Alkali-activated materials (AAM) are recognized as potential alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) to limit CO2 emissions and beneficiate several wastes into useful products. Compared with its counterparts involving the concentrated aqueous alkali solutions, the development of "just add water" one-part alkali-activated materials (OP-AAM) has drawn much attention, mainly attributed to their benefits in overcoming the hazardous, irritating, and corrosive nature of activator solutions. This study starts with a comprehensive overview of the OP-AAM; 89 published studies reported on mortar or concrete with OP-AAM were collected and concluded in this paper. Comprehensive comparisons and discussions were conducted on raw materials, preparation, working performance, mechanical properties, and durability, and so on. Moreover, an in-depth comparison of different material pretreatment methods, fiber types, and curing methods was presented, and their potential mechanisms were discussed. It is found that ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) provides the best mechanical properties, and the reuse of most aluminosilicate materials can improve the utilization efficiency of solid waste. The curing temperature can be improved significantly for precursor materials with low calcium contents. In order to overcome the brittleness of the AAM, fiber reinforcement might be an efficient way, and steel fiber has the best chemical stability. It is not recommended to use synthetic fiber with poor chemical stability. Based on the analysis of current limitations, both the recommendations and perspectives are laid down to be the lighthouse for further research.
Keywords: alkali-activated; durability; geopolymer; mechanical properties; mix design; one-part.