En förstudie till analys av kalkputs med tegelstenspulver från den Albanska staden Gjirokaster

Abstract

The thesis is an analysis of cocciopesto plaster from the Albanian city Gjirokaster. Cocciopesto is a plaster or mortar where the main aggregate is crushed brick. The plaster is taken from a water cistern located at the bottom floor of an abandoned house in the city, the plaster is from the Ottoman era. The main aim of the thesis was to establish what implication the aggregates in the plaster had on the performance of the plaster and also what further research is needed. The methods used were optical microscopy, gravimetric analysis of the weight ratio between lime and crushed bricks by dissolution in hydrochloric acid and Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The EDX showed that there may be a trend of silicates reacting with the lime and lime moving in the brick aggregates, the silicates makes it possible for the plaster to harden in contact with water and the lime in the bricks make the plaster stronger. Further research is needed in the areas regarding the craftsmanship of cocciopesto.