Recent advances in low-carbon ultra-high-performance concrete: materials, mechanisms, and sustainability perspectives
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Hiew, Shack Yee
Teoh, Keat Bin
Wong, Hong S
Banthia, Nemkumar
Yoo, Doo-Yeol
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Ultra-high-performance concrete combines exceptional strength and durability but carries a disproportionately high environmental burden due to its cement- and energy-intensive composition. Over the past decade, efforts to lower its carbon footprint have centred on incorporating supplementary cementitious materials, alternative binders such as low-carbon cements and nano-materials, and more recently, alkali-activated ultra-high-performance concrete systems. This review critically synthesises advances in low-carbon ultra-high-performance concrete, linking the chemical, mineralogical, and physical attributes of alternative constituents to hydration behaviour, microstructural evolution, and macroscopic performance. We highlight key microstructure–reactivity–performance relationships, evaluate sustainability trade-offs across diverse formulations, and identify the most viable pathways for reducing embodied carbon while maintaining mechanical performance. By integrating performance metrics with environmental assessments, this review provides clear guidance for the design, optimisation, and broader adoption of next-generation sustainable ultra-high-performance concrete.
Date Issued
2026-01-13
Date Acceptance
2025-12-22
Citation
npj Materials Sustainability, 2026, 4
ISSN
2948-1775
Publisher
Nature Portfolio
Journal / Book Title
npj Materials Sustainability
Volume
4
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2026 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
3
Date Publish Online
2026-01-13