What is BS 4551 - Chemical analysis and physical testing of mortars about?
BS 4551 is a British Standard on testing methods for mortar and screed that aims to provide best industry practices to determine the quality and performance of construction materials to meet your specific engineering needs.
BS 4551 specifies methods of sampling, preparation, physical testing and chemical analysis of mortars for bricklaying, plastering and rendering.
Methods of interpretation of chemical analysis results are also described.
Note: The methods of test given in BS 4551 are not intended to be applied to mortars containing calcium aluminate cement or mortars whose principle binder is hydraulic lime.
Who is BS 4551 - Chemical analysis and physical testing of mortars for?
BS 4551 on mortar is useful for:
- Manufacturers of mortar
- Manufacturers and suppliers of construction materials
- Quality control and testing authorities
- Construction industry
- Civil engineers
- Contractors
Why should you use BS 4551 - Chemical analysis and physical testing of mortars?
Mortar testing provides an indication of mortar consistency during construction and examines performance against project-specific requirements.
BS 4551 explains the process where mortars are sampled and reduced on-site to a quantity suitable for dispatch to a laboratory, in order to conduct physical tests and chemical analysis. As part of this process, they are packaged and labelled.
The physical tests are for:
- Determination of consistence by dropping ball
- Determination of consistence retentivity and water retentivity-
Meanwhile guidance on chemical analysis on a sample of mortar is useful to estimate the original mix proportions.
Thus, the aim of the testing mortar for use in buildings and structures is not only to identify the construction materials used and to evaluate their current conditions but also to propose measures for the preservation and structural strengthening of the buildings to avoid the damage caused by the different deformation characteristics of the materials.