A study on the effects of volcanic ash as a partial replacement of cement in Concrete production (Case study: Menengai Geothermal Field)

Volcanic ash soils have many unique physical properties that are attributable directly to the properties of the parent material, the non-crystalline materials formed by weathering, and the soil organic matter accumulated during soil formation. This research will investigate the effect of partial replacement of cement with volcanic ash (VA) soil on the compressive strength of concrete. The study will mainly involve experimental design to collect the data. The fresh and hardened properties of concrete will be tested on cubes of 150mm dimensions and beams of 500mm length. The cast cubes and beams will be tested after 7, 14 and 28 days. A control mix of 28-day target strength of 25 N/mm2 will be adopted. The partial replacement will be tested at 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% replacement by weight of the mix.

Key words: Volcanic, ash, concrete, replacement and geothermal