This laboratory study explores the effects of mechanical activation on the properties of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (BA) in a cement hydration system. The experimental results showed that the mechanical activation effectively reduced the particle size of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA), increased its specific surface area by about 770%, 1674%, and 1990%, and improved the 28d compressive strength of bottom ash-cement paste samples by about 5%, 14%, and 8% after milling of 15min, 30min, and 45min, ...