Europe has a continuous, documented history of building with lime dating from the Roman Republic. The above referenced standard is the U.K. implementation of the European Committee for Standardization Cement and Building Lime Technical Committee 51. The European Committee for Standardization is an international non-profit providing a similar function to the American Society for Testing and Materials in the United States and Canada. The standard is a comprehensive document for defining and distinguishing manufactured limes used in construction. Parts two and three of the standard refer to Testing Methods and Conformity Evaluation, respectively.
Whereas lime enjoyed only a brief history of widespread use being largely displaced by Portland cement in North America, in Europe and the United Kingdom, the tradition is maintained and is inclusive of a wide range of limes. This post is a follow up on a previous article on natural hydraulic limes. Hopefully, it will serve to dispel some of the mystery and confusion surrounding the classification of NHL’s and highlight the balanced rationale based on experience, science, and practical use reflected in the European standard.