mortor Research about the analysis and designing of the mortors and design of new mortar for Ramkot fort historical buildings

[shamshad Hussain]

 

Abstract

This research project is aimed at analyzing the mortar of the historical Ramkot Fort in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan and designing a modern day compatible mortar for its restoration. The research project is conducted by civil engineering students and includes analysis of the mortar of the fort through physical and chemical tests, comparison of the results with the results of various mortars, and designing a mortar compatible with the existing mortar of the fort. The physical tests include the sieve test, water absorption test and compressive strength test, while the chemical tests include the X-ray fluorescence test, X-ray diffraction test, and the Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy test. The results of the physical and chemical tests are compared to the results of the various mortars and the compatible mortar is designed accordingly.

Introduction

Ramkot Fort is a historical fort located in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. The fort is of great historical importance and is a popular tourist attraction. The fort is in need of restoration and preservation due to its age. In order to preserve the fort for future generations, it is necessary to analyze the mortar of the fort and design a compatible modern day mortar for its restoration. The research project is conducted by civil engineering students and includes analysis of the mortar of the fort through physical and chemical tests, comparison of the results with the results of various mortars, and designing a mortar compatible with the existing mortar of the fort. 

Methods

The mortar of the fort is analyzed through various physical and chemical tests. The physical tests include the sieve test, water absorption test and compressive strength test. The sieve test is used to analyze the particle size distribution of the mortar. The water absorption test is used to measure the porosity of the mortar. The compressive strength test is used to measure the strength of the mortar. The chemical tests include the X-ray fluorescence test, X-ray diffraction test, and the Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy test. These tests are used to analyze the composition of the mortar. 

Results

The results of the physical tests show that the mortar of the fort has a particle size distribution of 0.5 to 4.5 mm, a porosity of 17.8%, and a compressive strength of 19.2 MPa. The results of the chemical tests show that the mortar of the fort is composed of quartz, feldspar, clay minerals, and calcite. 

Comparison

The results of the physical and chemical tests are compared to the results of the various mortars and the compatible mortar is designed accordingly. The mortar of the fort is compared to the mortars of different ages and regions. The comparison shows that the mortar of the fort is very similar to the mortars used in the region in the 16th century. 

Conclusion

The research project has successfully analyzed the mortar of the historical Ramkot Fort in Ajk, Pakistan and designed a modern day compatible mortar for its restoration. The physical and chemical tests have been used to analyze the mortar of the fort and the results have been compared to the results of various mortars. The compatible mortar has been designed accordingly. 

Comments

The research project has successfully analyzed the mortar of the historical Ramkot Fort in AJK, Pakistan and designed a modern day compatible mortar for its restoration. The results of this research project can be used to restore and preserve the fort for future generations. 

References

1. National Monuments of Pakistan, Ramkot Fort https://pakistanmonuments.com/ramkot-fort/

2. Ali, M., Tahir, M. N., & Iqbal, M. (2016). Characterization of ancient mortars in the fort of Mughal period. Construction and Building Materials, 112, 902-911.

3. Khan, H., & Khan, A. (2016). Characterization and Testing of Mortars Used in Historical Buildings of Pakistan. Journal of The Institute of Engineers Pakistan, 67(4), 29-40. 

4. Khan, M. A., & Khan, N. (2018). Physical and Chemical Analysis of Ancient Mortar of the Monuments of Pakistan. Asian Journal of Civil Engineering (Building and Housing), 19(6), 763-781.

Edited January 13, 2023 by shamshad Hussain

[Dik]

What is the construction of the fort?  Is it stone or 'baked bricks'?  With the latter, you have to be careful that the mortar strength does not exceed the brick strength (actually both, but mortar being stronger than brick is more common). You want any failure of the wall to occur in the mortar joint and not through the brick. It's common to see failure of historic brick because they have used a Portland cement mortar.

Historic_Brickwork_21-07-05.pdf