Multi-Analytical Study of Lime-Based Mortars from the 16th-Century Venetian Fortress of Bergamo (Italy)

A multi-analytical study of lime-based mortars from the 16th-century Venetian Fortress of Bergamo reveals that these mortars possess hydraulic properties, likely due to interactions between lime and reactive silicate aggregates. The research, employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometry (ICP-OES), optical microscopy (OM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG), identified a range of compounds including calcite, hydrocalumite, hydrotalcite-type phases, brucite, aragonite, plombierite, and significant amorphous content (14–27 wt%). The mortars are notably magnesium-rich, containing 4–5 wt% brucite, with no evidence of magnesite or hydromagnesite. The CO₂/H₂O bound ratio further supports the hydraulic nature of these mortars, suggesting advanced construction techniques used in Renaissance-era Venetian fortifications.

Pelosato, R., Natali-Sora, I., Nannei, V. M., & Mirabella Roberti, G. (2025). Multi-Analytical Study of Lime-Based Mortars from the 16th-Century Venetian Fortress of Bergamo (Italy). Heritage, 8(10), 400. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8100400