MODULE 5

Introduction to mortars
Proportions
water cement ratio

Discussion on Mortar types,

Lime mortar
cement mortar
stabilized mud mortar

Properties and application of mortars

Comparison of mud, lime, and cement mortar- advantages and disadvantages
 What is mortar ?
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks
together and fill the gaps between them.
 Purpose of mortar

1. The principal purpose of mortar is to adhesively bind together

the individual masonry units.

2. To protect against air and water penetration through the joints in a masonry
assembly.

3. Mortar also bonds the non-masonry elements of an assembly such as joint

reinforcement and ties.

4. Finally, mortar joints contribute to the architectural effect of the masonry assembly both
through colour and shadow.
 What is the composition ?
Binding Fine
Water MORTAR
Material Aggregate

Mortar is a workable paste prepared by mixing binding material, fine aggregate and
water in suitable proportion.

Binding material – Cement, Lime, and mud

Fine aggregate – Sand, surkhi, cinder
 Mud
Lime Cement
Mortar
Mortar Mortar
 Types of Mortar

Sand/ Water
Clay
surkhi

Binding
Material Lime Sand/ Water
surkhi

Cement Sand Water

1. Reduces Shrinkage of the building material Workability

2. Prevents development of cracks in mortar
3. Varying proportions gives varying strengths
of mortars and varying density according to
use
 Uses of Mortar

Bricklaying/Masonry work Finishing work: Plastering /Pointing

Proportion of Mortar for Pointing Work

Lime mortar of 1:2 ( 1 fat lime : 2 sand or surkhi)
Cement mortar of 1:3 ( 1 cement : 3 sand)
 Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use
• Workability

• Water retention capacity

Wet mortar
• Optimum air content

• Rate of stiffening

• Homogenous massing
Dry/
• Strength by hardening Set mortar

• Durability
Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Workability
Defined as the behaviour of a mix in respect of
all the properties required , during application,
subsequent working and finishing.
 Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Water Retention Capacity

The property of the mortar that resists water
loss by absorption into the masonry units and to
air , in varying conditions of temperature, wind
and humidity.
.
Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Optimum Air Content

In order to achieve good durability it is
necessary that there is sufficient air content
(entrained air) to enable freeze –thaw cycles to
be resisted without disrupting the material .
Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Stiffening
Gradual change from plastic/ wet mortar to set
mortar
Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Homogenous massing
To form a homogenous mass of the
structure so as to resist all the loads
coming over it without disintegration and
transfer the same uniformly to its
foundation lying underneath
Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Strength by Hardening
Process whereby the set mortar progressively
develops strength
Desirable properties of mortars
masonry use

Durability
Ability to endure aggressive conditions like
water, frost, soluble salts, and temperature
change. In general as cement content
increases so will durability. Air entrainment of
mortars improves resistance to freeze-thaw
damage.
Cement mortar

Cement mortar is a type of mortar where cement

is used as binding material and sand is used as fine
aggregate. Depending upon the desired strength, the
cement-to-sand proportion of cement mortar varies
from 1:2 to 1:6.
 Matrix, Plaster & Grout

• Mortar used in the concrete is termed a Matrix

• The mortar used for plastering is Known as
Plaster
• The mortar(Thin liquid) used to fill up empty joints
in the masonry is known as Grout
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Cement
Cement is a fine powder which sets after a few hours
when mixed with water, and then hardens in a few days
into a solid, strong material.

• Cement is mainly used to bind fine sand and coarse

aggregates together in concrete.
• Cement is a hydraulic binder, i.e. it hardens when water
is added.
• The choice of the cement depends upon the nature of
work, local environment, method of construction etc.
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Cement
• It is a mixture of calcareous, siliceous, argillaceous
and other substances.
• Calcareous Materials - Cement or chalk
• Siliceous Material - Silica
• Argillaceous - Clay or shale

Pozzolanic cements are mixtures of

• Ordinary Portland cement (OPC)
portland cement and a pozzolanic
• PPC or Portland Pozzolana cement
material that may be either natural
Portland Pozzolana cement 33
or artificial. The natural pozzolanas
Portland Pozzolana cement 43
Types of Cement Portland Pozzolana cement 53
are mainly materials of volcanic
origin but include some
• Rapid hardening cement
diatomaceous earth. Artificial
• Coloured cement- white cement
materials include fly ash, burned
• Low heat cement.
clays, and shales.
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Functions of Cement
• It fills up the voids existing in the fine aggregate and
makes the mortar impermeable.
• It binds the aggregate into solid mass by virtue of its
setting and hardening properties when mixed with
water.
• It provides strength to the mortar on setting and
hardening
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

How do we test the quality of

the quality of cement at site ?

• One feels cool by thrusting one’s hand

in the cement bag.
• It is smooth when rubbed in between
fingers.
• A handful of cement thrown in a
bucket of water should float.
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Cement
Mortar

Fine aggregate-Sand

• The aggregate which passes through 4.75mm IS sieve

and are entirely retained on 75 micron IS sieve are
known as fine aggregate.
• Sand can be used as a fine aggregate.
• It consists of small angular or rounded grains of silica.
• Sand can be either natural sand such as river sand, Sea
sand or artificial sand which is made by crushing stones
and gravels to powder.
• It must be clean and free from the coating of clay and
silt.
• Should not contain any organic matter
• The sum of the percentages of all deleterious material
shall not exceed 5%.
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Grading of Aggregates
• On the basis of particle size, fine aggregate is graded in
to four zones.
• Grading Zones based on clause 4.3 of IS 383 - 1970

• 10 mm, 4.75 mm, 2.36 mm, 1.18 mm,

600 microns, 300 microns and 150
micron sieves are arranged vertically
and mechanically sieve it for 2 minutes
and results are noted
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Cement
Mortar

Water

• Water used for mixing and curing shall be clean and

free from injurious quantities of alkalis, acids, oils,
salts, sugar, organic materials, vegetable growth, or
other substance that may be deleterious to bricks,
stone, concrete, or steel.

• Potable water is generally considered satisfactory for

mixing. The Ph value of water shall be not less than 6.
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Cement
Mortar

Mixing

• The mixing of mortar shall be done taking into account the

nature, magnitude, and location of the work and practicability.
• Hand mixing- small-scale works or when the use of the
mechanical mixer is not feasible.
• Mechanical mixing- more efficient in case of large-scale
works
Manual Preparation of cement mortar
 BC 101 BUILDING MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES- I | Semester 1| C.A.T

Cement
Mortar

Mechanical Mixing
• Cement and sand in the specified proportions shall be
mixed dry thoroughly in a mixer.
• Water shall then be added gradually and wet mixing
continued for at least three minutes.
• only the required quantity of water shall be added
which will produce mortar of workable consistency but
not stiff paste.
• Only the quantity of mortar, which can be used within
30 minutes of its mixing shall be prepared at a time.
• Mixer shall be cleaned with water each time before
suspending the work.
Mud mortar
Mud mortar is a type of mortar where mud is used as binding material
sawdust, rice husk, sand or cow-dung is used as fine aggregate.
Mud mortar is useful where lime or cement is not available.
▪ A mud mortar is prepared by simply mixing
clean soil with water until it is in a plastic
state.

▪ Once applied, a mud mortar sets quite

rapidly on drying without the need for
elaborate curing procedures

▪ The beneficial characteristics of mud mortars

including good bond to compatible surfaces,
relatively high compressive strength and
ease of preparation allow them to be used in
a range of applications

▪ Such mortars are generally used with adobe

and compressed soil block or, sometimes,
fired clay brick and soft stone construction.
Stabilized Mud Mortar

The soil with clay content of 10 to 20% is ideal for making mud
mortar.
The presence of moisture reduces the compressive strength of
masonry drastically.

Clay has cohesive nature, it imparts plasticity to the soil when under moist conditions.
Plasticity is due to the thin film of absorbed water which adheres strongly to the clay
layers.

Clay swells in presence of water and shrinks in the absence of it.

Soils that have clay content below 10% can be stabilized using cement and
soils which clay content above 30% can be stabilized using lime, known as
stabilized mud mortar.
LIME MORTAR

Lime mortar is a type of mortar where lime

(fat lime or hydraulic lime) is used as
binding material and sand is used as fine
aggregate.
The lime-to-sand proportion of the mortar
is often kept 1:2.
Step 1 Calcining :
Lime is produced by burning limestone (calcium
carbonate or calcite, CaCO3 ) in a kiln at temperatures in
excess of 850ºC .This drives off the carbon dioxide held
within the lime to produce calcium oxide (CaO), a highly
reactive solid known as ‘quicklime’ or ‘lump lime’.

Step 2: Slaking :
Slaking’ of this calcium oxide with water results in a
highly exothermic reaction to produce lime (Ca(OH)2, an
anhydrous (free of water) material termed slaked lime
or hydrated lime.

Step 3: Preparation of mortar:

Quick lime or hydrated lime is mixed with aggregate
and water to form a mortar; alternatively the addition of
excess water during slaking results in the formation of
a lime putty. Lime mortars can be prepared from lime
putty, or hydrates can be made in to putty by soaking in
clean water for at least 24 hours. The putty should then
1) Calcination CaCO3 + heat = CaO + CO2
be well mixed with aggregate in a 1:3 lime: aggregate
2) Hydration CaO + H2O = Ca(OH)2 + Heat
ratio. The aggregate is usually sharp well graded sand.
3) Carbonation CaO + H2O = CaCO3 + H2O
Preparation of lime mortar

Adding water to slaked

lime and sand
WHY LIME ?

Calcium hydroxide in the mortar reacts with carbon dioxide (in

the presence of moisture) in the atmosphere to form calcium
carbonate in a reaction termed ‘carbonation’. In this series of
reactions, known as the lime cycle, the material essentially
returns to its original form, as the set lime is compositionally
similar to its original limestone, thus making it a carbon neutral
material
Properties Cement mortar Mud mortar Lime mortar
Strength

Applications
Curing
Durability

Construction
cost