Life cycle impacts assessment of steel, composite, concrete and wooden columns

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative study showing the environmental profile of structural members used in the construction domain. The functional unit is a column that is realistic in terms of dimensions and load bearing capacity, made of steel or high strength steel sections, steel and concrete (composite), reinforced concrete, solid wood and glue-laminated wood. The design of the columns is made following the Eurocodes. Several environmental impacts are assessed, such as the global warming potential and energy consumption while also focusing on the acidification potential. The results are presented in the forms of bar charts for each considered column. For steel and concrete, depending on the source of information, the inventory can vary substantially e.g. the CO and CH4 emissions. Several sources of information are provided and used to perform a brief sensitivity analysis. The influence of the recycling of steel taking into account the IISI methodology will also be discussed.