Properties of Air Lime Mortar with Bio-Additives

Abstract

Lime mortar has been a primary binding material in ancient mortar, and is one of the main reasons behind solid and stable constructions that remain stable even after thousands of years. The benefits of lime are innumerable: it is minimally processed and used with a lesser carbon footprint and embodied energy and, most crucially, it is a carbon absorbent. This research experiments with the strength properties (compression) of lime at 28, 56, and 100 days of air curing. The investigation studies the durability using water absorption, UPV test, and carbonation parameters after 100 days of exposure to air. The tested materials are subjected to SEM analysis to find the morphology of the reaction that takes place and the products that are formed. We also performed a comparative study of two different fermented additives by the duration of fermentation (1 day and 10 days) and two different doses of additives (Jaggery and Kadukkai) with air lime. The bio-additives were experimented with using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy for the formation of new enriching compounds, which improved the qualities of traditional lime mortar. The formation of fat and protein in the additives was found using IS 7219-1973 (a method for the determination of protein in foods and feeds). Using the AOAC method, the presence of fat confirms the improvement in strength and durability properties. The phytochemical analysis details the alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, and saponins. Quantification of phenols and flavonoids adds to the beneficial aspects of the fermented additives. The experimental results indicate that using naturally fermented organic materials in the lime has made the structures stronger with the stable build of calcite and vaterite components. The self-healing capacity of lime mortar makes it time resistant.