EFFECT OF STICKY RICE, JAGGERY, SUGAR, AND ADDITIONAL LIME ON THE FRESH, FLEXURAL, AND MOISTURE-RELATED PROPERTIES OF LIME MORTAR

This paper evaluated the combined fresh-state, flexural and moisture-related behaviour of lime mortars modified with jaggery, sticky rice, sugar and additional lime at 3–15% by lime mass. The control produced 16.1 mm workability, 14.4% water absorption, 58.9% porosity and flexural strengths of 0.04 MPa at 7 days and 0.08 MPa at 28 days. Jaggery at 6% gave the highest workability of 17.9 mm, but the best overall performance was obtained with 9% sticky rice. That mix combined 17.6 mm workability with the lowest absorption and porosity, 12.5% and 55.4%, and the highest flexural strengths, 0.14 and 0.25 MPa. Relative to the control, its workability increased by 9.3%, absorption decreased by 13.2%, porosity decreased by 5.9%, and 28-day flexural strength increased by 212.5%. Additional lime at 9% ranked second, reaching 12.9% absorption, 56.3% porosity and 0.24 MPa at 28 days, while 6% jaggery achieved 13.2%, 56.8% and 0.23 MPa. Sugar was the most dosage-sensitive; at 15%, absorption and porosity rose to 14.9% and 59.0%, and 28-day flexural strength fell to 0.09 MPa. The results confirm a direct engineering relationship between reduced harmful pore connectivity, lower water uptake and improved resistance to bending and crack initiation. The optimum is not the mix with the highest flow, but the one that combines practical placement with restrained liquid-water entry and superior bending resistance. For breathable masonry repair and compatible lime-mortar applications, 9% sticky rice is therefore the recommended optimum within the tested programme.  

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