The green way for reinforced concrete constructions: material, design, building and reuse

This doctoral Thesis explores innovative strategies to reduce the environmental impact of reinforced concrete constructions, a key sector globally responsible for substantial energy consumption, CO2 emissions, waste production and raw material use. Even if, there is no single, universally valid strategy that applies to every reinforced concrete structure at all stages of its life cycle, this research proposes several approaches that integrate sustainability principles with advanced design methodologies, addressing both early design phases and retrofitting interventions under the framework of Structural and Sustainable Conscious Design. For new constructions, the focus is on designing reinforced concrete buildings, especially wallframe systems, by emphasizing the optimization of materials and structural layouts through parametric modeling. The research investigates the integration of Secondary Seismic Members, exploring the possibility to reduce material usage while maintaining structural safety and meeting the provisions of Eurocodes and Technical Standards. By analyzing different concrete mix designs and structural configurations, the study demonstrates how careful design decisions can significantly lower embodied environmental impacts, costs, and resource demands. For existing constructions, the scenario is more complex due to restrictive boundary conditions and limited intervention options. In practice, a few standard retrofit methods are typically employed. To address this limitation, the Thesis proposes a distinct optimization approach aimed at selecting the most effective retrofit strategies for bridges. In this context, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis is applied to balance environmental, economic, social, and structural factors, providing decision-makers with robust strategy to identify the most sustainable solutions. Both simplified methodologies for early-stage evaluations and more advanced techniques for detailed designs are examined, ensuring that sustainability objectives are integrated throughout the structure’s life cycle. By combining sustainability evaluation, innovative structural design, and material optimization, this Thesis offers actionable insights into the trade-offs between environmental impact, cost, and structural efficiency. The findings underscore the potential for embedding sustainability-conscious practices into reinforced concrete constructions, advancing the sector with practical tools and methodologies that bridge the gap between research and industry. Overall, this work contributes to the ongoing transformation of the construction sector, aligning it with global sustainability goals and fostering resilience, adaptability, and environmental stewardship.