Alkali-Activated Construction And Demolition Waste For Sustainable Geotechnical Applications: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63665/m68k1d45Keywords:
Construction and demolition waste; alkali activation; geopolymer stabilization; recycled concrete aggregate; unconfined compressive strength; subgrade improvement; sustainable geotechnics.Abstract
The unprecedented generation of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste across the globe has been caused
by the accelerating urbanization and the need for infrastructure renewal, challenging sustainable waste
management and natural-resource depletion. In recent geotechnical studies, low carbon alkali activation has
been highlighted as a promising pathway to converting inert C&D fractions, in particular recycled concrete
aggregate (RCA), crushed clay brick, ceramic, and mortar fines into structural stable fills, road bases, and
subgrade reinforcements. Abstract This review synthesizes and critically evaluates research conducted over the
last 10 years (2015–2025) on the geotechnical performance of alkali treated C&D waste using a meta-analytical
approach integrating results from more than 30 unique studies. The reviewed literature revealed that alkali
activated C&D systems most often treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate (Na₂SiO₃), and
sometimes co-blended with fly ash or ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) achieve UCS values from 1.0
to 37 MPa, CBR improvements of 200–550%, and resilient modulus values meeting or exceeding those of
conventional cement-stabilized pavement specifications. The microstructural mechanism is uniformly ascribed to
the formation of calcium-aluminosilicate-hydrate (C–A–S–H) and sodium-aluminosilicate-hydrate (N–A–S–H)
gels, which glue the heterogeneous waste matrix into a dense, low-permeability frame. Conversely, the literature
reveals major inconsistencies: lack of long-term durability data, variability of C&D source composition, lack of
field-scale validation, and lack of standardized design protocols. Findings From the structured survey,
methodology and critical analysis, we provide recommendations for future research for industry-scale
implementation of alkali-treated C&D waste for sustainable geotechnical structural applications.
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