Method for removing mortar

Abstract

To provide a method for removing mortar, which can easily remove mortar adhering to tiles without damaging the tiles.SOLUTION: The method includes a water impregnation step S02 in which the mortar attached to the tile is impregnated with water, a water freezing step S03 in which the water-impregnated mortar is cooled to freeze the water impregnated in the mortar, and a water melting step S04 in which the temperature of the mortar in which the water has been frozen is raised to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of water to melt the water frozen in the mortar.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for removing mortar adhered to tiles, and more particularly to a method for removing mortar that can easily remove mortar adhered to tiles from the tiles. [Background technology]

[0002] Tiles have traditionally been used as finishing materials for exterior and interior walls and floors of buildings. For example, tiles as finishing materials are attached to the concrete skeleton of a building with adhesive mortar applied thereto. There are various types of tiles, and fired products such as porcelain, stoneware, semi-porcelain, and ceramic are widely known.

[0003] Buildings are sometimes demolished for various reasons, such as aging or rebuilding. However, tiles are highly durable, and even at the time a building is demolished, many tiles have not yet reached their durability limit (also known as their lifespan) as a finishing material. However, tiles contained in the waste materials generated when a building is demolished are often discarded without being reused. In addition to demolishing buildings, tiles may also be replaced to repair the mortar peeling, for example, when peeling (hereinafter referred to as "floating") occurs between the building's framework and the mortar. Even when replacing tiles in this way, a large amount of the removed tiles may be discarded.

[0004] As mentioned above, one reason why tiles are often discarded without being reused is that the mortar adhering to the tiles is difficult to remove. For example, while it is possible to remove adhesive mortar adhering to the backside of tiles by cutting it off using abrasive tools, this method requires a great deal of time and effort and is not suitable for reusing large quantities of tiles. Furthermore, when tiles are arranged vertically and horizontally on the exterior walls of buildings, mortar is sometimes used as a joint material, and removing this joint mortar is also necessary for tile reuse. Furthermore, methods for removing mortar adhering to tiles using abrasive tools require the skilled and skilled worker, as damage to the backside of the tiles during polishing makes reuse difficult. For these reasons, a method for removing adhesive mortar adhering to adhering building materials such as tiles has been proposed, in which the adhering building materials are immersed in an acid solution to dissolve the adhesive mortar adhering to the adhering building materials (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6047677 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technology described in Patent Document 1 takes advantage of the low resistance of mortar to acids, but depending on the type and concentration of the acid, the acid solution used to dissolve the mortar may be considered a powerful chemical, making it difficult to say that it is a simple method in terms of chemical management. Furthermore, depending on the type and concentration of the acid, corrosion may occur due to the acid, which limits the materials of the tools that can be used. Furthermore, if a glaze is applied to the surface of the tile, the acid may discolor the glaze.

[0007] In recent years, from the perspective of resource conservation, there has been a strong desire to reuse tiles generated during the demolition and repair of buildings. For example, concerns have arisen about the depletion of clay, the raw material for tiles, and demand for tile reuse is expected to increase in the future. Furthermore, with increasing social awareness of the cultural value of tiles, tile reuse is sometimes required to preserve this cultural value. For this reason, there is a demand for the development of a method that can easily remove the adhesive mortar attached to the tiles without damaging them. In addition to reusing tiles generated during the demolition and repair of buildings, reusing tiles to repair buildings when parts of tiles used as finishing materials have peeled off from them contributes to the aforementioned resource conservation and preservation of cultural value.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and aims to provide a method for removing mortar that can easily remove mortar adhering to tiles without damaging the tiles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for removing mortar as follows.

[0010] [1] A mortar removal method for removing mortar adhering to tiles from the tiles, comprising: a water impregnation step of impregnating the mortar attached to the tile with water; a water freezing step of cooling the mortar impregnated with water to freeze the water impregnated in the mortar; a water melting step of heating the mortar in which the water has been frozen to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the water, thereby melting the water frozen in the mortar.

[0011] [2] The mortar removal method according to [1], further comprising a drying step of drying the mortar adhering to the tile before the water impregnation step.

[0012] [3] The mortar removal method according to [1] or [2], wherein the water freezing step and the water thawing step are repeated as one set two or more times.

[0013] [4] The method for removing mortar according to [1] or [2], wherein the water absorption rate of the tile is lower than the water absorption rate of the mortar.

[0014] [5] The method for removing mortar according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the tiles are made of porcelain.

[0015] [6] The method for removing mortar according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the water comprises saline or an aqueous solution containing a sugar as a solute. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the mortar removal method of the present invention, mortar adhering to tiles can be removed extremely easily without damaging the tiles. In particular, the water freezing and water thawing steps in the mortar removal method of the present invention do not require human labor during these steps, and a large number of tiles can be treated at once, thereby reducing labor costs and the time required for mortar removal work. Furthermore, since no special solutions such as acids are used in each step, the risks of discoloration of tiles and corrosion of tools used can be effectively reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a tile with mortar attached thereto, which is applicable to the mortar removal method of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an exterior wall of a building to which tiles are attached. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for removing mortar. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a drying step in the mortar removal method. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a water impregnation step in a mortar removal method. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the water impregnation step of the mortar removal method. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the water freezing step of the mortar removal method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] While the present invention will be described below with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the following exemplary embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that modifications and improvements to the following exemplary embodiments, based on the ordinary knowledge of those skilled in the art, are also within the scope of the present invention, provided that they do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.

[0019] One embodiment of the mortar removal method of the present invention is a mortar removal method for removing mortar 12 adhering to a tile 10 from the tile 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The tile 10 shown in FIG. 1 is used as a finishing material for the exterior walls, interior walls, floors, and the like of a building. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, on the exterior wall of a building 100 such as a building or condominium, a base mortar 114 is poured on the outside of a skeleton 116 made of concrete or the like, and tiles 110 as finishing materials are further attached to the surface of the base mortar 114 via an attachment mortar 112. Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing tiles with mortar adhering thereto that can be used in the mortar removal method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the exterior wall of a building to which tiles are attached.

[0020] The waste materials generated when a building 100 such as that shown in FIG. 2 is demolished may contain a large amount of tiles 110 that were used on the exterior and interior walls of the building 100. Furthermore, a large amount of used tiles 110 may also be removed during renovations such as replacing tiles 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, used tiles included in the waste materials have mortar 12, such as adhesive mortar or joint mortar, attached to the back and side surfaces of the tiles 10. The mortar removal method of this embodiment is a method for removing mortar 12 attached to existing tiles 10 that were used in the building 100 (FIG. 2). According to the mortar removal method of this embodiment, the mortar 12 attached to the tiles 10 can be removed extremely easily without damaging the tiles 10. Therefore, the mortar removal method of this embodiment can be used as a method for reusing used tiles 10. Furthermore, the mortar removal method of this embodiment can be used not only for tiles 10 generated during the demolition or renovation of the building 100 (Figure 2) as described above, but also for repairing tiles 10 that have partially peeled off from, for example, the exterior wall of the building 100 (Figure 2).

[0021] The building to which the mortar removal method of this embodiment can be applied is not particularly limited as long as tiles are used on the exterior walls, interior walls, and floors of the building, and examples thereof include structures made of steel, wood, concrete, and the like, and include buildings where people live, such as houses and apartment complexes and condominiums, as well as buildings such as factories, office buildings, and commercial facilities, and civil engineering structures such as tunnels, roads, and bridges. Furthermore, the term "tile" as used herein is not necessarily limited to ceramic tiles, but also encompasses building components attached via mortar to cover the exterior walls, interior walls, floors, and the like of a building. For example, tiles include tile-like articles made of glass, stone, or synthetic resin.

[0022] The mortar removal method of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the mortar removal method of this embodiment.

[0023] 3, the mortar removal method of this embodiment includes a water impregnation step S02, a water freezing step S03, and a water melting step S04. The mortar removal method of this embodiment may further include, for example, a drying step S01 as a pretreatment step before the water impregnation step S02. Each step of the mortar removal method will be described in more detail below.

[0024] First, a tile 10 having mortar 12 attached thereto, as shown in FIG. 1, is prepared as a target for the mortar removal method. Such a tile 10 may be included in waste materials generated during the demolition or repair of a building, or may be obtained by cutting a tile 10 attached to the exterior wall, interior wall, or floor of a building with mortar 12 using a cutting tool such as a wire saw. Alternatively, a tile 10 may be obtained that has peeled off from the building due to aging or other reasons. For example, the back surface of the tile 10 may be provided with an uneven surface (back foot 11) to facilitate adhesion of the tile 10. Such a tile 10 may have a large amount of mortar 12 (attaching mortar) attached along the uneven surface of the back foot 11. Furthermore, the tile 10 may have joint mortar (not shown) attached thereto. Therefore, in order to reuse the tile 10, the mortar 12 attached to the tile 10 must be removed.

[0025] In the mortar removal method of this embodiment, it is preferable to first perform a drying step S01 as an optional pretreatment step, in which mortar 12 adhering to tiles 10 is dried. The drying step S01 can be performed, for example, as shown in Fig. 4, by placing tiles 10 with mortar 12 adhering thereto in a known drying device 50 (e.g., a drying oven) having heating means 52 and drying the tiles for a predetermined period of time. Here, Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the drying step of the mortar removal method.

[0026] There are no particular restrictions on the drying temperature and drying time in the drying step S01. For example, the drying temperature is preferably 105°C or higher. There is no particular restriction on the upper limit of the drying temperature, and it can be appropriately set, for example, based on the upper limit temperature (maximum temperature) of a general drying oven. For example, the upper limit of the drying temperature can be about 300°C. Therefore, it is more preferable that the drying temperature be 105 to 300°C. The drying step S01 is preferably carried out until the moisture contained in the mortar 12 evaporates and there is no change in the mass of the tile 10 to which the mortar 12 is attached. This configuration allows fine cracks 14 to be generated in the mortar 12, which makes it easier to impregnate the pores of the mortar 12 with water in the subsequent water impregnation step S02.

[0027] Next, in the water impregnation step S02, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a tile 10 to which the mortar 12 to be applied is attached is immersed in water 22 to impregnate the mortar 12 attached to the tile 10 with the water 22. The water impregnation step S02 is a step for impregnating the pores of the mortar 12, which is a porous body, with the water 22. For example, the water impregnation step S02 may be performed by preparing a storage container 20 containing water 22 and immersing the entire tile 10 to which the mortar 12 is applied in the water 22 in the storage container 20, as shown in FIG. 5. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, instead of immersing the entire tile 10 in water 22A, the tile 10 on the side to which the mortar 12 is attached may be partially immersed in water 22A to preferentially impregnate the mortar 12 attached to the tile 10 with the water 22A. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 20A denotes a storage container for storing the water 22A in which the mortar 12 is immersed. Furthermore, although not shown, for example, if at least a portion of the mortar 12 is immersed in water, water can be sucked up into the mortar 12 from the immersed portion by capillary action. Thus, the water impregnation step S02 is not limited to the above-mentioned method as long as it is a method that can impregnate the mortar 12 with water. Here, Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the water impregnation step of the mortar removal method, and Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the water impregnation step of the mortar removal method.

[0028] Since the volume expansion due to freezing of water is approximately 9%, in the water impregnation step S02, it is preferable to saturate 91% or more of the voids in the mortar 12 (in other words, the pores of the porous body) with water. However, even if the amount of water impregnated into the voids in the mortar 12 does not reach the above amount, the mortar 12 attached to the tile 10 can be removed stepwise from the surface side by repeating the series of mortar removal steps from the water impregnation step S02 to the water melting step S04 multiple times (for example, by performing the water impregnation step S02 in multiple steps).

[0029] Furthermore, by performing the drying step S01 described above to generate fine cracks in the mortar 12, the impregnation of the mortar 12 with water can be promoted in the water impregnation step S02. Even if the drying step S01 is not performed, if cracks have occurred in the mortar 12 due to aging or the like, the cracks generated in the mortar 12 will promote the impregnation of the mortar 12 with water, as in the case where the drying step S01 has been performed. For example, if the porous mortar 12 has independent pores that are isolated from the outside, it is difficult to introduce water into the independent pores of the mortar 12 in the water impregnation step S02. Therefore, by generating cracks in the mortar 12 in the drying step S01 to reduce the number of independent pores in the mortar 12, the entire mortar 12 can be impregnated with water in a single water impregnation step S02. Furthermore, as described above, even if independent pores are formed in the mortar 12, by dividing the water impregnation step S02 into multiple steps and removing the mortar 12 in stages, the independent pores of the mortar 12 can be gradually exposed to the outside, thereby enabling water to be impregnated into the mortar 12.

[0030] The water used in the water impregnation step S02 may be ordinary water such as tap water, distilled water, or well water, or may be an aqueous solution using water as a solvent. For example, the water used in the water impregnation step S02 may be saline solution. By using saline solution, it is expected that the mortar 12 will be effectively removed by scaling. Furthermore, the water used in the water impregnation step S02 may be an aqueous solution containing sugars as a solute. By using an aqueous solution containing sugars, it is expected that the mortar 12 will be effectively removed by chemical erosion.

[0031] Next, in the water freezing step S03, as shown in FIG. 7, the water-impregnated mortar 12 is cooled to freeze the water impregnated in the mortar 12. The water freezing step S03 can be performed by placing the tile 10 to which the water-impregnated mortar 12 is attached under low-temperature conditions. The low-temperature conditions refer to conditions under which the water (moisture) impregnated in the mortar 12 can be frozen. For example, if water with few impurities, such as distilled water, is used, it is preferable to place the tile 10 to which the water-impregnated mortar 12 is attached in a temperature environment of −5°C or below. However, even when water with few impurities is used as described above, if the porosity (air pores) of the mortar 12 is small or if the mortar 12 contains impurities derived from concrete, etc., the freezing point of the impregnated water will be depressed. Therefore, it is preferable to set the temperature below the temperature at which the impregnated water can fully freeze. Furthermore, if the water used in the water impregnation step S02 is an aqueous solution containing saline or sugars, the water freezing step S03 can be performed at a temperature lower than the freezing point of the water used. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the water freezing step of the mortar removal method.

[0032] By performing the water freezing step S03, the water impregnated in the mortar 12 freezes into ice, and the volume of the ice expands. In the mortar removal method of this embodiment, the freezing expansion pressure of the water is utilized to crush the mortar 12 adhering to the tiles 10.

[0033] The cooling device 30 that performs the water freezing step S03 may be any device that can cool the interior of the device to a temperature lower than the freezing point of water (the freezing point of the water impregnated in the mortar 12), and may have a known cooling means 32 such as a heat exchanger. For example, the cooling device 30 may be a freezing storage facility such as a freezer, or a facility that has a thermostatic bath capable of temperature control (for example, an environmental tester or a cycle tester).

[0034] Although there is no particular limitation on the holding time under low temperature conditions in the water freezing step S03, it is preferable to ensure a holding time until the water impregnated in the mortar 12 freezes to form ice and the volume expansion causes freeze-pulverization of the mortar 12. For example, by ensuring a sufficient holding time in the water freezing step S03, freeze-pulverization of the mortar 12 (in other words, deterioration of the mortar 12) can be promoted.

[0035] Next, in the water melting step S04, the mortar 12 in which the water has been frozen in the water freezing step S03 is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the water to melt the water frozen in the mortar 12. By performing such water melting step S04, the freezing expansion pressure of the water in the mortar 12 is temporarily released. There are no particular restrictions on the temperature conditions for performing the water melting step S04, but it is preferable to heat the mortar 12 in which the water has been frozen to a temperature of about 5°C, for example.

[0036] In the water melting step S04, the method for melting the frozen water is not particularly limited. For example, if the water freezing step S03 is performed in a frozen storage facility such as a freezer, the power to the frozen storage facility may be turned off to stop the cooling function, or the tiles 10 with the mortar 12 attached thereto may be removed from the frozen storage facility and returned to room temperature to melt the water. Furthermore, if temperature-controllable equipment is used, the set temperature may be raised to a temperature above the melting point of water to melt the water frozen within the mortar 12. Note that the mortar removal method of this embodiment may involve repeating the set of the water freezing step S03 and water melting step S04 described above two or more times. Therefore, it is preferable to perform the water freezing step S03 and the water melting step S04 as a series of steps without moving the tiles 10 with the mortar 12 attached thereto by turning off the cooling function of the frozen storage facility or by using temperature-controllable equipment. This configuration eliminates the need for manpower when repeating this series of steps, reducing labor costs and shortening the time required for mortar removal. It also makes it easier to process a large number of tiles 10 at once. Even if the water freezing step S03 and the water melting step S04 are not repeated (if each step is performed once), these steps require almost no manpower, which contributes to reducing labor costs.

[0037] The water freezing step S03 and the water thawing step S04 may be configured as one set, and the set may be repeated two or more times. By configuring in this manner, even if the mortar 12 cannot be completely removed in one water freezing step S03, the mortar 12 can be fractured in new locations in the mortar 12 in the second or subsequent water freezing steps S03, thereby gradually removing the mortar 12 adhering to the tiles 10. In other words, by temporarily releasing the freezing expansion pressure generated in the mortar 12 in the water thawing step S04, the location and generation conditions of the freezing expansion pressure can be changed in the second or subsequent water freezing steps S03, and the fractured locations of the mortar 12 can be gradually expanded.

[0038] The mortar removal method of this embodiment includes the water impregnation step S02, the water freezing step S03, and the water melting step S04 described above, and removes the mortar 12 adhering to the tiles 10 by freeze-pulverization using the frozen expansion pressure of the water impregnated in the mortar 12. This makes it possible to very simply remove the mortar 12 adhering to the tiles 10 without damaging the tiles 10. It also reduces labor costs and the time required for the mortar removal work. Furthermore, because no special solutions such as acids are used in each step, it is possible to effectively reduce the risks of discoloration of the tiles 10 and corrosion of the tools used.

[0039] Furthermore, by further including a drying step S01 for drying the mortar 12 adhering to the tile 10 as shown in FIG. 4 before the water impregnation step S02, the impregnation of the mortar 12 with water is promoted in the water impregnation step S02, and the mortar 12 can be removed more efficiently.

[0040] Furthermore, if the mortar 12 remains attached to the tile 10 after the water freezing step S03 and the water thawing step S04 have been repeated multiple times, the water impregnation step S02 may be performed again, followed by the water freezing step S03 and the water thawing step S04. By configuring in this manner, even if sufficient water does not reach the isolated pores of the mortar 12 in the initial water impregnation step S02, the freeze-pulverization causes the mortar 12 to be fractured, thereby achieving sufficient water impregnation into the mortar 12.

[0041] Furthermore, after the water-melting step S04, the tiles 10 may be rinsed with running water. For example, if an aqueous solution using water as a solvent is used in the water impregnation step S02, rinsing the tiles 10 with running water can remove solutes contained in the aqueous solution. The mortar 12 after the water-melting step S04 may become weakened, starting from its surface. The weakened mortar 12 can be very easily removed by lightly brushing the surface of the mortar 12 adhering to the tiles 10. By using these methods in combination, the mortar 12 adhering to the tiles 10 can be sequentially removed.

[0042] As described above, the mortar removal method of this embodiment is a method for removing mortar 12 adhering to a tile 10 as shown in FIG. 1 from the tile 10. There are no particular limitations on the tiles 10 to which this removal method is applied, as long as they are building components attached via mortar to cover the exterior walls, interior walls, floors, etc. of a building. However, it is preferable that the water absorption rate of the tiles 10 to be applied is lower than that of the mortar 12. Such tiles 10 are less likely to be damaged in the water freezing step S03, and can be effectively reused after the mortar 12 has been removed. Examples of tiles 10 suitable for the mortar removal method include porcelain tiles.

[0043] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and various modifications and variations are possible. For example, the described steps may be performed in an order different from that described, or an arbitrary step may be added between the steps. Furthermore, although FIGS. 4 to 6 show the state in which mortar 12 is removed from one tile 10, the mortar removal method of this embodiment can remove mortar 12 attached to multiple tiles 10 at the same time (in parallel). [Industrial Applicability]

[0044] The mortar removal method of the present invention can be used to remove mortar adhering to tiles. The tiles from which the mortar has been removed can be reused by being attached to buildings or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10 tiles, 12 mortars, 14 cracks, 20,20A storage container, 22,22A water, 30 cooling equipment, 32 cooling means; 50 Drying equipment, 52 heating means; 100 buildings, 110 tiles, 112 mortar, 114 Base mortar, 116 Body.

Claims

1. A mortar removal method for removing mortar adhering to tiles from the tiles, comprising: a water impregnation step of impregnating the mortar attached to the tile with water; a water freezing step of cooling the mortar impregnated with water to freeze the water impregnated in the mortar; a water melting step of heating the mortar in which the water has been frozen to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the water, thereby melting the water frozen in the mortar.

2. The mortar removal method according to claim 1 , further comprising a drying step of drying the mortar attached to the tile before the water impregnation step.

3. The mortar removal method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one set of the water freezing step and the water thawing step is repeated two or more times.

4. The method for removing mortar according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water absorption rate of the tile is lower than the water absorption rate of the mortar.

5. 3. The method for removing mortar according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tile is made of porcelain.

6. The mortar removal method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water comprises a saline solution or an aqueous solution containing a sugar as a solute.

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