New sustainable Mortars for wall humidity regulation

Included in Project 101226989— CHARM (Conservation Heritage Architecture, buildings and sites by Resilient Methods: hydro-climate factors), financed by European Research Executive Agency under action HORIZON MSCA Doctoral Networks

Supervisor: Beatriz Menéndez CY Cergy Paris University (academics)

Co-Supervisor: Bernard Salesses Saint Astier (non-academics)

Mentor: Luis Valdeon, GEA Asesoria Geologica (non-academics)
 

Salary including social cover and other expenses (per month)

Living Allowance  EUR 4730 € 

Mobility Allowance EUR 710 €

Family Allowance EUR 660 € (depending on family situation) 

Architectural heritage reflects the history of cultures occupying the space for centuries or thousands of years. CHARM (Conservation of Heritage Architecture, buildings and sites by Resilient Methods:  hydro-climate factors) project focuses on sustainable conservation of architectural heritage, including buildings surroundings, from vernacular architecture to monuments and from archaeological sites to modern buildings. Materials and methods for the conservation of Architectural Heritage have evolved in the last years and continue to do so, in order to propose solutions respecting the environment and the health of people restoring, occupying or working in the buildings. In the past, cultural heritage conservation professionals have employed materials and techniques based on their own experience and traditional knowledge transmission, founded on the behaviour of materials in past climate. Environmental and climate conditions have very fast evolved in the last few years and will continue to change, so previously employed procedures, in many cases, are no longer adequate. Environmental sensitivity of society is fast developing and existing conservation procedures will not always fulfil new environmental legislation and population and decision makers' wills. For all these reasons, new conservation solutions must be proposed responding to the new climate conditions and also to socio-economical society requirements. 

Objective: 

This research aims to formulate new rendering mortars, for outdoor and indoor use, that can reduce the humidity content of walls. The sustainability of the mortars is an important aspect that will be also considered under different aspects: low environmental impact during fabrication, application, use and end of life. These mortars will be durable in actual and future climate conditions.

This project aims to develop innovative tools, strategies, and guidelines that mitigate the detrimental effects of water related weathering, ensuring the long-term preservation of our valuable cultural heritage. Research on water control in buildings, their effects and how to fight against the damage: salt crystallisation, indoor moisture development, wall humidity, consolidation products, microbiological development. 
 

Methodology: 

Experimental laboratory work:  measurement of physical properties, determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of materials, evaluate the bioreceptivity of materials, microscopic analysis, etc.

“in situ” studies, characterization (physical, chemical, microbiological), meteorological data collection, building monitoring (humidity, surface temperature, colour variation)

Formulation of new materials capable of controlling water effects on building materials: mortars capable of extracting water (liquid, vapour) from walls (different binder composition, aggregates, and additives)

Application of proposed solutions to real conditions. The products will be tested in traditional masonry materials and exposed to real conditions in local sites. 

Expected Results:  

New indoor and outdoor mortars ready to apply but that can be adapted to different supports and environmental conditions. 

At least 3 papers, in international peer-review journals, 

Participation in 6 conferences and papers in three of them.

Planned secondments: 

GEA Asesoria geologica (Company Spain) 10, 4 weeks, real case applications. 

CNR-ISAC (academics): 4 weeks, Risk assessment. 

Saint Astier (company): 4 weeks, mortars formulation. 

Epitopos (company): 4 weeks, practical applications

L’Institut des Sciences de la Terre de Paris (ISTeP) est un laboratoire de géologie, tourné vers la recherche fondamentale, avec des orientations scientifiques larges, sur le fonctionnement des enveloppes internes et externes de la Terre depuis leur formation jusqu’à leurs expressions les plus récentes : risques naturels ou variations climatiques.

L’Institut des Sciences de la Terre de Paris (ISTeP) a été créé au 1er janvier 2009, sous la forme d’une Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR 7193) sous la double tutelle de l’Université Pierre et Marie Curie et du CNRS.

En 2018, l'Université Pierre et Marie Curie s'est regroupée avec d'autres unités et est devenue Sorbonne Université.

En 2025, l'ISTeP fusionne avec l'équipe du GEC-CY.

Research Field

Engineering

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Environmental science

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Architecture

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Materials Sciences

Laboratory experience

Environmental impacts

Cultural heritage buildings conservation

Specific Requirements

Applicants should hold a relevant Master’s degree in materials sciences, engineering, natural sciences

Applicants should not have been awarded a PhD degree

Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting institution for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date

Proficiency in written and spoken English

Be highly motivated;

Creativity and high level of independency

Languages

ENGLISH

Level Good