Influence of inorganic and organic additives on spectrophotometry of lime mortars

Abstract

Variation in colors in lime base mortars by adding materials like clay, manufacturing brick ash, quarry powder, and maize starch have been analyzed in this research. Such additions were compared with a sample mortar made only of sand and clay. In order to quantify the color, Chromatic coordinates, expressed in coordinates C.I.E. (L*, a* and b*) were measured. These analyses determine the median chromatic coordinates which are between red and yellow, maybe as orange. To design a mortar in that original color the measured values L*, a* and b* were taken into account. The present work shows the results of color of lime mortars which provides acceptable aesthetic results according to the original colors of the monuments that is intended to be restored but without diminishing the mechanical resistance of them.

Keywords

• spectrophotometry
• lime
• mineral additions
• mortars
• restoration