Search results for " mortar"

The Role of Electronic Channels in Micro-Sized Brick-and-Mortar Firms

2010

The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of the role of electronic channels in micro-sized brick-and-mortar firms, which are just starting to utilize new channels in the promotion of their goods and services. With the use of a multiple case study method containing ten cases, the study first identifies external and internal factors affecting the adoption and use of e-channels in micro-sized firms. Secondly, the results propose, in line with previous literature, that different e-channel utilization levels can be identified. The paper provides both theoretical and managerial implications. peerReviewed

FORMULATION OF LIME MORTARS BASED ON NATURAL FIBERS AND WASTE MATERIALS FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

2019

Nowadays sustainability is one of the main concept in building construction, both considering energy saving buildings and life cycle assessment of building materials. According to these considerations, in this work the use of recycled and waste materials to produce a binder and the use of a natural fiber as reinforcement are investigated to obtain a sustainable mortar. Particularly, lime is obtained by kilning waste marble slurry from marbles quarries in western Sicily; pozzolanic aggregate is obtained by grinding glass powder from urban waste collection; natural fibers come from a widespread grass: Ampelodesmos Mauritanicus also known as diss. Scanning electron microscopy and helium picnom…

Historical buildings: luminescence dating of fine grains from bricks and mortar

2010

In the framework of a research program aimed to define the chronology of the structures of the architectonic complex of San Francesco alla Collina (Paternò, Italy), two luminescence dating techniques were applied: Thermoluminescence (TL) on terracotta bricks and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) on mortars. Dating a historic building through the age of its bricks can be sometimes complex, for the possible gap between the age of the bricks themselves and that of the structure. Considering that the laying of mortar is contemporary to the construction, the principal objective of the work here presented is the verification of the possibility of solving chronological uncertainties of speci…

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Insulating Sustainable Mortars with Ampelodesmos mauritanicus and Pennisetum setaceum Plants as Aggregates

2021

The use of natural fibers in cement composites is a widening research field as their application can enhance the mechanical and thermal behavior of cement mortars and limit their carbon footprint. In this paper, two different wild grasses, i.e., Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, also called diss, and Pennisetum setaceum, also known as crimson fountaingrass, are used as a source of natural aggregates for cement mortars. The main purpose is to assess the possibility of using the more invasive crimson fountaingrass in place of diss in cement-based vegetable concrete. The two plant fibers have been characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), helium picnometry and thermogravimetric an…

L'intonaco Li Vigni nell'architettura del XX secolo a Palermo. Nuove conoscenze e applicazioni diagnostiche per la manutenzione

2013

Il saggio presenta lo studio degli intonaci formulati per imitare le pietre e i marmi naturali che si diffondono in Sicilia all’inizio del XX secolo ed evidenzia che le prime applicazioni e la diffusione delle nuove malte, anche nel resto dell’Italia, risentono delle sperimentazioni condotte in tutta l’Europa. Il contributo riassume i risultati di una rigorosa e capillare ricognizione tra i brevetti conservati presso l’Archivio Centrale dello Stato a Roma inerenti alle malte per il confezionamento dell’intonaco a “finta pietra”, ne analizza i contenuti in modo critico e pone in risalto i contatti culturali con le sperimentazioni dei materiali in atto nell’ambito dei grandi cantieri di resta…

Architectural technologies for life environment: Spent coffee ground reuse in lime-based mortars. A preliminary assessment for innovative green therm…

2022

Spent coffee ground, the residue obtained from the brewing process, is the primary unavoidable (inedible) waste from the coffee consumption. As coffee production and beverage consumption are increasing worldwide, a more sustainable waste management is required since the usual disposal in landfill is a liability to both humans and the environment. This paper is aimed at showing a possible alternative reuse of coffee ground wastes in novel green building materials intended for thermo-plastering applications in construction, in a circular economy context. Coffee waste was used in various percentages (up to 17.5%) to assess the engineering performance of the produced bio-composite mortars. The …

The wall paintings of the Roman Villa at Piazza Armerina in Sicily

2010

Le malte idrauliche dell’Acquedotto Romano di Termini Imerese

2009

Aim of this paper is the characterization of ancient hydraulic mortars from the roman water supply system of Thermae (I-II cent. A.D.), known as “Aqua Cornelia” and "Figurella" aqueducts, more than 10 kilometers long. Because of malfunctioning of the "Barratina" siphon, major changes in the original adduction system were realized in several steps. Mortar samples were taken from both channels lining materials and structural elements, in order to contribute to answer some questions about the construction phases of the aqueduct. The materials characterization was performed by means of XRD analysis, optical microscopy, microRaman spectroscopy and simultaneous thermal analysis. The latter is a u…

Recycling mussel shells as secondary sources in green construction materials: a preliminary assessment

2023

This paper reports the development of novel green bio-composite mortars obtained by reusing mussel shells, a waste from the fish canning industry, as recycled aggregate, used for the first time in total substitution to the traditional sand. It suggests that this is a valid alternative to their usual disposal in landfills because the organic matter is potentially dangerous to humans and the environment. Different waste-based cementitious mixes were tested and compared to a traditional OPC mortar. The manufacturing process was performed at ambient conditions (20 °C, 65% RH) with highly sustainable results and consisted of simple operative steps reproducible in a real building site. The engine…

Selection of novel geopolymeric mortars for sustainable construction applications using fuzzy topsis approach

2020

Construction is recognized as one of the most polluting and energy consuming industries worldwide, especially in developing countries. Therefore, Research and Development (R&amp