Abstract

The construction industry is responsible for a considerable share of the carbon emissions annually. Despite the wide body of literature addressing the embodied carbon of superstructures, limited attention is given to the embodied carbon of substructures. This research introduces an optimization algorithm to minimize the embodied carbon of deep foundations. The algorithm is used to optimize and then compare the embodied carbon of concrete, timber, and steel piles at different pile capacities. Results show that for clay soils and low pile capacities, timber piles are the least emitting compared to other materials, while steel piles are the highest emitting. The algorithm is then applied to a case study in London clay and demonstrated embodied carbon savings of up to 76% compared to current pile designs showing a high potential to reduce the embodied carbon and achieve the net-zero future goal in the construction industry.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe 1st International Conference on Net-Zero Built Environment - Innovations in Materials, Structures, and Management Practices (NTZR)
EditorsMahdi Kioumarsi, Behrouz Shafei
Place of PublicationCham, Switzerland
PublisherSpringer
Pages899-911
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9783031696268
ISBN (Print)9783031696251
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Jan 2025
Event1st International Conference on Net-Zero Built Environment: Innovations in Materials, Structures, and Management Practices, NTZR 2024 - Oslo, Norway
Duration: 19 Jun 202421 Jun 2024

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Civil Engineering
Volume237
ISSN (Print)2366-2557
ISSN (Electronic)2366-2565

Conference

Conference1st International Conference on Net-Zero Built Environment: Innovations in Materials, Structures, and Management Practices, NTZR 2024
Country/TerritoryNorway
CityOslo
Period19/06/2421/06/24

Keywords

  • Deep foundations
  • Embodied carbon
  • Genetic algorithm

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering

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