Evaluation of Sivas Traditional Sweet Plasters

Abstract

Widely used in historical structures in various regions in Anatolia in the past, the material that is colloquially known as sweet plaster is analyzed in this study in terms of its chemical, physical and mineralogical characteristics and on the basis of its application in examples in Sivas. In this scope, thin and coarse plaster samples are taken from traditional houses and chemical analysis is performed by means of ICP-ES and mineralogical analysis through XRD. Loss of mass and phase transformations occurring in accordance with temperature values are examined by TGA analysis applied on coarse and thin plasters. As a result of all these analyses, it is identified that sweet plaster binder mainly consists of calcium sulfate and anhydrate. Additionally, it is confirmed that lime was also added during preparation of sweet plasters in respect of results of ICP, XRD and acid treatment analysis. Lime rate is obtained as 15-20% in coarse plasters and at about 5-10% within thin plasters. As an aggregate, the usage of clayed sand with tuffic characteristics in coarse plaster at the rate of 5-7% is also identified.