Innovative valorization of solid waste materials for production of sustainable low-carbon pavement: A systematic review and scientometric analysis

With ever-increasing demand for surface transportation alongside growing environmental issues, it is imperative to design and construct resource-efficient and eco-friendly infrastructures. In this respect, sustainable low-carbon concrete pavements due to their advantage of lower carbon footprint and effectively utilizing solid waste material (SWM) have attracted global interest from researchers and the pavement industry. To identify prevailing achievements and highlight existing research gaps for future advancements in this research domain, detailed scientometric analysis and critical examination of the performance of SWM-based concrete pavements are presented in this study. For this purpose, the most commonly utilized SWMs namely reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), crumb rubber (CR), waste glass (WG), waste plastic (WP), and fly ash (FA) were considered. The paper provides an in-depth discussion about the effect of material properties and replacement levels of SWMs on the physical, mechanical, microstructure, and durability properties of concrete pavement. It highlights the environmental effects and cost benefits of SWM-modified concrete pavements. Lastly, the current major limitations associated with SWMs, and their potential solutions are presented. Recycling SWMs offers a promising pathway for sustainable infrastructure development. However, its efficiency varies significantly depending on regional waste composition and infrastructure capabilities. This study highlights that while incorporating SWMs up to 20–50 % can achieve comparable performance in concrete pavements, optimal strategies must consider local factors such as available waste streams, processing infrastructure, economic conditions, and environmental regulations. By tailoring recycling approaches to these regional contexts, the efficiency and sustainability of using SWMs in road construction can be maximized. • Scientometric analysis of literature focusing on SWMs-based concrete pavements. • Leading sources, co-occurring keywords, and influential countries were identified. • Effect of SWMs on the performance of sustainable concrete pavements was assessed. • Recycling SWMs reduces waste and improves concrete sustainability. • Use of 20 – 50 % SWMs produces concrete with reasonable mechanical performance.