Abstract

Vast amounts of rice husk ash (RHA) are generated annually, with most of them unutilized or disposed to landfills, resulting in serious environmental degradation. To avoid this, the use of RHA as precursors or co-binder in the development of alkali activated materials (AAMs) is viewed as a viable alternative to avert this significant problem. In this paper, the generation, properties, and utilization of RHA in AAMs are systematically and comprehensively reviewed. Furthermore, the physical, chemical, and mineralogical composition of several RHA were critically examined, and their impact on fresh and hardened state properties of AAMs and blended formulations are presented. Generally, the properties of RHA are influenced by the source material and the production process (pre-treatment, burning time, burning temperature, cooling rate, coolingduration and milling) which in turn affect their pozzolanic reactivity. Due to its high pozzolanic nature, low energy requirement and greenhouse gas emission during production, RHA is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative cementitious material to produce AAMs. Various studies have reported the beneficial role of RHA on the mechanical, microstructural and durability properties of AAMs, especially when used at an optimal level. Overall, this review will provide valuable insight, direction, and recommendations for researchers and industrial sectors on the generation, recycling, characteristics, and utilization of RHA in the development of AAMs for potential construction applications.