The cement industry currently faces a significant challenge in meeting the demand for sustainable
development. The hunt for more ecologically sound alternatives to cement was prompted by the fact that OPC
production accounts for approximately 7% of the world's COₚ emissions, a significant contribution to the greenhouse
effect that is involved in climate change and global warming. As an example of a non-traditional material, alkali
activated slag (AAS) uses powdered granulated blast furnace slag as both a cement substitute and the only binder in
concrete. The overarching goal of the research was to find out how well alkali activated slag may work as a standalone
binder in concrete production. Utilising sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate as activators at a rate
of 4% Na2O (by weight of slag) and 4% hydrated lime (by total weight of solid binder component) as retarders
improves the performance of alkali-activated slag concrete. All four mixes were included in the scope of work: the
normal OPC mix, three alkali activated slag mixes, and one water binder ratio. All four mixes had the same binder
concentration. The engineering parameters that were examined were compressive strength at 1,7,28 days, split tensile
strength at 7,28 days, and flexure and punching shear strength at 12 days. The fresh concrete properties that were
examined included setting time and workability. Good workability, on par with OPC, was achieved by the AAS
concrete with the various studied activators. Activated slag mixtures containing sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide
set rapidly. The absence of a retarder, such as hydrated lime, makes AAS concrete considerably more curing sensitive.
According to the compressive, split tensile, flexure, and punching shear strengths, sodium hydroxide ranked first,
sodium carbonate second, and sodium silicate (water glass) third among the AAS mixes. Sodium carbonate came in
second.