Utilisation of rice husk ash for cleaner production of different construction products

A large quantity of Rice husk ash (RHA) is disposed of as waste material and leads to severe pollution. The pozzolanic behaviour of RHA enables its application in the construction sector, which is an alternative solution to its disposal. This paper critically reviews the use of RHA in the cleaner production of construction products such as blended cement, alkali activated binder, and bricks. The use of RHA in other construction applications such as soil stabilisation and subgrade treatment are also reviewed. Moreover, scientific insights on the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of RHA, which plays an important role in the engineering properties of RHA blended construction products, are presented. On assessing the effect of RHA on different construction sectors, the addition of 10-20% of RHA is reported to enhance the short term and long term engineering properties of construction products. Hence, RHA is energy and cost-effective solution for the construction industry. In addition, based on the extensive review, the paper also provides pathways and recommendations for utilisation of RHA in the cleaner production of construction. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.