Scholarly record
THE IMPACT OF EGGSHELLS AND EGG WHITE ON LIME-BASED MORTAR FOR THE RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL BUILDING STOCK - A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
Abstract
Historical building structures are vital in illuminating human history. Ensuring their preservation and passing them down to future generations is of great importance. The preservation and restoration of historical buildings constitute a complex and highly relevant issue, wherein the criteria for compatibility in the selection and development of appropriate materials and application technologies are of significant importance. In historical context, the enhancement of lime mortar properties was achieved through the utilization of organic/inorganic additives, admixtures, and reinforcement materials. Even though organic constituents are perceived as being vulnerable to microbial-induced decomposition, historical edifices globally demonstrate that mortars incorporating organic additives can endure for centuries. This observation prompts researchers to endeavour to reconstruct historical mortar formulations and investigate their properties. The research conducted focused on examining the effects of substituting part of the silica sand with eggshells and adding egg white on the physical, mechanical, and moisture-related properties of lime-based mortar. In this study, eggshells comprised 50 wt% of the silica sand fraction PG1, with particle sizes ranging from 0.0 to 0.5 -m. The quantity of egg white was calibrated to achieve a consistency similar to that of the reference lime mortar, ensuring a spread diameter of 160 mm. After 28 days, the mortars containing egg-derived components showed greater compressive strength than the reference mortar, alongside lower bulk density, which resulted in increased overall open porosity and decreased water absorption. Additionally, the altered mortar exhibited reduced brittleness. Thus, the enhancement of lime mortar with eggshells and egg white facilitated the creation of compatible and advanced mortar for the restoration of historical and heritage buildings.
Publication Impact Profile
- Captures
- Mendeley - Readers: 1
Publication details
References15
Misiewicz, J., Kwiatkowska, L., W�jcik, R., Ballai, G., Investigation of mortars from historical monuments of North-East Poland and assessment of compatibility between historic and restoration mortars, Construction and Building Materials, vol. 474, 141075, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.141075
Maravelaki-Kalaitzaki, P., Bakolas, A., Karatasios, I., Kilikoglou, V., Hydraulic lime mortars for the restoration of historic masonry in Crete, Cement and Concrete Research, vol. 35, 1577-1586, 2005. DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.09.001
dos Santos Botas, S.M., Veiga, M.R.S., Velosa, A.L., Adhesion of air lime�based mortars to old tiles: moisture and open porosity influence in tile/mortar interfaces, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, vol. 27, 2015. DOI: 10.1061/(asce)mt.1943-5533.0001108
Monaco, M., Faella, G., Guadagnuolo, M., Analysis of pozzolanic mortars for restoration, International Journal of Conservation Science, vol. 12, 41-50, 2021.
Kumar, D.N., Kumar, P.R., Investigations on alternate lime-pozzolana based mortars for repair of heritage structures, Construction and Building Materials, vol. 341, 127776, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.127776
Loke, M.E., Pallav, K., Cultrone, G., Challenges in Characterization and Development of Suitable Historic Repair Mortars, International Journal of Conservation Science, vol. 14, 783-802, 2023. DOI: 10.36868/ijcs.2023.03.02
Pavlik, Z., Vysvaril, M., Pavlikova, M., Bayer, P., Pivak, A., Lightweight pumice mortars for repair of historic buildings � Assessment of physical parameters, engineering properties and durability, Construction and Building Materials, vol. 404, 133275, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.133275
Valek, B. Huges, J.J., Pique, F., Gulotta, D., van Hees, R., Papayianni, I., Recommendation of RILEM TC 243-SGM: functional requirements for surface repair mortars for historic buildings, Materials and Structures, vol. 52, 28, 2019. DOI: 10.1617/s11527-018-1284-y
Loke, M.E., Pallav, K., Haldenwang, R., Characterization of heritage cementing materials for restoration purposes: A review, Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering, vol. 62, 10-21, 2020. DOI: 10.17159/2309-8775/2020/v62n1a2
D. Carran, J. Hughes, A. Leslie, C. Kennedy, A short history of the use of lime as a building material beyond Europe and north America, International Journal of Architectural Heritage, vol. 6, 117-146, 2012. DOI: 10.1080/15583058.2010.511694
Thirumalini, S., Ravi, R., Rajesh, M., Experimental investigation on physical and mechanical properties of lime mortar: effect of organic addition, Journal of Cultural Heritage, vol. 31, 97-104, 2018. DOI: 10.1016/j.culher.2017.10.009
Demircan, R.K., Isik, M.A.M., Benli, A., Gen�, G., Beyhan, F., Kaplan, G., Eco-efficient lime/pumice mortars with sheep wool for heritage conservation: Life cycle and energy savings, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Savings, vol. 215, 115624, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115624
EN 196-1 Methods of testing cement � Part 1: Determination of strength, CEN, Brussels, 2016.
EN 1015-11 Methods of Test for Mortar for Masonry � Part 11: Determination of Flexural and Compressive Strength of Hardened Mortar, CEN, Brussels, 2019.
Feng, C., Guimaraes, A.S., Ramos, N., Sun, L.X., Gawin, D., Konca, P., Hall, C., Zhao, J.H., Hirsch, H., Grunewald, J., Frederiksson, M., Hansen, K.K., Pavlik, Z., Hamilton, A., Janssen, H., Hygric properties of porous building materials (VI): A round robin campaign, Building and Environment, vol. 185, 107242, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107242
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.