Analysis of Physical and Mechanical Properties of the Mortar in the Historic Retaining Wall of the Gediminas Castle Hill (Vilnius, Lithuania)

Bronius Jonaitis; Valentin Antonovič; Arnoldas Šneideris; Renata Boris; Robertas Zavalis

doi:10.3390/ma12010008

Analysis of Physical and Mechanical Properties of the Mortar in the Historic Retaining Wall of the Gediminas Castle Hill (Vilnius, Lithuania)

Materials (Basel). 2018 Dec 20;12(1):8. doi: 10.3390/ma12010008.

Authors

Bronius Jonaitis¹, Valentin Antonovič², Arnoldas Šneideris³, Renata Boris⁴, Robertas Zavalis⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania. bronius.jonaitis@vgtu.lt.
² Institute of Building Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Linkmenų g. 28, LT-08217 Vilnius, Lithuania. valentin.antonovic@vgtu.lt.
³ Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania. arnoldas.sneideris@vgtu.lt.
⁴ Institute of Building Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Linkmenų g. 28, LT-08217 Vilnius, Lithuania. renata.boris@vgtu.lt.
⁵ Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania. robertas.zavalis@vgtu.lt.

Abstract

This study analysed the results of the joint research into the building materials of the historic masonry of the retaining wall of the Gediminas Castle Hill dating back to the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries. Core samples for material testing were collected along the entire height of the retaining wall to assess its load bearing capacity. Boreholes were drilled 600⁻1000 mm from the exterior of the wall to determine the properties of the ceramic bricks and lime mortar that were not affected by external factors. The analysis of the microstructure and chemical composition, mechanical and physical properties of the ceramic bricks and lime mortar is presented. The high compressive strength (8.5 MPa) of the lime mortar was the result of using hydraulic lime and crumbs of ceramic bricks as mortar aggregate.

Keywords: X-ray diffraction; calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H); historic retaining wall; historical lime mortar; mechanical properties; microstructure.