Comprehensive review of polymer-based concrete: properties, sustainability, and challenges

Concrete production significantly contributes to CO₂ emissions and depletion of natural resources, leading to substantial environmental concerns. The integration of polymers into concrete has emerged as a promising innovative solution aimed at overcoming inherent limitations of traditional concrete, including brittleness, susceptibility to tracking, environmental degradation, and substantial ecological impacts. This systematic review thoroughly investigates the properties, sustainability implications, and practical challenges associated with polymer-based concrete (PBC), particularly focusing on polymer concrete composites (PCC) and polymer-modified concrete (PMC) detailing their composition, mechanical behavior, and durability. A comprehensive analysis was conducted by synthesizing data from peer-reviewed studies retrieved from key databases including Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect spanning from 1990 to 2024. Results of this analysis demonstrate that PBC significantly improves mechanical and durability properties, showcasing notable enhancements in tensile, flexural, and compressive strengths, along with superior resistance to chemical attacks and environmental degradation such as freeze–thaw cycles and moisture ingress, compared to conventional concrete. Furthermore, incorporating recycled materials into polymer-based concrete contributes to waste reduction and environmental sustainability by lowering the carbon footprint. Despite these considerable advantages, widespread adoption of PBC is constrained by challenges such as higher initial investment costs, processing complexities, limited awareness and acceptance within the construction industry, and insufficient availability of long-term performance data from field applications. The review concludes that polymer-based concrete offers substantial potential to enhance structural performance and advance sustainability goals within the construction sector. However, it emphasizes the critical need for further targeted research to optimize polymer.