A type of lime that has been used in construction since ancient Roman times is now covered by an ASTM International standard. ASTM International Committee C07 on Lime has approved ASTM C1707, Specification for Pozzolanic Hydraulic Lime for Structural Purposes. The new standard is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee C07.02 on Specifications and Guidelines.
According to Margaret Thomson, the new specification defines the plastic and hardened properties of a blended material consisting of single or multiple pozzolans and Type S hydrated lime (covered in ASTM C207, Specification for Hydrated Lime for Masonry Purposes).
The material detailed in ASTM C1707 takes advantage of the cementitious or hydraulic properties of the pozzolanic reaction with Type S hydrated building lime in the presence of moisture and the plastic and hardened properties as well as the carbonation properties of lime. Lime covered in the standard will be used in the production of mortars and interior-exterior plasters.
“This is a new ‘old’ material,” notes Margaret Thomson, C07 vice chair and technical manager for Chemical Lime Co., Henderson, Nev. “The Romans used pozzolans in the form of volcanic ash and ground brick dust with lime as mortar and plaster. Developing a standard specification for a pozzolanic hydraulic lime provides the needed framework for cementitious materials manufacturers and users looking to innovate their mortars and plasters toward reducing the carbon dioxide emission and embodied energy impact of cementitious building materials.”
ASTM International standards are available for purchase from Customer Service (phone: 610-832-9585; service@astm.org) or at www.astm.org. For technical Information, contact Margaret Thomson, Chemical Lime Co., Henderson, Nev. (phone: 702-565-3883; margaret.thomson@chemicallime.com). Committee C07 meets June 17-18 during June committee week in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. ASTM’s open consensus process, using advanced Internet-based standards development tools, ensures worldwide access for all interested individuals. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, please contact Kevin Shanahan, ASTM International (phone: 610-832-9737; kshanaha@astm.org).
Release #8250/May2009
