Influence of Blended Binders on the Performance of Sustainable Self‐Consolidating Concrete: A Review

Self‐consolidating concrete (SCC) offers significant advantages in construction, yet its reliance on Portland cement (PC) contributes to increased carbon emissions and resource depletion. In response, blended binder systems have attracted increasing attention as sustainable alternatives. Although numerous experimental studies and reviews have investigated individual supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), a comprehensive mechanistic synthesis comparing the performance of binary and ternary binder systems in SCC remains limited. This review critically synthesizes current knowledge on SCC incorporating fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), silica fume (SF), metakaolin (MK), calcined clay (CC), glass powder (GP), natural pozzolan (NP), zeolite, and other mineral additions, typically used at replacement levels ranging from 5% to 70% by mass of binder. The review examines the influence of these SCMs on fresh, mechanical, durability, and environmental performance. Particular emphasis is also placed on the governing mechanisms controlling SCC behavior, distinguishing the performance of binary and ternary blended systems and identifying the synergistic interactions responsible for enhanced properties. The synthesis demonstrates that SCC performance is strongly governed by the physical and chemical characteristics of SCMs, their replacement levels, curing conditions, and admixture compatibility. Binary systems generally improve durability and long‐term strength but often reduce early‐age performance due to clinker dilution and slower hydration. In contrast, well‐designed ternary systems consistently exhibit superior overall performance through complementary particle packing, sustained hydration, and enhanced microstructural refinement. The review further highlights that sustainable SCC is achieved not simply through maximum cement replacement but through optimizing SCM combinations to balance fresh‐state behavior, mechanical performance, durability, superplasticizer (SP) demand, and embodied environmental impacts.