Influence of Seismic Design Decisions on the Life Cycle Environmental Impact of an RC Building

Buildings constitute a significant share of global energy-related carbon emissions due to emissions during their use and manufacturing of the construction materials. Additionally, emissions related to the repair of seismic damages also contribute to the total emissions in seismically active regions. This study focuses on the impact of a significant seismic design decision, namely, the selected ductility class, on the expected total life cycle environmental impact of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. The proposed life cycle assessment framework evaluates the environmental impacts during the construction and those related to repairing potential seismic damages during its service life. Three case study RC building models that are designed for different ductility classes are considered in the investigation. Expected emissions due to seismic damage are obtained probabilistically by integrating the structural fragility with the seismic hazard at the site. As a result, the considered environmental impact accounts for the entire service life of the building, including any potential seismic events that may cause damage to the structure. The environmental impact of seismic damage is calculated by considering the emissions related to the repair/replacement of structural elements, non-structural elements, and major appliances. The results show that the building designed for a higher ductility class has a lower expected life cycle environmental impact, even in regions of high seismic activity. Furthermore, it was observed that the contribution of non-structural elements to the total seismic repair emissions was considerably high for the considered case study building.