Weathering effects on physical-chemical properties of external plaster mortars exposed to different environments

The paper presents results of a research on various types of external plasters, traditional and thin-layered, subjected to ageing tests, both in simulate and natural environment. A special ageing chamber for simulating of climate influences on building materials was implemented. The aim of the carried out study was to investigate a way of influence of artificial ageing and weathering process on basic physical and mechanical properties and to provide a comparison between them. Simultaneously attention was focused on the pore microstructure which was analysed by the mercury intrusion method (MIP). Additionally, the specimens were characterized from the crystal-chemical (X-ray diffraction, XRD), chemical (TG analysis) and morphological (SEM) point of view. On this ground ageing characteristics of the tested materials were possible to be defined, which describe occurred changes and can be useful for durability assessment. The results show that all tested properties were changed under ageing, both in simulate and natural environment. (c) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.