Characterization and restoration of historic Rosendale cement mortars for the purpose of restoration
Date of Award
12-2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Materials Science and Engineering
Committee Chair/Advisor
Brosnan, Denis A
Committee Member
Sanders , John P
Committee Member
Richardson , Kathleen
Abstract
Mortar was a very common building material in today's historic sites. Before Portland cement was manufactured at a global level, Rosendale cement was commonly used in these mortars. Over time, these mortars in historic sites have begun to break down and wear away. With Rosendale cement in production again, measures can be taken to restore and repair the historic mortars. However, little testing has been done to establish durability of modern Rosendale cement mortars. This presentation highlights the common mix techniques used at the time, and undergoes experiments to establish general properties and predict future durability. Six different mortar mixes were tested with varying cement content and using various lime additions. Properties observed include compressive strength, absorption, porosity, permeability, and bond strength. Ion chromatography was used on seawater-soaked samples to determine how the Rosendale cement mortar would react with the seawater. Relationships between these properties were also addressed. It was found that cement content played a large role in compressive strength, while lime content had an effect on bond strength. Ion chromatography was used on seawater-soaked samples to determine how the Rosendale cement mortar would react with the seawater. Magnesium sulfates, and chloride were taken up into the mortars, indicating that Rosendale would be venerable to salt attack.
Recommended Citation
Hart, Stephanie, "Characterization and restoration of historic Rosendale cement mortars for the purpose of restoration" (2012). All Theses. 1549.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/1549