A new fractal model for predicting water transport properties of historic mortars on the basis of MIP results

The knowledge of the water transport properties (sorptivity and water vapour diffusion) of historic mortars is extremely important for the design of compatible repair materials. However, it is extremely difficult to determine these properties experimentally, as the samples collected from heritage buildings are usually too small and irregular for performing the relevant tests. In this paper, a new method is proposed for predicting the water transport properties of mortars, starting from their pore size distribution determined by MIP. The method is based on the simulation of porous materials microstructure by means of an Intermingled Fractal Units’ model, allowing to analytically derive these properties