Chen, Xilin (2025) Sustainability of underground infrastructure: Digitalisation-based embodied carbon assessment and design optimisation. PhD thesis, Monash University, Australia.
Abstract
This thesis develops a digital framework to assess and optimise embodied carbon in underground infrastructure, focusing on TBM tunnelling and prefabricated stations. It integrates BIM, LCA, geotechnical design, and multi-objective optimisation to automate carbon accounting and evaluate low-carbon strategies. Using case studies and parametric modelling, it quantifies carbon impacts from design, excavation, and material choices. A key innovation is the TunCO₂ toolbox, enabling interactive exploration of low-carbon solutions. This research bridges digital engineering and sustainability, offering a replicable, early-stage approach to reduce carbon footprint in underground construction.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Zhang, Qianbing and Bai, Yu |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | sustainability; underground infrastructure; digitalisation; embodied carbon; assessment; design optimisation; tunnelling; prefabricated stations; building information modeling; life cycle assessment; multi-objective optimisation; low-carbon strategies |
| Index terms: | tunnelling, underground construction, modelling, multi-objective optimization, underground infrastructure, case study, carbon footprint, building information modelling, design optimization, accounting, excavation, exploration, life cycle assessment, strategy, digitalization, embodied carbon |
| Subjects: | algorithms, design process, digital technology, environmental resource management, construction operations, economic analysis, analytical methods, environmental impact, geotechnical engineering, infrastructure and transport systems, information systems, management, civil engineering, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Site Management, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Sustainability, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here