Sustainable alternative of structural concrete retaining tanks

Abstract

The environmental footprint of the construction industry requires the quantification of new developments to appraise their sustainable contribution. Recent developments in relation to the merging of steel fibre reinforced concrete and self-compacting concrete reveal a promising concrete technology that requires extensive experimental studies to assess its benefits. In this study, a constructive analysis of a steel fibre-reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFRSCC) retaining tank segment mockup for waste water treatment systems in terms of its sustainability and economic parameters is performed. The Integrated Value Model for Sustainable Assessment (MIVES) multiple-criteria decision-making method is applied as an environmental assessment tool, which includes economic and social requirements. Although the presented methodology penalises the SFRSCC because of its high cement consumption, in aggressive exposures, reinforced concrete (RC) also requires a noticeable cement dosage. Cement optimisation is the governing criterion and where SFRSCC has more room for improvement. However, SFRSCC favours other social issues that allow the improvement of its final Environmental Sensitivity Index, being superior than RC. Overall cost would remain similar since the reduction of construction period would contribute to balance the increase of material cost and would provide intangible benefits, such as reduction of occupational accidents.