Evaluation of Pelletized Artificial Geopolymer Aggregate Manufactured From Volcano Ash

This paper introduced the new pelletized artificial geopolymer aggregate made from volcano ash. This is one of the effort to diminish the high quantity of volcano mud from East Java, Indonesia, that become a major issue since May 29, 2006 when it surfaced from the bowel of the earth and impacted an area of almost 770 hectare to a depth of 20 m, and thirty thousand people have been displaced which cost Indonesia $3.7 billion in damages and damage control. The characterization of volcano ash was first examined. The major constituent was SiO2 and Al2O3 for this material. The microstructure properties showed the volcano ash has a plate like structure and the shell covered outer surface of this aggregate appear naturally. The geopolymer artificial aggregate was examined with various curing temperature of 500 °C, 600 °C and 800 °C. The results show that the specific gravity of geopolymer artificial aggregate was in the range of 1.7-2.0 g/cm3. The lowest specific gravity was observed at sintering temperature of 800°C. The water absorption can be modulated by controlling the sintering temperature