Research hotspots and evolution trends of “Re-X brick”: a bibliometric analysis based on VOSviewer and citespace 2004—2024

Recycling and reuse alleviate pressures on scarce natural resources and support more rational resource distribution. This study provides a comprehensive overview of current brick-recycling practices, categorizing utilization methods in the building and construction sector and exploring the potential for non-degradable recycling. We analyse research on “Re-X brick” – reuse, reclaim, and recycle bricks – indexed in the Web of Science database using a bibliometric approach with CiteSpace and VOSviewer to visualise the knowledge structure and research landscape. Research topics are clustered and interpreted to reveal dominant themes and emerging trends. Findings show that most brick waste originates from urban development processes, particularly construction and demolition waste (CDW). Current recycling practices focus primarily on mechanically degrading bricks to produce aggregates for new bricks and concrete, with limited exploration of higher-value reuse pathways. We conduct a systematic review of material degradation and reuse processes related to Re-X bricks, summarising and comparing key studies. The results provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for future work on brick reuse and its subfields, offering insights into data sources, methodologies, and major findings to guide subsequent research and promote more sustainable, value-retentive brick-recycling strategies.