A Literature Study on Sustainable Blended Concrete incorporating Wastes

Rising construction costs in today’s market are largely driven by the high consumption of cement, a material whose production is both energy-intensive and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, the construction industry is increasingly turning to sustainable alternatives, notably Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), to partially replace Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). This literature-based study examines the performance of binary, ternary, and quaternary blended concretes incorporating industrial and agricultural waste by-products such as Fly Ash (FA), Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), Silica Fume (SF), Metakaolin (MK), Rice Husk Ash (RHA), and Vitrified Tiles Powder (VTP). The study emphasizes concrete durability—its ability to resist environmental, chemical, and physical degradation over time—alongside mechanical performance. Results across various mix designs and strength grades indicate that SCM incorporation enhances key durability parameters, including reduced water permeability, chloride ion penetration, and carbonation depth, as well as improved pore structure. Mechanical properties such as compressive, flexural, and split tensile strengths also showed notable improvements, especially in well-optimized quaternary blends. The effectiveness of each SCM, through mechanisms like pozzolanic reactivity, filler effect, and microstructural densification, underscores their potential to significantly reduce OPC usage while ensuring durable and high-performance concrete in modern construction.