A comprehensive review on coal fly ash and its application in the construction industry

Coal fly ash (CFA) is a coal ignition buildup at thermal power plants, which has been viewed as a hazardous waste globally. The major problems with CFA are the large volume of land needed for its disposal and poisonous weighty metal sifted to groundwater. CFA has been considered a waste and water pollutant until recently; however, CFA is a helpful material and has shown its useful value, especially in the construction industry. This review paper aims to evaluate CFA properties and validate its utilization in the construction industry to save the planet from damages associated with its disposal. The current paper surveys the potential uses of CFA as a crude material in the construction industry in catalysis, soil stabilization and replacement, brick production, cement replacement highway embankment, bricks construction, material for soil replacement and stabilization, and dams, asphalt pavement, and road construction. This review was conducted through systematic consultation of mostly recent relevant literature with a few old publications to evaluate the efficiency of CFA utilization in the construction industry. Moreover, all the literature rated CFA as a suitable material for use in the construction industry. A major drawback of CFA usage in concrete is the slow early strength development. However, this can be taken care of by accelerating the admixtures in the concrete mix. Future research tends towards production of CFA with more improved features suitable for advanced construction technology as in 3D printing construction. Conclusively, CFA is recommended for use in the construction industry based on its performance success recorded from the research findings reviewed in this paper.

Automated summary

This paper evaluates the utilization of coal fly ash (CFA) in the construction industry, highlighting its potential uses in various areas and addressing some challenges in its application in concrete. The research shows that CFA can be a useful material in the construction industry.