ABSTRACT
Hydraulic lime-based mortars seem to offer a promising solution in some cases, due to their similarity with the in situ materials and their mechanical efficiency for the structural restoration of stone masonry. This chapter presents the main results of such an investigation realized in the framework of the design and in situ application of hydraulic lime based mortars for the restoration of monuments and historical buildings in Greece. It focuses on the importance of the aggregate grading analysis on the mix design of the restoration mortars. Restoration mortar compositions were designed in the Laboratory of the Directorate of Technical Research on Restoration of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, both for lime-pozzolan mortars and for hydraulic lime mortars. Geometrical parameters based on the grading curve, like fineness modulus, relative specific surface and apparent weight, are correlated with the water demand of the sand in the mortar, influencing the dry density and the strength of mortars.
