Integrating life-cycle environmental impact and costs into geotechnical design

Construction and infrastructure projects account for a large share of global greenhouse gas emissions. Included in these projects are geotechnical engineering works, which cause environmental impact and costs throughout their life cycle. In the geotechnical design process, the geotechnical engineer often has design choices where different methods and materials can be used. If assessments of environmental impact and costs were to be integrated into the geotechnical design process, the geotechnical work could be made more sustainable. As a result of this, there is a need for research on integrating the assessments of environmental impact and costs in the geotechnical design process. This paper, therefore, presents a methodology showing how life-cycle assessment and life-cycle cost analysis could be integrated into the geotechnical design process. The presented methodology is then illustrated in a practical example for assessing the climate impact and costs of high-speed railway embankment fill methods.

Automated summary

Construction and infrastructure projects contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, including geotechnical engineering works that have environmental impact and costs throughout their life cycle. Integrating assessments of environmental impact and costs into the geotechnical design process could enhance sustainability. This paper presents a methodology for integrating life-cycle assessment and life-cycle cost analysis into geotechnical design, demonstrated with a practical example on high-speed railway embankment fill methods.