Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars

Kristin  Balksten; Bo  Nitz; John J. Hughes; Jan-Erik Lindqvist

Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars

Kristin Balksten, Bo Nitz, John J. Hughes, Jan-Erik Lindqvist

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

209 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In studying historic, repair and restoration mortars comprised of lime-based material there is an analytical method that answers more questions than any other; transmitted (and reflected) polarised light microscopy (PLM). The present study is based on thin-section analysis of historic and restoration mortars made by the authors in Sweden and Scotland since the 1980’s, previous research [1, 2, 3, 4] and petrographic atlases [5, 6, 7, 8]. This paper is written to be a pedagogically useful complement to previous work.

We present a selection of microphotographs to show the variety of questions that the method can give answers to, such as, in the study of:
-lime binder; source materials, hydraulicity, slaking methods, lime lumps, cracking characteristics
-aggregates; grading, mineralogy/lithology and texture
-additives; inorganic puzzolanic materials and organic materials
-paint layers; different binders, pigments, thicknesses
-pore structure; durability, vapour transport and capillarity
-craftsmanship; various application and working techniques

The aim of this paper is to contribute with more illustrations of reference materials and to illustrate the usefulness of Polarising Light Microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars and to review the most significant analyses parameters.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference
Subtitle of host publication	RILEM Proceedings PRO 130
Editors	Jose Ignacio Alvarez, Jose Maria Fernandez, Inigo Navarro , Adrian Duran, Rafael Sirera
Place of Publication	Paris
Publisher	RILEM Publications S.A.R.L.
Pages	453-467
Number of pages	15
Volume	PRO 130
ISBN (Electronic)	9782351582220
ISBN (Print)	9782351582213
Publication status	Published - 16 Jul 2019
Event	5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019 - Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain Duration: 19 Jun 2019 → 21 Jun 2019 Conference number: 5 https://www.unav.edu/en/web/historic-mortars-conference

Publication series

Name	RILEM Proceedings
Publisher	RILEM Publications S.A.R.L.
Volume	130

Conference

Conference	5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019
Abbreviated title	HMC 2019
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Pamplona
Period	19/06/19 → 21/06/19
Internet address	https://www.unav.edu/en/web/historic-mortars-conference

Keywords

Historic Mortar
petrography

Access to Document

2019 06 01 Hughes PetrographyAccepted author manuscript, 2 MB

https://www.rilem.net/images/publis/984f2b665782c41d10698dc0f3632665.pdfLicence: Unspecified

4 Participation in conference
1 Publication peer-review
1 Types of Award - Fellowship awarded competitively
1 Types of External academic engagement - Contribution to the work of national or international committees and working groups
More
- 1 Types of External academic engagement - Membership of peer review panel or committee

Getty Conservation Institute, Conservation Guest Scholar
Hughes, J. (Recipient)
26 Sept 2022 → 16 Dec 2022
Activity: Other › Types of Award - Fellowship awarded competitively
5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019
Hughes, J. (Member of programme committee)
19 Jun 2019 → 21 Jun 2019
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019 (Event)
Hughes, J. (Peer reviewer)
1 Feb 2019 → 30 May 2019
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Publication peer-review

2 Abstract
1 Conference contribution

Animal, vegetable or mineral? Characterising shell-lime, maerl-lime and limestone-lime mortar evidence from the Late Norse and Medieval site of Tuquoy, Orkney
Thacker, M., Hughes, J. & Odling, N., 19 Jun 2019, p. 107-107. 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review

Open Access
Animal, vegetable or mineral? Characterising shell-lime, maerl-lime and limestone-lime mortar evidence from the Late Norse and Medieval site of Tuquoy, Orkney
Thacker, M., Hughes, J. & Odling, N., 16 Jul 2019, Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference: RILEM Proceedings PRO 130. Alvarez, J. I., Fernandez, J. M., Navarro, I., Duran, A. & Sirera, R. (eds.). Paris: RILEM Publications S.A.R.L., Vol. PRO 130. p. 758-777 20 p. (RILEM Proceedings; vol. 130).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Open Access
File
Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars
Balksten, K., Lindqvist, J.-E., Nitz, B. & Hughes, J., 19 Jun 2019, p. 75-75. 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract

Cite this

Balksten, K., Nitz, B., Hughes, J. J., & Lindqvist, J.-E. (2019). Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars. In J. I. Alvarez, J. M. Fernandez, I. N., A. Duran, & R. Sirera (Eds.), Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference: RILEM Proceedings PRO 130 (Vol. PRO 130, pp. 453-467). (RILEM Proceedings; Vol. 130). RILEM Publications S.A.R.L.. https://www.rilem.net/images/publis/984f2b665782c41d10698dc0f3632665.pdf

Balksten, Kristin ; Nitz, Bo ; Hughes, John J. et al. / Petrography of historic mortar materials : polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars. Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference: RILEM Proceedings PRO 130. editor / Jose Ignacio Alvarez ; Jose Maria Fernandez ; Inigo Navarro ; Adrian Duran ; Rafael Sirera. Vol. PRO 130 Paris : RILEM Publications S.A.R.L., 2019. pp. 453-467 (RILEM Proceedings).

@inproceedings{92028d8b224a491c8e1d81c13988a266,

title = "Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars",

abstract = "In studying historic, repair and restoration mortars comprised of lime-based material there is an analytical method that answers more questions than any other; transmitted (and reflected) polarised light microscopy (PLM). The present study is based on thin-section analysis of historic and restoration mortars made by the authors in Sweden and Scotland since the 1980{\textquoteright}s, previous research [1, 2, 3, 4] and petrographic atlases [5, 6, 7, 8]. This paper is written to be a pedagogically useful complement to previous work.We present a selection of microphotographs to show the variety of questions that the method can give answers to, such as, in the study of:-lime binder; source materials, hydraulicity, slaking methods, lime lumps, cracking characteristics-aggregates; grading, mineralogy/lithology and texture-additives; inorganic puzzolanic materials and organic materials-paint layers; different binders, pigments, thicknesses -pore structure; durability, vapour transport and capillarity-craftsmanship; various application and working techniquesThe aim of this paper is to contribute with more illustrations of reference materials and to illustrate the usefulness of Polarising Light Microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars and to review the most significant analyses parameters.",

keywords = "Historic Mortar, petrography",

author = "Kristin Balksten and Bo Nitz and Hughes, {John J.} and Jan-Erik Lindqvist",

year = "2019",

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language = "English",

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volume = "PRO 130",

series = "RILEM Proceedings",

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pages = "453--467",

editor = "Alvarez, {Jose Ignacio} and Fernandez, {Jose Maria} and {Inigo Navarro} and Adrian Duran and Rafael Sirera",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference",

address = "France",

note = "5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019, HMC 2019 ; Conference date: 19-06-2019 Through 21-06-2019",

url = "https://www.unav.edu/en/web/historic-mortars-conference",

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Balksten, K, Nitz, B, Hughes, JJ & Lindqvist, J-E 2019, Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars. in JI Alvarez, JM Fernandez, IN, A Duran & R Sirera (eds), Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference: RILEM Proceedings PRO 130. vol. PRO 130, RILEM Proceedings, vol. 130, RILEM Publications S.A.R.L., Paris, pp. 453-467, 5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019, Pamplona, Spain, 19/06/19. <https://www.rilem.net/images/publis/984f2b665782c41d10698dc0f3632665.pdf>

Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars. / Balksten, Kristin ; Nitz, Bo ; Hughes, John J. et al.
Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference: RILEM Proceedings PRO 130. ed. / Jose Ignacio Alvarez; Jose Maria Fernandez; Inigo Navarro; Adrian Duran; Rafael Sirera. Vol. PRO 130 Paris: RILEM Publications S.A.R.L., 2019. p. 453-467 (RILEM Proceedings; Vol. 130).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Petrography of historic mortar materials

T2 - 5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019

AU - Balksten, Kristin

AU - Nitz, Bo

AU - Hughes, John J.

AU - Lindqvist, Jan-Erik

N1 - Conference code: 5

PY - 2019/7/16

Y1 - 2019/7/16

N2 - In studying historic, repair and restoration mortars comprised of lime-based material there is an analytical method that answers more questions than any other; transmitted (and reflected) polarised light microscopy (PLM). The present study is based on thin-section analysis of historic and restoration mortars made by the authors in Sweden and Scotland since the 1980’s, previous research [1, 2, 3, 4] and petrographic atlases [5, 6, 7, 8]. This paper is written to be a pedagogically useful complement to previous work.We present a selection of microphotographs to show the variety of questions that the method can give answers to, such as, in the study of:-lime binder; source materials, hydraulicity, slaking methods, lime lumps, cracking characteristics-aggregates; grading, mineralogy/lithology and texture-additives; inorganic puzzolanic materials and organic materials-paint layers; different binders, pigments, thicknesses -pore structure; durability, vapour transport and capillarity-craftsmanship; various application and working techniquesThe aim of this paper is to contribute with more illustrations of reference materials and to illustrate the usefulness of Polarising Light Microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars and to review the most significant analyses parameters.

AB - In studying historic, repair and restoration mortars comprised of lime-based material there is an analytical method that answers more questions than any other; transmitted (and reflected) polarised light microscopy (PLM). The present study is based on thin-section analysis of historic and restoration mortars made by the authors in Sweden and Scotland since the 1980’s, previous research [1, 2, 3, 4] and petrographic atlases [5, 6, 7, 8]. This paper is written to be a pedagogically useful complement to previous work.We present a selection of microphotographs to show the variety of questions that the method can give answers to, such as, in the study of:-lime binder; source materials, hydraulicity, slaking methods, lime lumps, cracking characteristics-aggregates; grading, mineralogy/lithology and texture-additives; inorganic puzzolanic materials and organic materials-paint layers; different binders, pigments, thicknesses -pore structure; durability, vapour transport and capillarity-craftsmanship; various application and working techniquesThe aim of this paper is to contribute with more illustrations of reference materials and to illustrate the usefulness of Polarising Light Microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars and to review the most significant analyses parameters.

KW - Historic Mortar

KW - petrography

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9782351582213

VL - PRO 130

T3 - RILEM Proceedings

SP - 453

EP - 467

BT - Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference

A2 - Alvarez, Jose Ignacio

A2 - Fernandez, Jose Maria

A2 - , Inigo Navarro

A2 - Duran, Adrian

A2 - Sirera, Rafael

PB - RILEM Publications S.A.R.L.

CY - Paris

Y2 - 19 June 2019 through 21 June 2019

ER -

Balksten K, Nitz B, Hughes JJ, Lindqvist JE. Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars. In Alvarez JI, Fernandez JM, IN, Duran A, Sirera R, editors, Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference: RILEM Proceedings PRO 130. Vol. PRO 130. Paris: RILEM Publications S.A.R.L. 2019. p. 453-467. (RILEM Proceedings).

Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Activities

Getty Conservation Institute, Conservation Guest Scholar

5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019

5th Historic Mortars Conference 2019 (Event)

Research output

Animal, vegetable or mineral? Characterising shell-lime, maerl-lime and limestone-lime mortar evidence from the Late Norse and Medieval site of Tuquoy, Orkney

Animal, vegetable or mineral? Characterising shell-lime, maerl-lime and limestone-lime mortar evidence from the Late Norse and Medieval site of Tuquoy, Orkney

Petrography of historic mortar materials: polarising light microscopy as a method for characterising lime-based mortars

Cite this