Review of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Evaluation of Geotechnical Systems

In recent years, there has been a push to incorporate sustainability metrics into geotechnical design decisions. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become more broadly implemented in the field, as this allows practitioners to quantitatively evaluate environmental impacts associated with projects. This paper summarizes a comprehensive review of recent publications applying this method to various geotechnical systems, including deep foundations, ground improvement, earth retaining structures, and others. Results from each of these categories are discussed, with emphasis on exemplary studies conducted. Based on this analysis of recent geotechnical LCAs, current limitations are identified, and recommendations for future studies are made.