Performance Evaluation of Lime-Based Grout Used for Consolidation of Brick Masonry Walls

Abstract

This study investigated the rheological, physical, and mechanical properties and injectability of commercially available lime-based grout, and evaluated the performance of the grout injection via cylinder injection and wall tests. Cylinder injection tests were conducted on specimens which were prepared with three different filling materials; the first included only crushed brick particles, the second was a combination of crushed brick particles and hydraulic lime mortar particles, and the third was a combination of crushed brick particles and air lime mortar particles. Traditionally manufactured brick and laboratory-made lime mortars were used in the production of test walls. Historic brick masonries, especially from the Roman and Byzantine periods, were taken into account both in production of the mortars and construction of the test walls. These brick walls were subjected to incremental lateral loading under a uniformly distributed vertical load. Cracks induced by the loading were repaired with grout injection. New cracks formed at different locations, which were close to the previous cracks, during the reloading. The ratio of the increase in the lateral load for a specific crack width was in the range 33%–54% after the grout injection. This revealed that adequate adherence between the wall and the grout was provided.