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This study was carried out to evaluate the influence of a polypropylene microfibre (PPMF) dispersion procedure on fresh and hardened state properties of rendering mortars. Specimens prepared with two different PPMF dispersion procedures were evaluated comparatively with reference specimens prepared without adding PPMF. Changes in the fresh properties were monitored using flow table, squeeze flow, and air-entrainment tests. The hardened state was characterized by capillary water absorption, air-permeability, dynamic elastic modulus (E), tensile strength according to the Brazilian test, and porosity by the Archimedes immersion method. Results show that the fresh mortar properties were not affected by dispersion procedure and all hardened mortar properties were statistically similar, except for the dimensional variation of the specimens. The study also shows that adding polypropylene microfibres in a dispersed form was more effective in terms of controlling total drying shrinkage than directly adding fibres to the cementitious matrix (as recommended by the manufacturer) or the reference mortar.

Contact of facades with degradation agents and direct incidence of ultraviolet radiation on external coatings make them more opaque over time, affecting their colour and reflectance characteristics. This study evaluated the effect of adding different TiO2 contents to mortars applied in concrete substrates in order to verify the reflectance maintenance on surfaces after exposure over time. Mortar with different concentrations of TiO2 (1%, 5%, 10%) were produced in relation to the total dry premix, added as a powder and compared to unpainted mortar without TiO2 (type "A") and painted mortar without TiO2 (type "B"), both used as a reference for colour and reflectance. Exposed over 16 months to climate conditions in São Paulo, regarding the maintenance of reflectance and solar radiation, the results showed that type "B" (0%TiO2) painted mortar presented the best performance. Type "C" (1%TiO2) and type "D" (5%TiO2) unpainted mortar remained more stable. Type "A" (0%TiO2) and type "E" (10%TiO2) unpainted mortar showed greater differences according to the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) range caused by dirt pick up.

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