Properties and development of industrial waste-based artificial aggregate for sustainable construction: a systematic review

The rising global demand for construction materials and environmental concerns about natural resources depletion have driven research into byproduct-derived artificial aggregates as sustainable alternatives. This systematic review analyzes the manufacturing methods, properties, and performance of artificial aggregates produced from industrial byproducts, including Fly Ash(FA), Blast Furnace Slag (BFS), Steel slag (SS), Rice husk Ash (RHA), and Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW). Research indicates that artificial aggregates offer lightweight alternatives, exhibiting specific gravities 15%-30% lower than conventional aggregates. Aggregates made from industrial waste address waste management issues and reduce carbon footprints by 40%-50%. The review evaluates different manufacturing processes, such as cold bonding, sintering, and alkali activation, in producing sustainable artificial aggregates, and it also assesses their properties compared to natural aggregates. Production analysis shows cold bonding generates aggregates at ambient temperature, using 60%-85% less energy than sintering. The aggregates exhibit mechanical properties due to a 15%-30% reduction in porosity. Cold-bonded aggregates improve compressive strength and abrasion resistance by 20%-35% and 10%-25% respectively. This review, adhering to PRISMA guidelines, critically examines 100 studies indexed in Scopus from 2014 to 2024, offering a comparative analysis of both conventional and emerging artificial aggregate production methods. The findings highlight that performance and environmental benefits are highly context-dependent, with a particular emphasis on underexplored alkali-activated cupola slag–GGBS systems and their implications for durability, scalability, and practical implementation.