SUSTAINABILITY METRICS FOR GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

Ground improvement practices are carried out across the world to increase bearing capacity, reduce settlement and permeability, increase slope stability, and stabilize the soft ground. For a project, choosing alternatives from feasible ground improvement techniques can be challenging considering the integration of strength, social, economic, and environmental criteria. Delivering the sustainable built environment has been a growing consent and thus incorporating sustainable development goals into the selection of design alternatives can be a valuable contribution. The aim of this research is to study different soil stabilisation techniques and choose the best alternative based on the sustainability assessment. For soil stabilisation, mechanical stabilization, cement stabilisation and recycled concrete aggregate stabilisation alternatives were chosen. Life cycle assessment was carried out to determine the embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Assessment of their impacts on various facets of ecosystem and human health pointed out the significant findings. The assessment showed that cement stabilisation resulted in most embodied energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission which are the major factors affecting ecosystem. The results indicate that using low embodied energy material such as recycled aggregate and locally available materials are contributing to sustainable development. The finding of the study is useful for constructing practisers, engineers, researchers, and sustainable construction experts.