Blended cement using volcanic ash and pumice

This paper reports the results of investigation to assess the suitability of volcanic ash (VA) and pumice powder (VPP) for blended cement production. Tests were conducted on cement where Portland cement (PC) was replaced by VA and VPP within the range of 0 to 50%. The physical and chemical properties of VA and VPP were critically reviewed to evaluate the possible influences on cement properties. The investigation included testing on both fresh and hardened states of cement paste. The standard tests conducted on different PC-VA and -VPP mixtures provided encouraging results, comparable to those for fly ash (FA) cement, and showed good potential of manufacturing blended Portland volcanic ash cement (PVAC) and Portland volcanic pumice cement (PVPC) with higher setting time and low heat of hydration using up to 20% replacement.