Abstract Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash (MSWIBA) represents a significant industrial byproduct with potential applications in concrete production. This itself regarded as a waste stream from waste-to-energy facilities, with potential usage as a sustainable construction material. This systematic review allied with meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness and sustainability of MSWIBA in multivariate replacement roles in concrete. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple data resource databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Engineering Village) from 2000 to 2025 followed by PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies investigating MSWIBA incorporation in concrete with mechanical, durability, and environmental assessments were included. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed to synthesize quantitative outcomes.Thirty-eight studies met inclusion criteria, encompassing 312 experimental groups. Meta-analysis revealed that MSWIBA replacement up to 20% showed minimal impact on compressive strength (pooled effect size: -0.15 and 95% CI: -0.28 to -0.02, p = 0.024). Optimal replacement levels ranged from 10–15% for maintaining structural integrity while achieving environmental benefits. Heterogeneity was moderate (I² = 45.2%). MSWIBA demonstrates promising potential as a sustainable concrete aggregate replacement at moderate substitution levels. However, standardized testing protocols and long-term durability studies are needed for widespread implementation.
Sivayogaraj et al. (Wed,) studied this question.