Abstract
The accelerated growth of industrial and agricultural sectors has led to an exponential rise in the world production of wastes, among which sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) comes as a threat for disposal and a potential source for sustainable resources. Based on the general principles of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, a total of 68 peer-reviewed studies conducted from 2009 to 2025 were reviewed to evaluate the performance of SCBA as a substitute soil stabilizer. Results show that the addition of SCBA generally results in decreased liquid limit, plasticity index, soil workability and significant reduction in swelling as high as 90% for expansive soils. Optimal results are typically observed with 6-10% SCBA alone or 8-10% SCBA combined with 4-6% lime, leading to major improvements in unconfined compressive strength and California Bearing Ratio (ranging from 100% to 900%). These enhancements arise from the formation of calcium silicate hydrate and calcium aluminosilicate hydrate gels, leading to enhanced interparticle bonding as well as matrix densification. Microstructural studies prove the existence of amorphous gel phases favouring densification. From an environmental perspective, SCBA utilization leads to significant (30-80%) CO₂ emission reduction and savings on costs (up to 45%), which are in line with the objectives of the circular economy, waste valorisation. However, challenges still exist with field validation, uniform SCBA characterization, and life-cycle studies. In general, SCBA has good potential to be used as a sustainable, low-carbon stabilizing material for pavement and geotechnical applications.