Natural zeolite as a supplementary cementitious material – A holistic review of main properties and applications

Abstract

Pozzolanic materials or industrial wastes can be used to partially replace cement, minimizing the carbon footprint of concrete structures. Zeolite, silica fume, fly ash, and metakaolin are some of the most frequently used supplementary materials that reduce the concrete’s permeability and, therefore, play a significant role in improving its durability and strength. Among the available alternatives, the application of natural zeolite as a pozzolanic material, in concrete has increased in recent years. In particular, a range of studies have focused on including natural zeolite to produce mortar and concrete with a reduced cement content, and thus, environmental impact. Through a consistent and comprehensive blended evaluation method, this research aims to evaluate past studies that utilized natural zeolite for various concrete applications. A total of close to 2,000 papers were screened, and more than 60 of them were selected for relevance. Bibliometric mapping was used for keyword occurrences and zeolite-related details. This study provides a state-of-the-art review of research on natural zeolite through a critical analysis of various research studies carried out in the past. The ultimate goal is to provide an in-depth understanding of the effects of zeolite on the performance of concrete mixtures, in terms of workability, strength, and durability. Furthermore, the current challenges and future prospects of using natural zeolite have been outlined, paving the way to expand the use of this category of supplementary materials.