The　production　of　concrete　involves　substantial　consumption　of　non-renewable　resources,　while　the　high　porosity　of　pervious　concrete　makes　it　prone　to　colonization　by　microorganisms,　causing　clog　and　strength　loss.　This　study　develops　photocatalytic　alkali-activated　steel　slag　pervious　concrete　(PASSPC)　utilizing　Cu-ZnO/g-C3N4　hybrid　hetero-microspheres　as　the　photocatalyst,　steel　slag　and　ground　granulated　blast　furnace　slag　as　the　blended　binder,　and　coarse　steel　slag　as　the　aggregate.　The　photocatalytic　antibacterial　properties,　volume　stability,　and　strength　of　PASSPC　with　different　contents　of　Cu-ZnO/g-C3N4　were　investigated.　The　antibacterial　mechanism　of　PASSPC　was　investigated　using　electron　paramagnetic　resonance　and　the　results　revealed　that　with　1.2　wt%　Cu-ZnO/g-C3N4　(by　weight　to　binder)　addition,　PASSPC　reached　a　99.68　%　antibacterial　ratio　under　visible　light　irradiation.　Cu-ZnO/g-C3N4　exhibits　a　dual　effect　on　PASSPC　by　delaying　binder　hardening　while　promoting　hydration　in　later　stages,　resulting　in　decreased　3　d　compressive　strength,　followed　by　increased　28　d　compressive　strength　compared　to　the　blank　samples.　In　addition,　Cu-ZnO/g-C3N4　improves　the　microstructure　and　interfacial　transition　zone　of　PASSPC,　effectively　mitigating　the　adverse　effects　of　steel　slag　instability　through　a　dual　buffering　mechanism　provided　by　macro-　and　micro-pores.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd