Binding Materials

Binding materials are called (mortar) which is a soft material that

hardens with time and configured to connect parts of bricks or
stones together. It is including the following materials:

1-Gypsum
Gypsum usually is found in rock formation in nature, as CaSO4 (2H2O).
It is hydrous calcium sulfate with some compounds.

1.1 Production of Gypsum

Gypsum is rarely found in the pure state, but usually contains varying
amount of clay, limestone, silica, iron compound, etc. In the pure state it
is white, but combined with impurities, it may be grey or brown.

Suitable gypsum rock must contain at least 70% CaSO4.2H2O (hydrous

calcium sulfate).

The obtained gypsum stones first are crushed into (2-3) inches in
diameter, then grinded and then calcined. During calcinations it drives
off 75% of the combined water under the temperature of 190oC.

1.2 Gypsum products:

1.2.1 Plaster of Paris:
Produced by calcinations of a pure gypsum, no foreign materials
being added either during or after calcinations.

1.2.1.1 Uses:
a.It is used as a wall plaster in finish coat.
b.It is used as a mortar for masonry construction.
c.It is used for casting ornamental work.
 1.2.2 Ordinary plaster:
It is a hemi hydrate product ( CaSO4 .½ H2O ), produced by the
calcinations of a gypsum containing certain natural impurities.

1.2.2.1 Uses:
a.It is used as a wall plaster in first coat.
b.It is used as a mortar for masonry construction.

1.2.3 Technical plaster:

It is produced by mixing two types of plaster: Hemi hydrate
product ( CaSO4 .½ H2O ) and anhydrous product (CaSO4 ) with
50% for each.

1.2.3.1 Uses:
a.It is used as a wall plaster in first coat.
b.It is used as a mortar for masonry construction.

1.3 Properties of gypsum plasters:

a- Gypsum tends to disintegrate in damp.
b- Gypsum serves as a fireproofing material.

2- Lime
Lime was commonly used in the past as a constituent of
masonry mortar.
Lime is obtained from LIMESTONE. Pure limestone is CaCO3
(calcium carbonate). However, impurities like MgCO3, Al2O3,
SiO2, etc may be present. Limes can be broadly classified as Quick
lime and Hydrated lime.
 2-1 Quick lime:
Is the name applied to the commercial form of calcium oxide
CaO, obtained by the calcinations of a calcium carbonate CaCO3
at a temperature .

2-2 Hydrated lime:

Is quick lime has been chemically satisfied with water during
manufacture.

3- Cement:
Artificial cement is obtained by burning at very high temperature a
mixture of calcareous and argillaceous materials in correct
proportion. Calcined product is known as clinker. Cement was
invented by a mason Joseph Aspin of Leeds in England in 1824.

3.1 Ingredients
Ordinary Portland cement contains two basic ingredients,
namely argillaceous and calcareous. In argillaceous materials, clay
predominates and in calcareous materials, calcium carbonate
predominates.

Good ordinary cement contains following ingredients:

1. Lime (ca ) ………. 6 %

. silica (Si ) ………. %
3. Alumina (Al2 O3) ………. 5%
4. alcium sulphate ( aS 4) ………. 4%
5. Ir n Oxide (Fe O3) ………. 3%
6. Magnesia (MgO) ………. %
7. Sulphur ………. 1%
8. Alkalis ………. 1%
Kinds of binding Material
According to the kinds of binding material, the mortars are
classified into four categories.

a. Cement mortar: In this mortar, cement is used as binding

material. Depending upon the strength required and importance of
work, the proportion of cement to sand varies from 1:3 to 1:4 or
more.

b. lime-cement mortar:
The process of adding cement to lime mortar to improve the
quality of lime mortar is known as gauging. It makes lime mortar
economical, strong and dense. The usual proportion of (cement
:lime : sand) by volume is about 1:2 :9 to 1:1:6.

c. Gypsum mortar:
These mortars are prepared from mixing gypsum binding material
such as (hemi-hydrate gypsum) or (anhydrate gypsum) with a
water.