HYGROTHERMAL EVALUATION OF TRADITIONAL AND MODIFIED MORTARS: MONITORING WITH DATA LOGGERS UNDER CLIMATIC VARIATIONS

This study evaluated the hygrothermal behavior of traditional and modified mortars through a quantitative experimental design developed within the academic context of Higher Technology Education in Construction. Three hermetic 600 mm cubes were manufactured using Portland cement-based mortars: traditional (MT), modified with glass fibers (MT-GF), and modified with expanded polystyrene (MT-EPS). Monitoring was conducted for 30 consecutive days under real climatic conditions in Quito, Ecuador, characterized by a high-altitude tropical climate with high solar radiation, frequent precipitation, and significant daily thermal variations. A data acquisition system was implemented using HOBO loggers installed both inside and outside each cube with recording frequency every 30 minutes. The methodology was divided into two phases: initial monitoring (15 days) and post-application monitoring of differentiated chromatic coatings (15 days), where MT-EPS received black paint, MT-GF white paint, and MT remained uncoated. Results demonstrate that expanded polystyrene mortar presents the best thermal performance, with values between 4.71% and 6.40% relative to ambient temperature, followed by glass fiber mortar (3.73%-5.20%), while traditional mortar showed the lowest thermal efficiency. Chromatic coatings evidenced significant effects; black surfaces increased thermal absorption and retention, while white surfaces improved solar reflectance. The research validates the effectiveness of modified mortars in thermal insulation and confirms the utility of data loggers as a pedagogical tool for teaching thermal properties of construction materials in higher educational environments.