Ultrasonic wave propagation through lime mortars: an alternative and non-destructive tool for textural characterization

摘要

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the textural characteristics of different aerial lime-based mortars on the propagation velocity and the spatial attenuation of P waves. Six types of mortars were studied and divided in two main groups: the first one composed by four mortars of the same composition and different binder-to-aggregate ratios, and the second one constituted by three mortars prepared with the same binder-to-aggregate ratio but different aggregate characteristics. In this second group, two aggregates with different composition (siliceous and calcareous) and grading (continuous and discontinuous) were used for the preparation of mortars. The mineralogical and textural properties of mortars have been studied for 2 years in order to interpret the ultrasonic response at every interval of time.