Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA

Switching from waste concrete disposal to recycling is urgently needed to enhance resource efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. This paper proposes a sustainable design framework for recycled concrete, incorporating shape optimization and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission analysis using life cycle a...

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Main Authors: Weina Zhu, Jianing Li, Linghan Wang, Xiaodong Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University 2025-08-01
Series:Journal of Civil Engineering and Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/JCEM/article/view/24108
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author Weina Zhu
Jianing Li
Linghan Wang
Xiaodong Li
author_facet Weina Zhu
Jianing Li
Linghan Wang
Xiaodong Li
author_sort Weina Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Switching from waste concrete disposal to recycling is urgently needed to enhance resource efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. This paper proposes a sustainable design framework for recycled concrete, incorporating shape optimization and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission analysis using life cycle assessment (LCA). Using recycled concrete in infrastructure projects, this paper develops a carbon dioxide emissions accounting model based on LCA. Two water-cement ratios (WCR) and four recycled concrete aggregate replacement rates (RCARR) were tested on two natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and six recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) samples. Furthermore, four shapes options for the RAC structural member were designed, optimized, and compared. The G35 Expressway slope projects were used as a case study. The results showed that the regular hexagonal RAC structural member was selected for the project, achieving a carbon reduction rate of about 9%. The study also found that 1) life cycle carbon emission decreases with the increase of WCR and RCARR, respectively; 2) compared to NAC, the key processes of carbon emission reduction of RAC include the raw material acquisition and transportation stage as well as the carbonization absorption stage; 3) there is a transport distance threshold, beyond which the life cycle CO2 emissions of RAC exceed those of NAC.
format Article
id doaj-art-4da7ac38352f4e08bbf479d838ff18dd
institution Kabale University
issn 1392-3730
1822-3605
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
record_format Article
series Journal of Civil Engineering and Management
spelling doaj-art-4da7ac38352f4e08bbf479d838ff18dd2025-08-24T07:52:55ZengVilnius Gediminas Technical UniversityJournal of Civil Engineering and Management1392-37301822-36052025-08-0131610.3846/jcem.2025.24108Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCAWeina Zhu0Jianing Li1Linghan Wang2Xiaodong Li3School of Economics and Management Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 100044 Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Construction Management, School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 100044 Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Construction Management, School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China Switching from waste concrete disposal to recycling is urgently needed to enhance resource efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. This paper proposes a sustainable design framework for recycled concrete, incorporating shape optimization and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission analysis using life cycle assessment (LCA). Using recycled concrete in infrastructure projects, this paper develops a carbon dioxide emissions accounting model based on LCA. Two water-cement ratios (WCR) and four recycled concrete aggregate replacement rates (RCARR) were tested on two natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and six recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) samples. Furthermore, four shapes options for the RAC structural member were designed, optimized, and compared. The G35 Expressway slope projects were used as a case study. The results showed that the regular hexagonal RAC structural member was selected for the project, achieving a carbon reduction rate of about 9%. The study also found that 1) life cycle carbon emission decreases with the increase of WCR and RCARR, respectively; 2) compared to NAC, the key processes of carbon emission reduction of RAC include the raw material acquisition and transportation stage as well as the carbonization absorption stage; 3) there is a transport distance threshold, beyond which the life cycle CO2 emissions of RAC exceed those of NAC. https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/JCEM/article/view/24108recycled concretecarbon dioxide emissionsshape design optimizationinfrastructure
spellingShingle Weina Zhu
Jianing Li
Linghan Wang
Xiaodong Li
Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA
Journal of Civil Engineering and Management
recycled concrete
carbon dioxide emissions
shape design optimization
infrastructure
title Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA
title_full Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA
title_fullStr Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA
title_short Sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on LCA
title_sort sustainable design of recycled concrete using shape optimization and carbon dioxide emission based on lca
topic recycled concrete
carbon dioxide emissions
shape design optimization
infrastructure
url https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/JCEM/article/view/24108
work_keys_str_mv AT weinazhu sustainabledesignofrecycledconcreteusingshapeoptimizationandcarbondioxideemissionbasedonlca
AT jianingli sustainabledesignofrecycledconcreteusingshapeoptimizationandcarbondioxideemissionbasedonlca
AT linghanwang sustainabledesignofrecycledconcreteusingshapeoptimizationandcarbondioxideemissionbasedonlca
AT xiaodongli sustainabledesignofrecycledconcreteusingshapeoptimizationandcarbondioxideemissionbasedonlca