Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of GraphSearch.
Concrete accounts for the largest share of worldwide building material use and waste generation, with cement production being responsible for approximately 9% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. A currently untapped strategy to significantly reduce these environmental impacts consists in reusing reinforced concrete (RC) elements in new load-bearing applications. This paper presents a new design-and-build concept to reuse cast-in-place RC wall and slab elements sourced from obsolete buildings. The applicability of the proposed paradigm is demonstrated through a prototype: a 10-m spanning post-tensioned segmental arch made of 25 reclaimed concrete blocks. The paper illustrates the complete workflow, including the sourcing of the blocks through sawing and the prototype assembly. A comparative Life Cycle Assessment shows that the prototype structure has a significantly lower environmental impact than equivalent designs made of new material.
Loading
Loading
No results
No results