Fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag-based alkali-activated concrete: Mechanical, transport and microstructural properties

•Fly ash-based alkali-activated concrete has been developed using the Taguchi method.•Effect of adding GGBS on compressive strength and microstructural of fly ash-based alkali-activated concrete.•Sorptivity and permeability testing on fly ash-based alkali-activated concrete.•GGBS inclusion promoted high early age compressive strength and improved transport properties.