Study of the Characteristics of Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) Bricks Using (Palm Kernel Shell) Ash as a Comment Additive

Septri Naldi — 2026-03-01

Riau Province is one of Indonesia’s largest palm oil–producing regions, generating substantial biomass waste such as palm kernel shells. One potential use of this waste is Palm Kernel Shell Ash (PKS-Ash), which contains silica (SiO₂) and alumina (Al₂O₃) that are beneficial for cementitious reactions. This study aims to evaluate the effect of PKS-Ash as a cement additive on the properties of Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) bricks, particularly unit weight, water absorption, and compressive strength. A laboratory-scale experimental method was applied. The test specimens were produced using cement, sand, water, a foaming agent, and PKS-Ash with variations of 0%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of cement. All specimens were tested at curing ages of 7, 14, 21, and 28 days in accordance with SNI 8640-2018. The results at 28 days showed that the addition of PKS-Ash significantly influenced the characteristics of the CLC bricks. Compressive strength increased with higher PKS-Ash content, reaching a maximum value of 1.775 MPa at the 8% variation, compared to 0.975 MPa for the control mixture. The unit weight of the specimens ranged from 1,304.29 kg/m³ to 1,716.44 kg/m³. Water absorption values varied, with the lowest absorption observed in the 0% mixture and the highest in the 4% mixture. The study concludes that PKS-Ash has strong potential as a sustainable additive to improve the compressive strength of CLC lightweight bricks while promoting effective utilization of palm oil industry waste.

Analysis of Water Catchment Area Potential Based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Case Study of XIII Koto Kampar District

Lovia Chintia Ningrum — 2026-03-01

Recharge areas play a crucial role in maintaining hydrological balance and sustaining groundwater resources. Uncontrolled land use change can reduce infiltration capacity and increase environmental risks such as flooding and groundwater depletion. This study aims to analyze and map the potential of groundwater recharge areas using a Geographic Information System (GIS) to support spatial planning and water resource management. The research employed secondary data consisting of rainfall, slope, soil type, and land use. Each parameter was standardized, weighted, and scored according to its influence on infiltration capacity, then integrated using a weighted overlay method within GIS software to produce a comprehensive recharge potential map. The results classify the study area into low, moderate, and high groundwater recharge potential zones. Areas with high recharge potential are predominantly associated with gentle slopes, coarse-textured soils, relatively high rainfall, and land use dominated by vegetation cover, whereas low potential zones are characterized by steeper slopes, fine-textured soils, and built-up land use. The resulting map provides a spatial representation of recharge capacity that can be used to identify priority areas for conservation and guide land use control. This study demonstrates that GIS-based multi-criteria analysis is effective for evaluating groundwater recharge potential and generating practical spatial information. The findings are expected to support decision making in spatial planning, groundwater conservation strategies, and sustainable environmental management, as well as to serve as a reference for future studies related to hydrological assessment and land use planning. It also enhances data integration, transparency, and consistency across planning processes locally.

Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Management (JES-TM)

Study of the Characteristics of Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) Bricks Using (Palm Kernel Shell) Ash as a Comment Additive

Analysis of Water Catchment Area Potential Based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Case Study of XIII Koto Kampar District