Mortars and plasters—How to characterize aerial mortars and plasters

Aerial mortars and plasters have been widely used in construction throughout history, and their compatibility with historic mortars and plasters has led to their recent re-adoption. This paper reviews the prominent features of aerial mortars and plasters, their main characteristics and the various characterization methods using both traditional and advanced technology. Several techniques are used in physical, hydric, mechanical, petrographic, mineralogical and chemical characterization. A detailed explanation of microscopic characterization techniques is provided, indicating the information that can be obtained with each. Scientific advances in dating and provenance studies are also described.