THE ASSESSMENT OF MERAPI VOLCANIC ASH

AND PYROCLASTIC FLOW AFTER

THE MEGA ERUPTION IN 2010
A case study of Putih and Gendol River, Yogyakarta

Presented by:
Nurlia Sadikin
F. Tata Yunita
INTRODUCTION
Backgrounds

Merapi Volcano is one of the most active strato volcano in Indonesia with
1 eruptive activities consisting of effusive and pyroclastic eruptions (locally
known as ‘wedhus gembel’).
Small eruptions typically occurred every two to three years, and larger ones
2 every 10-15 years or so. The large eruption in 2010 is estimated to have
released approximately 140 million m3 of volcanic material.
The four rivers in which the deposition material mostly settled are Pabelan
3 River (±20.8 million m3), Putih River (±8.2 million m3), Krasak River (±10.8
million m3) and Gendol River (±24 million m3).

Materials such as volcanic ash

deposited mostly in the west
4 (Pabelan, Putih and Krasak
River), while pyroclastic
material had flown towards
Gendol River (east-south).

The differences of material

5 characteristics have resulted a
different behavior of the lahar
flow between the west and
east-south river.
INTRODUCTION

Objectives

To understand the
behavior of the lahar flow Literature
that derives from a study
different characteristic of
material eruption.

Field
Methodology Survey

Lab test

Data
Analysis
Discussion
DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDY
Location
DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDY
The 2010 Merapi Eruption (SUBANDRIYO, 2011)
Date of Eruption in 2010 Events

26th October First eruption, explosive, ‘wedhus gembel’

29th - 30th October Eruption was more explosive.

3rd November Pyroclastic flows occurred at 11:11 WIB, by 17:30

its reached 9km outside of Gendol River.
Growth of lava dome.

4th November Growth of lava dome up to 3,5 million m3.

5th November Lava dome collapsed, pyroclastic flows occurred

up to 15km from peak of Merapi volcano to Gendol
river direction.

There were more than 100 million m3 volcanic materials deposited on the upper
slopes of the volcano.
 DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDY
The Types of Eruption Material

ASTER GDEM Imagery: Hot Cloud and Lahar Distribution

Source: Langgeng dan Sudaryono, 2011 (4 November 2010)
 The Types of Eruption Material (view from top)

4 Nov 2010 Merapi Eruption

Source: BPPTKG, 2011 on SPOT Imagery
DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDY
The Distribution of Volcanic Material

The volcanic material Source: BPPTKG, 2011

is distributed at the
upstream of lahar
rivers, but mostly in
Gendol River.

In the valley of
Gendol River, the
thickness of
pyroclastic deposit
reaches 10 m.

Effected Area

Piroklastik aliran (pyroclastic flow)

26

Piroklastik seruakan (pyroclastic surge)

DISCUSSION
The occurance of lahar flood
During Nov 2010 to Nov 2011, it 30

was recorded that the lahar 25

flood mostly occured in 3 rivers: 20

Pabelan, Putih and Gendol. 15

10
5
Although the potency of 0

volcanic deposition in the south-

east (Gendol) is greater, the
frequency of lahar flood
occurance in the west side rivers Lahar Rivers from the west to the east
is higher than the east side ones.
Volcanic Material in million m3 Frequency of lahar occurance (times)

The frequency of lahar occurance is 26

times in Putih River, 19 times in
Pabelan River and 14 times in Gendol
River.
 DISCUSSION Topography
control is weak
The pattern of lahar inundation since a large
amount of
The effected area of lahar flood in Putih River is volcanic material
about 175 Ha, which is localized in the had filled and
deposition zone. reduced the river
This inundation pattern capacity
was resulted from the
reduction of riverbed
slope at the deposition
zone.

The lahar material was approximatelly

inundated 705 Ha area along Gendol River.

Spillover occured in several locations along

the river, especially at the upstream.
DISCUSSION
The typical of damage on structures caused by lahar flood
Numbers of structures along the lahar rivers were damage by lahar flood,
such as bridges, sabodams, roads, etc.

The dominant type of damages in west side river  scouring, abrasion and
impact damages.

Sabodam PU-D5 Sabodam PU-D4

DISCUSSION
The typical of damage on structures caused by lahar flood
 DISCUSSION
The typical of damage on structures caused by lahar flood

The dominant type of damages in south-

east side river  burried and impact
damages.
Pyroclastic flow deposits of Merapi eruption on
November 5, 2010 at Gendol River
Source: Kusumayudha, 2012

February 2011

March 2011
DISCUSSION
The typical of damage on structures caused by lahar flood
 DISCUSSION
The grain size distribution of riverbed
A massive material transportation indicated earlier in Putih rather than in Gendol River.

Significant grain size

changes on Putih
riverbed, especially
for the fine material <
0,60 mm, in short
period of time (less
then 1 month).

Location: Sabodam GE-D3, Gendol River

Source: Dok. Laboratorium Sabo Location: Srumbung, Putih River
Source: Dok. Laboratorium Sabo

No significant changes
on riverbed grain size
before and after eruption.

Only few increasing of the

coarse material greater
than 0,3 mm.
 DISCUSSION
The Characteristic of volcanic ash

Volcanic ash is the smallest particles of eruption material (less than 2 mm), can
travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers downwind from a volcano depending
on wind speed, volume of ash erupted, and height of the eruption column.

The size of ash particles that fall to the ground generally decreases exponentially
with increasing distance from a volcano.

Volcanic ash typically composed of varying proportions of: volcanic glass, minerals
or crystals, and other rock fragments (lithics).

The abrasiveness of volcanic ash is a function of the hardness of the material

forming the particles and their shape. Ash particles commonly have sharp broken
edges which makes them a very abrasive material.

Volcanic glass is relatively hard (5 on Moh's scale), and the more angular the glass
shards the more abrasive the ash.
Volcanic glass Mt. St. Helena (1980)
Ash particles will compact close together within a few weeks of an eruption,
therefore the bulk density of an ash deposit will increase, sometimes by as much
as 50 percent. This layer will form a sort of cemented layer that blocks the
infiltration. By this condition the runoff will be greater that can generate lahar
flood.

Source: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash/properties.html#thickness
DISCUSSION
The Characteristic of pyroclastic flow

Pyroclastic flows are high-density mixtures of hot, dry rock fragments and hot gases
that move away from the vent that erupted them at high speeds. The rock fragments
is ranging in size from ash to boulders and traveling across the ground at speeds
typically greater than 80 km per hour, pyroclastic flows knock down, shatter, bury or
carry away nearly all objects and structures in their way.

The extreme temperatures of rocks and gas inside pyroclastic flows, generally
between 200°C and 700°C, can cause combustible material to burn, especially
petroleum products, wood, vegetation, and houses.

The pyroclastic deposit could store heat for a certain period of time only. In
applications where very slow heat transfer rates are required, which as much heat
must be stored, pyroclastic deposit should pass the consolidation and cementation
processes (Santoso, et al.).

The pyroclastic deposit major component is porous material. The more of porosity
and the higher temperature of pyroclastic deposit will cause more rainwater to be
evaporated by the heat of the pyroclastic deposits. By this condition, the run-off water
would be reduced so that the destructive risk of lahar flow would be reduced
(Santoso, et al.).
Courtesy of B. Meyers, USGS Source: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/pyroclasticflow/
 CONCLUSIONS
 The deposition of volcanic ash on hill slopes combined with deposition of volcanic ash on hill slopes
destruction of vegetation, reduces the amount of water that normally infiltrates into the ground or
is transpired by plants. Therefore, the lahar flood occured earlier in the west side rivers just few
weeks after eruption.

 Meanwhile, at the south-east side rivers, the condition of pyroclastic deposition, that is porous and
able to store heat for months, will cause more rainwater to be evaporated so that the lahar can be
resisted for a certain period of time.

 The lahar flood generated from volcanic ash is more abrasive because ash particles (glass)
commonly have sharp broken edges, which may threaten the structures along the lahar rivers. It is
found that most damages of structures caused by riverbed scouring, abrasion and impact forces.

 The material from pyroclastic flow is less sharp because the process of transportation, thus the lahar
formed will be less abrasive. However, since the volume of material is very great and results
tremendous changes on the river morphology and capasity, many sabodams were burried and the
possiblity of overtopping along the (upstream) river is greater.

 The differences of volcanic material characteristics have resulted a different behavior of the lahar
flow between the west and east-south rivers, due to this fact the emergency responses taken for
both areas has to appropriate with their urgency and requirements.
Thank You for Your Attention
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