Mitigating Strength Loss in Mortar Due to Casting Delays: Quantified Impact of Additional Water and Cement

This study investigates the impact of casting delays on the compressive and shear strengths of mortar used in masonry constructions and explores the effects of adding supplementary materials such as water and cement. Mortar mixes were prepared using sand with a fineness modulus (FM) of 1.7 for plaster and 1.9 for brick binder, subjected to casting delays ranging from 0 to 4 hours. Three physical conditions were utilized, 1st case- WAAW (without adding additional water), 2nd case- AAW (adding additional water), maintaining initial mortar flow, and 3rd case- AAWC (adding additional water and cement), maintaining initial mortar flow and initial mortar strength. In the 1st case, the fall of strength was greater than in the 2nd case. In the 3rd case, the amounts of additional cement and water were quantified to restore the initial strength of the mortar. This quantification can help avoid material loss in construction sites.