, B., Mimari Tarihi. İDMMA, Yay, (Turkish book) İstanbul; p.541, 1973.
• Sanchez-Moral, S., Lugue, J., Canaveras, J.C., Soler, V., Garcia-Guinera, J., Aparicio, A., “Lime pozzolana composition, structures and restoration”, Cement and concrete Research, 35, 1555-1565, 2005.
• Moropoulou, A., Polikreti, K., Bakolas, A., and Michailidis, P., “Correlation of physicochemical and mechanical properties of historical mortars and classification by multivariate statistics”,. Cem. Con.Research, 33, 891–898, 2003.
• Turkish Standard TS EN 14579. Natural Stone Test Methods - Determination of sound speed propagation. TSE, Ankara, October 2006.
• European Standard EN 1936, Natural Stone Test Methods. Determination of Real Density and Apparent Density, and of total and open Porosity. Brussels, December 2006.
• Turkish Standard TS EN 13755, Natural stone test methods - Determination of water absorption at atmospheric pressure. Ankara, January 2003.
• Turkish Standard TS EN 1015-11 Methods of Test Mortar for Masonry – Part 11 Determination of compressive and flexure strength of hardened mortars. TSE, Ankara, October 2000.
• Turkish Standard TS EN 12390-6. Testing hardened concrete - Part 6: Tensile splitting strength of test specimens. TSE, Ankara, April 2002.
• Böke, H., Çizer, Ö., İpekoğu, B., Uğurlu, E., Şerifaki, K., Toprak, G., “Characteristics of lime produced from limestone containing diatoms”, Construction and Building Materials, 22, 866–874, 2008.
• Banfill, P.F.G., Forrester, A.M., “A relationship between hydraulicity and permeability of hydraulic lime” Proceedings of the International RILEM workshop: Historic mortars: characteristics and tests”, 173–83, Paisley, 2000.
• Callebaut, K., Elsen, J., Van Balen, K., and Viaene, W., “Nineteenth century hydraulic restoration mortars in the Saint Michael's Church (Leuven. Belgium) Natural hydraulic lime or cement?”, Cement and Concrete Research, 397-403, 2001.
• Davidovits,. Les Mortiers de pouzzolanes artificielles chez Vitruve evolution et historique architecturale. These de D.E.A Les Cultures de L’Antiquite Classique. Universite Paris X-Nanterre France, 1995.
• Pavia, S. and Caro, S., “An investigation of Roman mortar technology through the spectrographic analysis of archeological material”, Construction and Building Materials, 22, 1807–1811, 2008. [16] Moropoulou, A., Bakolas, A. and Anagnostopoulou, S., “Composite Materials in Ancient Structures”, Cement and Concrete Composites, 27, 295-300; 2005..
• Tunçoku, S.S. and Caner-Saltık, E.N., “Opal-A rich additives used in ancient lime mortars”, Cement and Concrete Research, 36, 1886–1893, 2006.
• Zamba, L.C., Stamatakis, M.G., Cooper, F.A., Themelis, “Characterization of mortars used for the construction of Saithidai Heroon Podium (1st century AD) in ancient Messene, Peloponnesus, Greece”, Materials Characterization, 58, 1229– 1239, 2007.
• Elsen, J., Brutsaert, A., Deckers, M. and Brulet, R., “Microscopical study of ancient mortars from Tournai (Belgium)”, Materials Characterization, 53, 289-294, 2004.
• Hughes, J. and Leslie, A.B., “The petrography of lime inclusions in historic lime based mortars”, Proc 8th Euroseminar on Microscopy Applied to Building Materials. September 4–7 Athens, 359– 364, 2001.
• Plinius, M.A., Historia Natural, Facsimile, ITGE, 2 vols, (1629), 1998.
• Güleç, A. And Tulun, T., “Physico-chemical and petrographical studies of old mortars and plasters of Anatolia”, Cem. Concr. Res, 27, 227-234, 1997.
• Riccardi, M.P., Duminuco, P., Tomasi, C. and Ferloni, P., “Thermal, microscopic and X-Ray diffraction studies on some ancient mortars”, Therm. Acta, 321, 207-214, 1998.
• Elsen, J., “Microscopy of historic mortars-A review, “Cement and Concrete Research, 36, 1416–1424 2006.
• Aardt, J.H.P. and Visser, S., “Calcium Hydroxide Attack on Feldspars and Clays: Possible Relevance to Cement-Aggregate Reactions”, Cement and Concrete Research, 7, 643-648, 1977.
• Baronio, G. and Binda, L., “Study of the pozzolanicity of some bricks and clays” Construction and Building Materials, 11(1), 70-78, 1997.
• Özkaya, Ö.A. and Böke, H., “Properties of Roman bricks and mortars used in Serapis temple in the city of Pergamon”, Materials Characterizations, 60, 995–1000, 2009.
• Lawrence, R.M.M., A Study of Carbonation in Non-Hydraulic Lime Mortars. A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University Bath, Faculty of Engineering and Design Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, UK, October 2006.
• Stewart, J., Glover, R., Houston, J., Seeley, N. and Proudfoot, T., “Field and laboratory assessment of lime-based mortars”, Journal of Architectural Conservation , 7 (1), 7-41, 2001.
• Thomson, M., Lindqvish, E.J., Elsen, J. and. Groot, C.J.W.P., Proceedings of the 13 th Int. Brick and Block Masonry Conference, Amsterdam, 1-10, 2004.
• ASTM C 593-95. Standard Specification for Fly Ash and Other Pozzolans for Use with Lime (Reapproved 2000).