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Cited by 93Concrete and Cement Materials ResearchEnvironmental Impact and SustainabilityInnovations in Concrete and Construction Materials

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Life cycle assessment of alkali-activated materials: a systematic literature review

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Nikravan, Morteza, Firdous, Rafia, Stephan, Dietmar·2023·Low-carbon Materials and Green Construction
DOI 10.1007/s44242-023-00014-6
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Abstract

The physical–mechanical, chemical, and durability characteristics of alkali-activated materials (AAMs) have been widely investigated. However, a critical gap in the literature is the lack of a comprehensive overview of recently published literature regarding the life cycle assessment (LCA) of these binders. This study aims to fill that gap by conducting a systematic literature review of globally published literature on the topic. This paper consolidates knowledge by searching different databases, focusing on LCA studies that used AAMs as pastes, mortars, concretes, bricks, and rammed earth/soil blocks. The selected articles were reviewed and categorized based on precursors, alkaline activators, functional units, system boundaries, life cycle inventory databases, allocation, impact methodologies, and software used. Additionally, this paper also critically analyzes the key challenges of LCA for AAMs. The major challenges were identified as selecting a functional unit, subjectivity in boundary systems, and data interpretation. This work concludes that AAMs show substantial advantages in global warming potential compared to ordinary Portland cement-based materials; however, the average of other categories such as marine ecotoxicity and ozone layer depletion has been reported to be higher than for the reference samples.

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Metadata

Authors
Nikravan, M., Firdous, R., & Stephan, D.
Affiliations
Technische Universität Berlin (DE)
Corresponding author
Nikravan, Morteza
ORCID
Venue
Low-carbon Materials and Green Construction
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2023-04-05
Volume
1
Issue
1
ISSN
2731-6319 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1007/s44242-023-00014-6
OpenAlex
W4362594482
Cited by
93
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 52 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 6
FWCI
1.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Low-carbon Materials and Green Construction (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (Ref 3.5 - 1157991- IRN – IKS)
  • Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (16KN046744)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Concrete and Cement Materials Research
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials
Keywords
alkali-activated materials, life cycle assessment, environmental impact, global warming potential, Portland cement comparison, functional unit selection, system boundary definition, life cycle inventory data, alkaline activator, binders, rammed earth, soil blocks, marine ecotoxicity, ozone depletion

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Life cycle assessment of alkali-activated materials: a systematic literature review. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1007/s44242-023-00014-6
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Nikravan, M., Firdous, R., & Stephan, D. (2023). Life cycle assessment of alkali-activated materials: a systematic literature review. Low-carbon Materials and Green Construction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44242-023-00014-6