Moussavi Nadoushani, Zahra Sadat (2018) A computational approach for estimating and minimizing construction-related and end-of-life carbon footprint of concrete structures. PhD thesis, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract
This thesis presents the results of a comprehensive study conducted to develop reliable methods for estimating and minimizing the carbon emissions incurred in construction and end-of-life phases of a concrete structure. Through developing such methods, this thesis addresses an existing gap in the scientific literature which has been traditionally focused on cradle to site embodied carbon as well as operating carbon of buildings; and thereby complements the existing methods to enable achieving a full life cycle carbon emission estimate for concrete structures. A simplified computational method to estimate construction carbon emissions based on quantity take-offs from Building Information Models is presented. The method is then improved by accounting for uncertainty and the idling time of equipment to develop a more precise construction emission estimation method. The improved estimation method targets concreting and lifting operations as the most carbon-intensive operations in construction of a concrete structure. The estimation method is coupled with optimization models to minimize associated carbon emissions by optimizing concrete placing and lifting operations. The collected data from an actual construction project in Sydney are used to verify the presented carbon emission estimation methods. In addition, a framework to minimize the end-of-life carbon emissions of a concrete structure through estimating and comparing the emissions associated with different possible recycling and landfilling strategies is presented. The thesis finally concludes by highlighting the importance of incorporating the proposed methods as a part of a wider life cycle carbon footprint assessment method, to evaluate various design decisions in practice, by presenting a case involving selection of structural system for a building. The effects of different structural systems, height of the structure and type of material on associated life cycle carbon emissions are studied to highlight the importance of achieving a realistic estimate of carbon emissions as an important input into decision-making process in early design phase of construction projects.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction and end-of-life phase; life cycle carbon; concrete structures |
| Index terms: | accounting, design decision, estimating, construction project, concreting, lifting, strategy, embodied carbon, take-off, estimate, concrete structure, placing, design phase, life cycle, recycling, decision-making process, estimation, carbon footprint, carbon emission |
| Subjects: | decision analysis, occupational health and safety management, quantity surveying, concrete and cementitious materials, management, design practice, financial and cost management, value management, building construction, structural engineering, production management, economic analysis, professional practice, climate science, environmental impact, waste management |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Cost Management, Construction Materials, Design Practice, Risk Management, Sustainability, Health and Safety, Engineering Principles, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
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