THE STUDY OF HISTORIC PLASTER AND EXTERNAL RENDER

Abstract

Historic monuments hold a vital source of cultural, social, political and economic significance to a society. The preservation of the monuments will allow a common identity to be formed as these monuments are memories of a shared past. Therefore, it is important to understand the techniques that can be used to preserve and restore these monuments that have deteriorated with time. This dissertation aims to study the use of historic coating mortar which is one of the most common building materials used in the construction of several key historic monuments in Singapore. Literature review provides knowledge about the characteristics of mortar based on the types of binder, as well as the techniques available to better understand its microstructure, mineralogical, chemical, mechanical and physical properties. The knowledge would allow the appropriate preservation and restoration techniques to be determined. Three case studies are conducted to determine the physical state of the historic mortar in Singapore, whereby characterisation and defects mapping are being done to achieve the objective. From there, analyses are carried out to find out the root cause of the defects. Finally, appropriate restoration and maintenance strategies are recommended. It is hope that this research can provide a platform for further studies to be done on the area of preservation of historic monuments, especially since this is a relatively new area in Singapore that bears great culture significance.