ABSTRACT
The diagnostics focused on the characterization and assessment of the water transport phenomena in mortars, through different tests, studying the absorption and vapour transmission properties by means of steady and innovative non-destructive techniques. This chapter shows that the adopted methodology for defining time, procedures and materials to choose the most suitable mortars for maintenance and repairing the existing plaster subject to severe environmental conditions. The reduction of the absorption coefficient for all the treated mortars compared to the untreated ones is remarkable. In the Plan, regular checking and monitoring activities allowed to verify all the data resulted from the diagnostic campaign on the characterization of the mortars, the application techniques and the behaviour through time. For instance the durability of new mortars for itself it is not an indicator without a connection with the characteristics of the walls, the measure of the humidity and thus if there are not any data about the breathability of the whole system.
