Module 4

MORTAR
MORTAR

• The term mortar is used to indicate a paste prepared by adding a required quantity of
water to a mixture of binding material like cement or lime and fine aggregate like sand.

• This is used to bond masonry or other structural units.

• The word comes from Latin moratorium meaning crushed
Mortars are usually named according to the binding
material used in their preparation.

CEMENT MOLRTAR LIME MORTAR CLAY MORTAR

They are essentially required for masonry work,
plastering and pointing etc.

Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a

rigid aggregate structure.
 Composition of Mortar
Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of
• sand,
• a binder such as cement or lime, and
• water.
Functions of Mortar
1. It provides force or cohesion between the structural unit.
2. It acts as a medium for distributing the forces throughout the structure uniformly.
3. Additional strength and resistance against the rain penetration and other such
weathering agencies.
4. In stone or brick masonry, it fills up empty joints, a thin liquid mortar used for such
purposes is termed as Grout.
 PROPERTIES
Workability

Workability may be defined as the behavior of a mix in respect of all the properties required, during application,
subsequent working and finishing.

Ease of use, i.e. the way it adheres or slides on the trowel.

Ease of spread on the masonry unit.
Ease of extrusion between courses without excessive dropping or smearing.
Ease of positioning of the masonry unit without movement due to its own weight and the weight of additional courses
 Water Retentivity & Air content

• This is the property of mortar that resists water loss by absorption into the masonry units (suction) and to the air,
in conditions of varying temperature, wind and humidity.
• Water retentivity is related to workability.

• The air content of the mortar in its plastic state is also important.
• 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 matrix of the material.

(The freeze-thaw phenomenon occurs when concrete is saturated with water and the temperature
drops, freezing the H2O molecules. Since frozen water expands 9% of its original volume, it causes distress
to the concrete structure.)
Stiffening and hardening

The progression of stiffening, refers to the gradual change from fresh or plastic mortar to setting or set
mortar.

Hardening refers to the subsequent process whereby the set mortar progressively develops strength.
 Durability

For protection against frost damage, and repeated cycles of freezing and thawing, it is necessary that mortar should
gain strength rapidly, it should be dense and should have good ultimate strength.
It should therefore, contain adequate proportion of portland cement, and sand should be well graded.
Types of Mortars
Mortars are classified on the basis of the following

BULK DENSITY
KIND OF BINDING MATERIAL
NATURE OF APPLICATION
SPECIAL REQIREMENTS
BY BULK DENSITY
According to the bulk density of mortar in dry state , there are two types of mortars.
Heavy Mortar Bulk Density =/> 1500 kg/m3
Lightweight Mortar - Bulk Density < 1500 kg/m3

KIND OF BINDING MATERIAL

Lime Mortar
Lime – Surkhi Mortar
Mud Mortar
Cement Mortar
LIME MORTAR
Lime mortar is a type of mortar composed of lime and an aggregate such as sand, mixed
with water.

Lime mortar is primarily used in the conservation of buildings originally built using lime
mortar, but may be used as an alternative to ordinary portland cement.

A lime kiln is used to produce quicklime through the calcination of limestone (calcium
carbonate).

CaCO3 + heat → CaO + CO2

Quick Lime
Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as quicklime or burnt lime, is a widely used
chemical compound. It is a white, caustic, alkaline crystalline solid at room temperature
usually obtained from limestone.
Slaking of Lime
When water is added to quick lime in sufficient quantity, lime cracks, swells and falls
into powder form due to the chemical reaction thus forming calcium hydrate Ca(OH)2.
The paste is prepared by mixing lime and sand or surkhi in suitable proportions in addition to water.
•If surkhi is to be added in lime mortar the equal proportions of sand and surkhi should be mixed with lime.
•These mortars are inferior to cement mortars in strength as well as water tightness.
•These mortars should not be used for underground works as they set in the presence of carbon dioxide and
break up in damp conditions.
•This type is used for construction work above ground level i.e. exposed positions.
 MUD MORTAR
The paste is prepared by mixing suitable clay, soil with water.

•The soil which is used for preparing mud mortar should be free from grass, pebbles etc.
•These are the cheapest mortars but weakest in strength.
•These mortars are used for brickwork of ordinary buildings and for plastering walls in rural areas.
 STABILIZED MUD MORTAR
Mud mortar was commonly used for low rise masonry buildings in the past. When the soil used for the mortar contains
clay, problems like volume instability due to its high affinity towards water.

To negate this effect, stabilization of the mortar is necessary. Cement and lime are used as binders individually and in
combination.
Preparation of Cement Mortar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui5JVfXNutg&feature=youtu.be
VIDEO

•Selection of Raw Materials

•Proportion of cement mortar
•Mixing of ingredients
 Selection of Raw Materials

Although there are different types of materials available for the preparation of Cement Mortar, it
is necessary to ensure that the right materials are selected based on the type of construction
and its purpose.
The Portland cement is used to make mortar. Ordinary Portland cement is most suitable for
common construction purposes. For making composite mortars, Lime is also used.

Sand must be of good quality and it should be free of impurities like clay, dust, oxide of irons
etc. It must be cleaned completely before mixing with cement.
Sand provides strength, resistance against shrinkage and cracking. It provides bulk to mortars,
hence, making it economical. Using just cement would not only make it extremely costly, but
also impractical.

The water should be free from clay and other impurities.

 PROPORTION OF CEMENT MORTAR

The Proportion means the relative quantity of different

components to be mixed to make good mortar, or
simply the ratio between different materials.
 Following are the proportions of cement mortar which
is commonly recommended for different works:

1. Masonry Construction:

•For ordinary masonry work with brick/ stone as a structural unit. – 1:3 to 1:6
•For reinforced brick work – 1:2 to 1:3.
•For all work in moist situations – 1:3
•For Architectural work – 1:6
•For Load Bearing structures – 1:3 or 1:4
 02. Plaster Work:
•For External Plaster and Ceiling Plaster – 1:4
•Internal Plaster (If sand is not fine i.e. Fineness Modulus> 3) – 1:5
•For Internal Plaster (if fine sand is available) – 1:6

03. Flooring Work:

Mortar ratio of 1:4 to 1:8 (cement: sand, water to be judgmental), for 5 to 7 times thickness of verified
tiles, should be given as bed between RCC floor and tiles.

04. Pointing Work:

•For pointing work proportion of cement mortar should be 1:1 to 1:3
 Mixing of Ingredients

1. To prepare cement mortar, cement and sand are properly mixed in dry condition.

2. Water is then added gradually and mixed using a shovel. The water should be free from clay and other
impurities.

3. Cement mortar can either be mixed manually (Hand Mixing) or mechanically (Machine Mixing).

For small construction, hand mixing is commonly used. Mechanical mixing is required when the mortar is
needed in large quantities and needs to be used in continuous order.
DRUM MIXER
❑ When using a mechanical mixer, add half a bucket (2 or 3 liters) of clean cold water to the empty drum before
adding the dry ingredients in sequence.
❑ • Add 4 measures of sand then 1 of cement, followed by 4 sand, then another cement and so on until the
required quantity is in the mixer.
❑ •This ensures a more thorough mix than adding, say, 20 measures of sand and then 5 measures of cement.
•Again, the water is added to the revolving drum once the dry ingredients are thoroughly blended, a bit at a
time until the required consistency is achieved.
USES OF CEMENT MORTAR

•To bind masonry units like stone, bricks, blocks, cement

•For Plastering on walls and slabs to make them impervious.
•As a filler material in Ferro cement works and stone masonry.
•To fill cracks and joints in the wall.
•Use of cement mortar gives a neat finishing work to wall and concrete work.
•For pointing the joints of masonry.
•For preparing the building blocks.
Precaution While Using of Cement Mortar

After adding water to the mixture, the mortar should be used within 30 minutes, because the
setting process begins immediately after adding water. Otherwise, its strength will gradually
decrease.

Before placing the structural units, i.e. bricks and stones they must be saturated in water
because the cement requires a good amount of water for hydration. If dry units are placed on
the mortar, they will absorb water from mortar very quickly, which will have a deteriorating
effect on the mixture and its strength will get reduced.

Wherever the mortar is used, it should be kept wet at least for 7 days.
 Need for adding water
CEMENT
Hydraulic cements setting and hardening involve hydration reactions and therefore require water, while
non-hydraulic cements only react with a gas and can directly set under air.

Portland cement

Portland cement, a form of hydraulic cement, is by far the most common type of cement in general use
around the world. This cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with other materials (such
as clay) to 1,450 °C (2,640 °F) in a kiln, in a process known as calcination that liberates a molecule
of carbon dioxide from the calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide, or quicklime, which then chemically
combines with the other materials in the mix to form calcium silicates and other cementitious compounds.
The resulting hard substance, called 'clinker', is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder
to make ordinary Portland cement, the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC).
 Different Types Of Cement
•Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) ...
•Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) ...
•Rapid Hardening Cement. ...
•Extra Rapid Hardening Cement. ...
•Low Heat Cement. ...
•Sulfates Resisting Cement. ...
•Quick Setting Cement. ...
•Blast Furnace Slag Cement.
WATER is required for
: hydration of cement in the mortar mix
: improves workability

Too much water will not only cause loss of strength but the excessive workability will cause the
mortar to drip off. water to cement ratio in cement water is best decided at site, looking to the
nature of job and state of moisture in the sand, as well as the atmospheric temperature.
An ideal mortar:
• Adheres completely and durably to all the masonry unit to provide stability.
• Remains workable long enough to enable the operative to set the masonry unit
right to line and level; this implies good water retentivity.
• Stiffens sufficiently quickly to permit the laying of the units to proceed smoothly,
and provides rapid development of strength and adequate strength when
hardened.
• Is resistant to the action of environmental factors such as frost and/or abrasion
and the destructive effects of chemical salts such as sulfate attack.
• Resists the penetration of rain.
• Accommodates irregularities in size of masonry units.
• Contributes to the overall aesthetic appearance.
• Is cost effective
Comparison of lime mortar and cement mortar
Lime mortar Cement mortar
Chemical composition
Lime is produced from natural limestone Cement consists of highly reactive
by burning the stone in a kiln until only silica-containing compounds –
quicklime -- calcium oxide -- is left behind.
The quicklime is then mixed with small
amounts of water to create hydrated lime, when mixed with water, they harden
which may be included in cement or mixed quickly.
with water for use as mortar.
Lime hardens by slowly absorbing carbon
dioxide and turning back to limestone over
time.
Physical Properties
Lime hardens much more slowly than Cement hardens very quickly, but may be
cement-containing mortars, making it too strong for some applications, e.g.,
much more workable. working with old bricks.
Lime is also less brittle and less prone to
cracking,
Cement is also prone to cracking as a
and any cracked areas can absorb carbon structure settles, and may eventually
dioxide and mend over time. require repair.
Vapor Barrier
Lime is also breathable, allowing vapors to Cement creates a waterproof barrier that
pass through, which can reduce moisture does not allow vapors to escape, and can
and improve the environment of the home. absorb water, causing moisture to
accumulate -- especially in basements.
Environmental Concerns
Lime production results in release of In contrast, cement production contributes
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but greatly to global warming, as copious
lime mortar absorbs carbon dioxide from amounts of carbon dioxide are released
the atmosphere over its lifetime. As a during its production.
result, lime mortar is considered by
environmentalists to be "carbon neutral."