Assessment of Embodied Carbon in a Tied‐Arch Bridge

Abstract

AbstractThe urgent need for carbon‐neutral structures arises from the construction industry's contributions to global carbon emissions and the unprecedented rate of global warming. This paper focuses on steel tied‐arch bridges and explores the possibilities of achieving carbon‐neutral design. Firstly, a scientometric study is conducted to identify key focus areas and emerging research trends in this field. The study encompasses publications that emphasize minimizing either the cost of structures or their detrimental impact to the environment. Taking a steel tied‐arch bridge as an example, we subsequently examine its embodied carbon under different design and manufacturing factors. The study reveals that structural design modifications and the use of high‐strength steel can significantly reduce the global warming potential of the bridge's superstructure. The paper then discusses current methods to reduce (or even cancel out) the embodied carbon associated with the bridge's steel superstructure and concrete substructure. It is demonstrated that the tied‐arch bridge's total embodied carbon can be reduced to up to 82%.