Life cycle assessment of geotechnical works in building construction considering environmental considerations

Subject Areas : Natural resources and environmental hazards

mohammad Bahrami Kia ¹ , mohammad amir sherafati ²

1 -
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University of Shiraz

Received: 2025-04-04 Accepted : 2025-05-31 Published : 2025-06-19

Keywords: Life cycle assessment, geotechnical works, sustainable construction, environmental impacts.,

Abstract :

Introduction: The construction industry, as one of the largest economic sectors in the world, has a significant contribution to resource consumption, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. Geotechnical activities such as excavation, land improvement, and foundation construction play a key role in the environmental impacts of this industry due to their high energy and material consumption. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is recognized as an efficient tool for analyzing these impacts at all stages of the life cycle of construction projects. This review article aims to investigate the application of LCA in geotechnical activities, identify sustainable technologies (such as recycled materials and low-carbon methods), and analyze the challenges in this field. Materials and Methods: This study, using a systematic review method, reviewed valid articles (2010-2025) from scientific databases with relevant keywords. After screening based on quality and relevance criteria, data related to assessment methods, environmental indicators and new technologies were extracted. Qualitative analysis included comparative comparison of findings, identification of challenges and presentation of solutions and the results were presented in the form of comparative tables.
	Results and Discussion: The results of this review study show that geotechnical activities (excavation, land improvement and foundation) have a significant contribution to energy consumption (150 to 1800 MJ/t) and carbon emissions (10 to 250 kg/t). The review of new technologies such as recycled fiber reinforced soils, low-carbon piles and biological remediation methods shows significant environmental benefits, but they face challenges such as high initial costs and technical limitations. Analysis of international standards indicates the lack of a unified framework for life cycle assessment of geotechnical activities. The findings highlight the need to develop specific indicators for soil quality and ecosystem services, as well as to create more accurate databases. The study suggests practical solutions such as optimizing construction methods, waste management, and the use of sustainable materials to reduce environmental impacts.
Conclusion: This review shows that geotechnical activities play a decisive role in the environmental sustainability of construction projects. The findings indicate that innovative approaches such as the use of recycled materials and low-carbon methods can reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40%. However, there are significant barriers, including the lack of integrated assessment frameworks, a lack of reliable data, and high implementation costs. As a solution, it is proposed developing specific standards for life cycle assessment of geotechnical activities.These measures can guide the construction industry towards achieving sustainable development goals.

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