Belgiri Fruit Paste with Lime Mortar regarding Sustainability of Heritage Structures

This paper discusses the sustainability efforts for conservation of heritage structures with the help of natural adhesive mixed in traditional lime mortar. Every object in this world has definite life-span and grows old by ageing, and the monuments are no exception to this. Environmental factors like water, air, uneven temperature, humidity etc. and roots of self-growing vegetation cause severe damage to these ancient buildings that we can’t even imagine. The nature of lime mortar is alkaline and pH more than 12.5. Its alkalinity reduces due to carbonation and results are deterioration of lime mortar. The deterioration affects an expansion in volume of binding mortar course layers/joints with stone or bricks. This expansion in volume creates cracks in lime concrete or mortar. These cracks further create a situation for carbon dioxide thus the regular cycle continues and ultimately structures in a critical state. Carbonation is the result of the dissolution of carbon dioxide in the lime mortar or lime concrete pore fluid and this reacts with calcium from calcium hydroxide to form calcite (CaCO ₃ ). The structural conservation work with the help of traditional lime mortar (mix of Lime, Sand and Surkhi) used in a specific ratio with necessary and important natural adhesives like Bel fruit paste, Babool gum, Gur/molasses, Urad dal paste, chicken egg gel within a required manner and proportion may be useful to conservation, for sustainability of lime mortar to avoid the carbonation of mortar. The structural cracks should be controlled through proper grouting & stitching work, wherever required in lime mortar by addition of natural adhesives. Proper drainage system and traffic diversion are very important aspects for further sustainability. After study, it is found that no weathering effect seems. So, it may be pointed out that carbonation effect may be reduced in lime mortar by addition of natural adhesives and among them Bel fruit Paste as a natural adhesive is more useful. This research paper may be useful for other relevant structures for conservation with sustainability effort.