Le béton de chanvre est obtenu par le mélange d'un granulat végétal, constitué de bois de chanvre, et d'un liant. Il confère au mur de bonnes propriétés d'isolation thermique et acoustique, ainsi qu'une régulation de l'humidité. Cependant, des problèmes de non-prise, qui semblent fortement liés aux transferts d'eau dans le béton au cours des premières heures, peuvent parfois se produire. La RMN permet de quantifier l'eau dans le chanvre et dans le liant et donc de décrire et comprendre les transferts au cours de la prise. Nous montrons d'abord que, dans le liant constitué d'un mélange de chaux hydraté et de ciment, la chaux accélère la prise du ciment. Cette prise est d'autant plus inhibée que la quantité de chanvre au contact du ciment est importante. Nous montrons également que l'absorption d'eau par le granulat de chanvre s'étale sur trois jours, et qu'elle se produit en deux phases successives correspondant à l'imprégnation de deux zones du chanvre. L'étude des transferts dans le béton pendant la prise révèle une absorption d'eau rapide par le chanvre initialement, puis un transfert vers le liant. L'étude d'un béton de chanvre "modèle" nous permet d'associer ce transfert au retrait chimique du ciment au cours de la prise / Hemp concrete results from the mix of a vegetal aggregate (hemp shives) and a binder. It provides thermal and acoustic insulation to the wall, as well as a good moisture regulation. However, problems sometimes occur during setting, that seem strongly linked to transfers of water in the concrete in the first hours. NMR allows to quantify water in hemp and in the binder and thus to describe and understand the transfers during setting. We first show that, in the binder consisting of a mixture of hydrated lime and cement, lime accelerates cement hydration. This hydration is inhibited as the amount of hemp in contact with the cement increases. We also show that the absorption of water by hemp shives is takes place during three days, and it occurs in two successive phases corresponding to two areas of hemp that imbibe. The study of transfers in the concrete during the setting shows a rapid water absorption by the hemp initially, followed by a transfer to the binder. The study of a "model" hemp concrete allows us to associate this transfer to the chemical shrinkage of cement during hydration

Lime is one of the largest manufactured chemicals in the United States. The conversion of calcium carbonate into calcium oxide is an endothermic reaction and requires approximately two to four times the theoretical quantity of energy predicted from thermodynamic analysis. With the skyrocketing costs of fossil fuels, how to decrease the energy consumption in the calcination process has become a very important problem in the lime industry. In the present study, many chemicals including lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lithium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride have been proved to be the catalysts to enhance the calcination rate of calcium carbonate. By mixing these chemicals with pure calcium carbonate, these additives can increase the calcination rate of calcium carbonate at constant temperatures; also, they can complete the calcination of calcium carbonate at relatively low temperatures. As a result, the energy required for the calcination of calcium carbonate can be decreased. The present study has aimed at developing a physical model, which is called the extended shell model, to explain the results of the catalytic calcination. In this model, heat transfer and mass transfer are two main factors used to predict the calcination rate of calcium carbonate. By using the extended shell model, not only the catalytic calcination but also the inhibitive calcination of calcium carbonate have been explained.

Les bétons de chanvre associent un granulat végétal issu du chanvre, appelé « chènevotte », et une matrice minérale. Ce sont des matériaux isolants répondant particulièrement bien aux nouvelles problématiques environnementales du secteur du bâtiment. Pourtant, leur développement est freiné par d'occasionnels désordres de mise en œuvre et des propriétés mécaniques relativement faibles qui pourraient résulter d'interactions complexes développées entre la chènevotte et le liant. Dans ce contexte, l'objectif des travaux a été de préciser la nature de ces interactions et d'identifier par quels mécanismes celles-ci peuvent modifier la prise du liant et les propriétés finales du matériau. Pour cela, l'évolution de mélanges de matières premières (chènevottes et liants) de natures différentes a été étudiée par des techniques de biochimie, de spectroscopie, de physico-chimie et de mécanique. Cette approche multi-échelle a ainsi permis de mettre en évidence le puissant pouvoir retardateur des produits extraits de la chènevotte sur la prise des liants hydrauliques. Ce retard peut conduire à une absence totale de prise du liant, lorsque celui-ci est couplé à des phénomènes de dégradation de la chènevotte, de migration de ces produits dans la matrice et d'évaporation d'eau. En outre, il a été démontré que les caractéristiques de la chènevotte (composition chimique), la nature du liant (ciment pur ou additionné de chaux), ainsi que les conditions de cure (présence ou non de CO2) sont des facteurs pouvant moduler les effets délétères sur la prise et les propriétés mécaniques du matériau formé. Ils constituent donc des paramètres potentiels d'optimisation des bétons de chanvre. / The hemp concretes, combine a plant aggregate, called “shiv” with a mineral binder. They are insulating materials particularly suited to face the new environmental problems of the building sector. However, their development is hampered by the occasional implementation problems and their relatively low mechanical properties that could result from complex interactions between the shiv and the binder. In this context, the objective of the presented work was to clarify the nature of these interactions and to identify the mechanisms by which they can impact the setting of the binder and the final properties of the material. To do so, the evolution of mixtures of the initial components (shiv and binders) differing by their nature was studied by biochemical, spectroscopic, physical chemistry and mechanical techniques. This multi-scale approach enabled us to highlight the powerful set retarding action of shiv-extractable products on hydraulic binders. This delay can even lead to a total failure of the binder setting when this one is coupled to simultaneous degradation of the hemp aggregate, migration of the formed products in the matrix and water evaporation. Finally, it has been demonstrated that the characteristics of the shiv (chemical composition), the nature of the binder (pure cement or lime added), and the curing conditions (presence or absence of CO2) represent factors that may modulate the deleterious effects on the setting and the mechanical properties of the formed material. They hence constitute potential parameters for the optimization of hemp concretes.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo estudar, a partir de ensaios de laboratório, o comportamento mecânico de misturas de fosfogesso e cal destinadas à construções de bases e sub-bases rodoviárias. O fosfogesso é um resíduo resultante da produção do ácido fosfórico, principal componente de fertilizantes fosfatados. O fosfogesso é gerado em grande escala, originando sérios problemas de armazenagem. Restrições de leis ambientais e o aumento do custo de espaço para a armazenagem do fosfogesso têm estimulado pesquisas para a aplicação desse material. Entre as pesquisas, encontra-se, o aproveitamento desse resíduo como material de construção de bases e sub-bases rodoviárias. As amostras destas misturas foram submetidas a ensaios de compressão simples, compressão diametral e CBR. Nos ensaios de compressão simples e compressão diametral, os corpos de prova foram ensaiados sem imersão e após imersão prévia em água por quatro horas. Para todos os teores de cal utilizados (0%, 3%, 5%, 7% e 10%) os corpos-de-prova foram compactados na energia equivalente ao Proctor modificado. Para cada teor de cal os corpos-de-prova passaram por processo de cura de 0, 3, 7 e 28 dias. Quatro réplicas foram moldadas para cada condição de ensaio, obtendo-se a média dos resultados pelo método estatístico de GRUBBS. Concluiu-se com esses ensaios que valores crescentes de tempo de cura e de teor de cal conduziram a maiores valores de resistência e de rigidez. Além disso, ensaios realizados após a imersão em água apresentaram valores de resistência à compressão simples, resistência à compressão diametral e rigidez menores do que os obtidos sem imersão. Observou-se também que as misturas de fosfogesso e cal, no geral, apresentaram melhores resultados de resistência à compressão simples, resistência à compressão diametral e coesão do que as misturas de solo cal. Entretanto as misturas compostas por fosfogesso e cimento obtiveram valores superiores de resistência e rigidez se comparada com as misturas de fosfogesso e cal. / This work has the aim of study, considering laboratory experiments, the mechanical behavior of a mixture of phosphogypsum and lime to be used in bases and sub-bases of road construction. The phosphogypsum is a solid waste result of the phosphoric acid production, main component of phosphor fertilizers. The phosphogypsum is generated in large scale, causing serious problems of storage. Restriction of environment laws and the increasing cost of the area needed for the phosphogypsum storage have stimulated researches to this material application. Among these researches, there is the reutilization of this waste as construction material of road bases and sub-bases. The samples of theses mixtures were submitted to tests of unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength and California bearing ratio. In the tests of unconfined compressive strength and indirect tensile strength, the specimens were submitted to two test conditions: without immersion and with immersion in water for four hours. It was used 0%, 3%, 5%, 7% e 10% of lime in the mixtures. All specimens were compacted in the energy modified Proctor. Each specimens get through to a process of curing time of the 0, 3, 7 and 28 days. For each condition test 4 copies were molded and the result got by the statistic method of GRUBBS. With this tests, it was concluded that higher values of time of cure and the line content led to higher strength and stiffness values. Besides, test performed after immersion in water presented strength values for the unconfined compressive, diametral compression strength and stiffness lower than those obtained without immersion. It also can be observed that phosphogypsum and lime mixtures got better results of unconfined compressive strength and diametral compression strength than soil and lime mixtures. However, phosphogypsum and cement mixtures got better results of strength and stiffness than phosphogypsum and lime mixtures.

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar as respostas da Brachiaria decumbens Stapf, cultivada em solo proveniente de uma pastagem degradada. O experimento foi desenvolvido em casa-de-vegetação do Departamento de Ciências Biológicas da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"/USP. O solo utilizado foi classificado como Neossolo Quartzarênico e foi coletado numa profundidade de 0 a 20 cm. Após a coleta esse solo foi seco, homogeneizado, pesado e colocados em sacos plásticos, juntamente com as respectivas doses de calcário e depositados em vasos com capacidade de 10 kg, onde permaneceram por um período de 60 dias. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 180, 630 e 1080 mg kg -1 de solo), quatro doses de calcário (0, 1587,6, 3175,2 e 4762,8 mg kg -1 de solo) e três doses de enxofre (0, 108 e 216 mg kg -1 de solo). Empregou-se um esquema fatorial 4x4x3 perfazendo 48 combinações, as quais foram distribuídas segundo o delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados, com três repetições. No momento do plantio efetuou-se uma adubação com fósforo e potássio, micronutrientes (cobre e zinco) e enxofre. Aos treze dias após o plantio realizou-se a adubação com o nitrogênio. Foram realizados dois cortes e um dia antes de cada corte efetuou-se avaliações do teor de clorofila. Após o corte o material coletado foi separado em folhas emergentes, lâminas de folhas recém-expandidas, lâminas de folhas maduras e colmos mais bainhas e foi realizada a leitura da área foliar dos três primeiros. Em seguida esse material foi colocado em estufa de circulação forçada de ar a 65 0 C por 72 horas para determinar a matéria seca de cada componente da parte aérea e, esse mesmo procedimento foi feito para as raízes após serem lavadas. O material depois de pesado foi moído em moinho tipo Wiley e levado ao laboratório para a determinação de macro e micronutrientes. Realizou-se também, a contagem de perfilhos. Os resultados evidenciaram efeito significativo (P<0,05) das doses de nitrogênio no primeiro corte, e significância para a interação entre enxofre e nitrogênio para a produção de matéria seca da parte aérea da planta, no primeiro e segundo crescimentos. Quanto à produção de matéria seca das raízes, verificou-se efeito significativo (P<0,05) somente para as doses de nitrogênio. No perfilhamento da forrageira houve significância para a interação entre as doses de enxofre, nitrogênio e calcário, no segundo corte. Também houve significância (P<0,05) para as doses de enxofre e nitrogênio no valor SPAD e interação nitrogênio e calcário na área foliar. Na concentração de macro e micronutrientes da planta houve significância (P<0,05) das doses de nitrogênio, enxofre e calcário e interação entre nitrogênio e enxofre e nitrogênio e calcário em alguns componentes da parte aérea. / The present work was carried out with the objective of evaluating responses of Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. grown in a soil from a degraded pasture. The experiment was conducted in a grenhouse in the Departamento de Ciências Biológicas at the "Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz" - USP. The soil was classified as an Entissol and it was collected from a layer of 0 to 20 cm. The pots were filled with 10 kg of this soil and lime rates were incubated for 60 days. The experimental arrange was a 4x4x3 factorial with nitrogen (0, 180, 630 and 1080 mg kg -1 ), lime (0, 1587.6, 3175.2 and 4762.8 mg kg -1 ) and sulfur (0, 108 and 216 mg kg -1 ), and it was used a randomized complete block design, with three replications. Fertilization with P, K Cu, Zn and S was done at sowing, and N was applied 13 days that. Plants was harvested twice, and plant tops was separated in emergent leaves (EL), laminae of recently expanded leaves (RL), laminae of mature leaves (ML) and culms plus sheaths (CS), Leaf area was determined by measuring EL, LR and ML. SPAD values (chlorophyll content) were evaluated one day before each harvests. The collected material was dried at 65 0 C during 72 hours in an oven with circulating air. The root system was collected and washed following the second harvest. Nutrient concentrations in the forage dry matter and roots were determined after weighting and grinding the samples. Results showed significant effect (P<0.05) for nitrogen supply in the first harvest, and significant interaction for sulfur nitrogen on plant tops dry matter in the first and the second harvests. Roots dry matter had significant (P<0.05) effect for nitrogen rates. Significancies were observed for nitrogen nitrogen X sulfur interaction for SPAD values, for nitrogen X lime for leaf area and for lime X nitrogen X sulfur for plant tillering at second harvest. The nitrogen, sulfur and lime had significant effects on nutrients concentrations, as well as by interaction of nitrogen X sulfur and nitrogen X lime for some parts of plant tops.

This thesis investigates the archaeological potential of masonry mortars throughout North Atlantic Europe, with a particular focus on the buildings and environments of medieval northern and western Scotland. The results of an extensive non-intrusive survey of medieval and later buildings are presented, within which nine multiphase sites were subject to more comprehensive building, environment and materials analysis. The survey suggests that, in general, different mortar-making techniques had well-defined sub-regional distributions which are not simply a correlate of environmental availability, but developed in different ways over time. Moreover, all of the more comprehensively studied buildings contain evidence of striking material contrasts from phases to phase which has great potential in standing building analysis. Material contrasts in masonry evidence between building phases, between neighbouring buildings, between specific buildings and the regional corpus, and between the regions themselves, are then considered as evidence of changing cultural, chronological and environmental context. The relationship between secular and ecclesiastical buildings across the region is a particular concern. Qualitative lab-based and on-site material interpretations made throughout the thesis are supported by a programme of comparative experimentation. This thesis includes the first comprehensive investigation of lime mortars made from marine shells, the first evidence of lime mortars made from coralline algae, results from the first programme of dating medieval buildings in Scotland through radiocarbon analysis of relict mortar fuel, and microstructural analysis of a large range of medieval mortars from Norway to the Isle of Man. Wider research considers the initial emergence of mortared masonry in North Atlantic Europe and the relationship between clay and lime mortars. Ultimately, by placing the upstanding buildings archaeology at the centre of the medieval and later landscape this thesis will demonstrate that masonry mortars have significant potential to inform our understanding of the cultural and environmental context of lordship construction in the North Atlantic, providing a new focus for further interdisciplinary discourse.

The photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide have been widely studied over recent decades since the discovery in 1972 of water photolysis by TiO2 electrodes. There are a number of different TiO2 polymorphs. Rutile and anatase are the most studied due to their chemo-physical properties. Under ultraviolet light, TiO2 is able to absorb photons, creating a charge separation on the surface, an electron and a positive “hole”. This electron-hole pair then reacts with water and oxygen, generating radicals, very unstable and reactive species which show great potential for neutralisation of pollutants. In the introduction the state of art of photocatalysis; chemo-physical principles, applications and current analysis are described. A number of protocols to test photoactivity are discussed with particular emphasis on the importance of gas phase reactions. The development of a novel system to study gas phase reactions by mass spectrometry was explored, detailing the conditions and parameters that were optimised. This instrument was used to analyse photocatalytic properties of TiO2 powders and photocatalytic coatings under different UV light conditions. The results showed how TiO2 in the form of anatase and rutile removed nitrogen and carbon dioxide under different UV light sources, with anatase being more effective. A comprehensive study of several commercially available TiO2 powders and coatings was performed to identify the differences between photocatalytic properties, using electron microscopy, Raman and UV-vis diffusive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An important question that was answered in this thesis is whether the physical properties of nanoparticles or their electronic properties are critical for their photocatalytic behaviour. Results for anatase powders of different particle size and surface area showed how the positioning of their electronic band gap with the wavelength of the UV light source was fundamental for an effective photocatalyic process. In order to improve the photocatalytic process, “self-doping” TiO2 was investigated. Different reduction temperatures were studied to generate the best ratio of Ti3+-Ti4+ that stabilised the charge distribution process to maximize the electron-hole pairs generated per photon in the gas phase. From a wide range of reduction temperatures, titanium sub-oxime reduced at 400 oC showed the best performance in removing carbon dioxide. In the application of TiO2 for the built environment, the best commercially available TiO2 powder, anatase P25 was applied with two different techniques. Electrophoretic deposition has the potential to scale up the process for prefabricated panels in construction. Solvent, iv deposition time, voltage and substrate were optimised. The resulting photoactivity of the coatings was evaluated showing a higher efficiency than a compressed pellet of anatase P25. The final part of the thesis was dedicated to the formulation and application of a photocatalytic enhanced lime based coatings for the built heritage. The use of calcium hydroxide dispersions is widely used in the conservation and restoration community, reinforcing limestone when it carbonates. Anatase P25, was added to improve the performance in polluted atmospheres, acting as a sacrificial barrier. Results showed that by adding anatase to the formulation, calcium hydroxide reacted preferentially with sulphur dioxide over carbon dioxide. The final product in the formulation with anatase was calcium sulphate, whereas the final product for the calcium hydroxide formulation was calcium sulphite. Finally, a general discussion of the results is presented and the conclusions of this research are drawn. Recommendations for further work are presented in the last chapter.

Orientador: Mauro Dal Secco de Oliveira / Banca: Jane Maria Bertocco Ezequiel / Banca: Atushi Sugohara / Banca: André de Faria Pedroso / Banca: Flávia Fernanda Simili / Resumo: Este estudo objetivou avaliar o armazenamento da cana-de-açúcar hidrolisada com 0,5% de cal hidratada sobre o consumo das frações alimentares, desempenho animal, viabilidade econômica, comportamento ingestivo, características nutritivas da forragem e aspectos da digestão de novilhas confinadas. Foram realizados dois experimentos. No primeiro (Capítulo 2 e 3), foram utilizadas 24 novilhas da raça Nelore distribuídas inteiramente ao acaso nos tratamentos formados por dietas com cana-de-açúcar in natura (tempo zero), cana-de-açúcar hidrolisada e armazenada por 24, 48 ou 72 horas. No segundo (Capítulo 4), foram utilizadas quatro novilhas da raça Nelore delineadas num quadrado latino 4x4, onde foram avaliadas as dietas anteriormente descritas. No primeiro experimento, verificou-se variação cúbica (P < 0,05) em função do tempo de armazenamento da cana-de-açúcar da maioria das variáveis relacionadas ao consumo das frações alimentares e desempenho animal, apresentando melhores resultados para novilhas alimentadas com cana-de-açúcar in natura. O armazenamento da cana-de-açúcar até 72 horas proporcionou aumento linear (P < 0,05) da fração de carboidratos potencialmente degradáveis e diminuição dos custos de produção. Novilhas alimentadas com dietas a base de cana-de-açúcar in natura apresentaram maior tempo de ruminação (P < 0,05). No segundo experimento, verificou-se que o consumo e digestibilidade dos nutrientes, o balanço de nitrogênio, a eficiência de síntese de proteína microbiana e o nitrogênio amoniacal não foram influenciados (P > 0,05) pelas dietas. O armazenamento da cana-de-açúcar com adição de 0,5% de cal hidratada até 72 horas deprime o consumo e desempenho de novilhas jovens da raça Nelore / Abstract: This study evaluated the effect of storage of hydrolyzed sugarcane with .5% hydrated lime the dietary fractions intake, animal performance, economic viability, ingestive behavior, nutritional characteristics of forage and digestion aspects of confined heifers. Two experiments were conducted. In the first (Chapter 2 and 3), 24 Nellore heifers were used and randomly distributed in treatment formed by diets constituted by fresh sugarcane (zero time), hydrolyzed sugarcane and stored for 24, 48 or 72 hours. In the second (Chapter 4), four heifers were used constituting a 4x4 latin square, with similar diets previous. In the first experiment, there was variation cubic (P < .05) according the storage time of most variables related to dietary fractions intake and animal performance, with better results for heifers fed with fresh sugarcane. Storage of sugarcane until 72 hours promoted linear increased (P < .05) in the carbohydrate fraction potentially degradable and decreased production costs. Heifers fed diets with fresh sugarcane presented higher time ruminating (P < .05). In the second experiment, it was found that the intake and digestibility of nutrients, the nitrogen balance, the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis and the ammonia nitrogen were not affected (P > .05) by diets. The storage of hydrolyzed sugarcane with .5% of hydrated lime up to 72 hours depresses intake and performance of young Nellore heifers / Doutor

Le séchage des matériaux cimentaires et le retrait induit ont des conséquences majeures sur le comportement structurel des dalles et chapes. Le retrait empêché est une des principales causes de la fissuration de ces ouvrages. En sus, si le séchage est unidirectionnel, le retrait différentiel favorise le tuilage qui traduit le soulèvement des coins et des bords des dalles minces. Afin de mieux cerner les phénomènes induits par les gradients d’humidité relative interne, des études expérimentales et numériques ont été menées conjointement, et de nouveaux dispositifs expérimentaux ont été développés. On montre que l’évolution du tuilage dépend principalement de la progression du front de séchage. L’influence prédominante du séchage impose donc de recourir à une cure adaptée. Grâce à sa forte capacité de rétention d’eau, une étude systématique a été conduite sur la chaux en vue d’étudier son potentiel effet de cure. La chaux hydraulique a permis, par son influence sur la microstructure et son effet de cure, de retarder et réduire le tuilage. Sur la base des résultats expérimentaux, deux approches différentes de modélisation du tuilage ont été développées : i/ un modèle analytique continu, et ii/ une modélisation par éléments discrets. Les calculs montrent que des retraits plus importants apparaissent en surface et entraînent une microfissuration qui permet de relaxer les contraintes internes. La chaux semble conduire à une profondeur d’endommagement plus importante, ce qui explique en partie son effet sur l’amplitude du tuilage. L’approche par éléments discrets est capable de reproduire l’évolution du tuilage aussi bien en cinétique qu’en amplitude à partir des seules mesures du retrait différentiel. La chaux s’est aussi révélée bénéfique quand elle est incorporée dans les bétons autoplaçants en agissant à la fois sur le retrait et sur les propriétés viscoélastiques. / Drying of cementitious materials and the induced shrinkage have major consequences on the structural behavior of slabs and screeds. The restrained shrinkage is one of the main causes of cracking. In addition, if the drying is unidirectional, the differential shrinkage leads to curling which is defined as the lifting of the corners and the edges of thin slabs.To understand the phenomena induced by internal relative humidity gradients, experimental and numerical studies have been jointly conducted, and new experimental devices have been developed. It is shown that the evolution of curling mainly depends on the progression of the drying front. The predominant influence of drying therefore requires the use of a suitable method for curing. Thanks to its high water retention capacity, a systematic study has been conducted on lime in order to study its potential curing effect. The hydraulic lime, through its influence on the microstructure and its curing effect, delayed and reduced curling. Based on the experimental results, two different approaches have been developed to model the curling of slabs: i / a continuous analytical model,and ii / a discrete element model. Calculations show that higher shrinkage appears on the surface and causes microcracking that may relax internal stresses. The lime seems to lead to a greater depth of damage, which partly explains its effect on the curling amplitude. The discrete element approach is able to reproduce the evolution of curling both in terms of kinetics and amplitude from the sole measurements of differential shrinkage. Lime is also shown to be beneficial when incorporated into self compacting concretes by acting on both shrinkage and viscoelastic properties.

The selection of mortar for conservation of historic and heritage buildings can be challenging. Achieving compatibility with the historic fabric, durability and efficient use of materials within a practical timeframe often requires the use of hydraulic lime-based mortars which set more rapidly than the more traditional air lime mortars. These are considered to be more compatible with historic fabric than cement-based mortars, although, due to the modern production techniques and their natural variability, a deeper knowledge of their chemical and physical properties is needed to minimise damage due to incompatibility and make the decision process easier and safer. Natural hydraulic lime (NHL) binders are currently classified under EN 459-1:2015 in three designations, NHL 2, NHL 3.5 and NHL5, with the suffix representing the minimum compressive strength (in MPa) of a standard mortar mix at 28 days. The performance of NHL binders, manufactured by burning a naturally impure limestone, can be difficult to predict due to the inherent variability of both their physical and chemical characteristics. At the same time, the tolerance values for each classification allow for binders with significantly compressive strength differences to be classified by the same designation. The main aim of this research was to study a range of NHL binders, understand and quantify the variability of their characteristics and to establish how these properties influence the performance of mortars cured under standard and simulated weather conditions. In the first stage of the project, a selection of NHL binders from different origins and distinct designation were rigorously examined through physical, chemical and mineralogical characterisation to elucidate surface area, particle size distribution, oxide composition and crystalline phase composition. The characteristics of the binders were found to vary greatly, particularly amongst binders from the same classification and distinct origins, and in one particular case even from the same origin. A change of properties over time was also identified, binders manufactured in different years could have very different properties, even though, as far as could be ascertained from the packaging, it was the same product. Starting from a selection of 11 NHLs and 1 hydrated lime, the next step involved the manufacture of mortar samples using a sand aggregate appropriate for a conservation mortar with 1:2 ratio (binder:aggregate by volume). Sufficient water was added to produce a spread by flow table of 165 ± 10 mm. These mortars were cured under standard conditions and for a smaller group of binders under simulated weather conditions. For the standard cure conditions, the properties of the binders were compared to the physical properties in terms of strength (from 7 to 1080 days), porosity, capillary water absorption, water vapour permeability and freeze-thaw resistance of mortars made with the binders. The carbonation was also studied by phenolphthalein stain after all the flexural strength tests and after 2 years by XRD. The mortars under climate simulation were studied in terms of mechanical properties (up to 360 days) and carbonation. For comparison purposes, cement-lime (1:1:6 and 1:2:9 cement:lime:aggregate volumetric ratio), lime-metakaolin (MK) (with MK addition of 5, 10 and 20% of the lime mass) and lime putty mortars were manufactured to the same workability as the NHL mortars. These were studied in terms of strength up to 360 days, porosity and water absorption by capillarity action. The strength of the studied mortars does not follow the classification of the binders, with one binder, specified as NHL 2, resulting in a stronger mortar than another binder specified as NHL 5, and one NHL 3.5 mortar surpassing all the other mortars in terms of mechanical strength. The mechanical strength was found to correlate with the hydraulic phases, alite and belite, identified within the binders. The relative long-term performance of the mortars manufactured with the different binders can therefore be predicted based on the mineral properties rather than the standard classification. Pore related properties, such as water vapour permeability and water absorption by capillarity, were found to be related to the water/binder ratio of the NHL mortars. Later in the project, using the standard cured mortars data, a model was developed to predict compressive strength based on the proportion of crystalline phases present in the mortars, the surface area and the water/binder ratio. This model, applied to the studied mortars, was found to predict, with low error, the measured performance of the mortars, meaning that the model can be used as tool to predict mortar strength. The outcomes of this thesis demonstrated that with sufficient knowledge of the underlying chemistry of NHL binders, it is possible to establish the relative performance of mortars, thus making the decision on which binder to use easier and safer for the historic fabric.