Developing green and sustainable concrete in integrating with different urban wastes

Urban waste accumulation has changed the landscape of cities through environmental pollution. This detrimental change is pushing the development of advanced and green waste management strategies for reshaping green cities, given that the traditional disposal approaches of incineration and landfilling cause soil and water pollution. The utilization of urban waste in concrete shows immense potential as an alternative, as it brings about environmental, economic, and technological benefits. This review highlights the up-to-date progress in the field of utilizing urban waste in concrete. The primary focuses are the main classes of urban waste generated – namely plastic, used engine oil, and wasted glass – as models for integrating urban waste in concrete with the desired performance. Specifically, the roles that urban waste plays in concrete, the problems arising from its incorporation into concrete, and the corresponding solutions are elucidated in order to understand the feasibility of manufacturing green and sustainable concrete by means of incorporating individual urban waste. In addition, the feasibility of integrating different types of urban wastes into concrete is discussed with recommended use. This review shows that with scientific technologies for solving the critical problems in concrete composites with urban waste, making use of different urban wastes endows them with an array of functions, such as enhancement of workability and strength for concrete, yielding opportunities for the design of sustainable concrete materials with desired mechanical properties. We also outline the existing challenges and future perspectives associated with the utilization of urban waste in concrete in order to promote the progressive development of sustainable concrete from research and application aspects. With the future directions under discussion, it is envisioned that incorporating urban waste in concrete can aid in engineering sustainable concrete in the construction industry and handling urban waste in a clean manner within the waste-management sector.