Life Cycle Environmental Impact of High-Strength and Lightweight Pozzolanic Concretes

This study evaluates the environmental and economic performance of six innovative concrete mixtures using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and cost analysis. The concrete types incorporate various industrial and agricultural by-products, including PET waste, steel fibers, nano-silica, pumice, ceramic waste, EAF slag, asbestos cement sheets, and rice husk ash. Using the CML ۲۰۰۱, IMPACT ۲۰۰۲+, and ReCiPe methods, environmental impacts were assessed across key categories, such as global warming potential, toxicity, and resource depletion. Results indicate that conventional concrete had the lowest environmental burden overall, while PET/steel fiber concrete showed the highest impact in most categories. Sensitivity analysis identified cement as the primary contributor to environmental damage, followed by micro-silica in select mixes. The economic analysis identified conventional concrete as the most cost-effective, followed by pumice and PET/steel fiber concretes, which were ۱۹.۳% and ۶۹.۶% more expensive, respectively. Integrating environmental and cost factors revealed that, despite its relatively low cost, PET/steel fiber concrete contributed the most to CO₂ emissions. These findings support more informed material selection for sustainable construction.

کلیدواژه ها:

Environmental assessment ، Life cycle ، High-strength concrete ، Lightweight concrete ، Pozzolan ، sustainable development