A scientometric review of waste material utilization in concrete for sustainable construction

Abstract

The construction sector has a significant impact on the environment, contributing significantly to energy consumption, resource depletion, and CO2 emissions. This sector is currently shifting away from natural materials and cement in favor of alternative materials, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability. Worldwide, enormous quantities of waste materials are generated. Most of these waste materials are hazardous, corrosive, flammable, chemically reactive, incendiary, and infectious and are typically disposed of in landfills, causing environmental pollution and posing health risks. As a result, incorporating waste materials into concrete would be a more prudent course of action. This study collected vast bibliometric data comprising journal articles and review articles from the Scopus database over the last two decades and conducted a scientometric review on waste material utilization in concrete. Scientometric analysis is used to determine the current state of research by analyzing available bibliometric data and identifying related publication areas, sources with the most publications, the most frequently occurring keywords, authors, and papers with the most citations, and states that have made the greatest contribution to the field of waste materials utilization in concrete. Moreover, the most active research areas are identified and discussed. Also, the sustainability aspects of recycling waste materials in concrete are discussed, and finally, future research is proposed. The scientometric review will enable scholars from diverse countries to exchange novel ideas and knowledge, foster research collaboration, and establish joint ventures.