Factors Affecting the Compressive Strength of Lime / Pozzolana Mortar

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to establish the pozzolanacity of the material collected from ELgregrieb area and to determine the degree of pozzolanacity of the material and to study the effect of different factors which affect the compressive strength of Lime / Pozzolana mortars. To realize these objectives the experimental techniques used include; Chemical analysis, X – ray diffraction analysis and strength test. According to experimental results as has been established that Elgregrieb deposit a relatively high grade Pozzolana. The compressive strength tests of Lime / Pozzolana mortars are affected by the degree of fineness of Pozzolana ; It is evident that the strength increases with time at all fineness fraction , but decreases with decrease in fineness , so that the strength obtained at fraction less than 63 μ is nearly double that obtained for the fraction between 150 μ and 90 μ . The compressive strength also affected by Lime / Pozzolana ratios , it can be seen that increase in Lime content is associated with a decrease in strength , on other hand the increase in Pozzolana content is accompanied with increase in strength , however the magnitude in increase in strength is not significant . Curing temperature is affect the compressive strength and it is clear that the strength increase remarkably with increase in curing temperature; however the degree of fineness outweighs the others two factors.