The Influence of Portland Cement on the Breathability Property of Lime Putty for Historical Structure Restoration

Abstract

The objective of this research is to determine the influence of Portland cement on the breathability of lime putty used for historical building restoration. Lime putty was tested in laboratory to determine breathability property, water absorption, compressive strength and engineering index, including density, setting time, and particle size. The study considers 4 formulas of lime putty with ratio of slake lime: sand: Portland cement of 2:5:0, 2:5:1, 2:5:2 and 2:5:3 by volume. The laboratory test results reveal that an increase in Portland cement content reduces the breathability of lime putty. However, the analysis of water adsorption and permeability of brick wall and lime putty pastering shows that the breathability of lime putty pastering has minimal effect on the water content in the brick wall. In addition, an increase of Portland cement content significantly reduces the settling time and increase in the compressive strength of the material