Influence of the Partial Substitution of Industrial Clinker by Volcanic Lava Powder from Nyiragongo Volcano on the Physical Properties of Mortars

This study evaluates the pozzolanicity of Nyiragongo volcano lava flows in Congo by an indirect method using mortars with different rock powder proportions. The clinker used is a locally produced alite clinker, whose chemical and mineralogical composition was determined by XRF, Bogue and Taylor formulas. The lava flows were collected from the 2002, 2010 and 2021 eruption sites, and were characterized by XRF, CIPW normative mineralogy and geomechanical tests. The results show that Nyiragongo rocks are ultrabasic, silica- and alkali-rich, and contain minerals like nepheline, wollastonite and leucite. They satisfy the natural pozzolan criterion, and have pozzolanic activity indices above 70%. These rocks also have high RC and LA resistances, ranging from 190 MPa to 45 MPa, and from 18% to 32.6%, respectively. The rock powder addition in the mortars reduces mechanical resistances and increases setting times, except for a 5% replacement rate, which speeds up hardening. Nyiragongo lava can be used as a pozzolanic addition to produce a CEM II/B-P 32.5 cement.