Work

Holistic sustainability analysis of wrapped textile-reinforced concrete using the example of a pump sump

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Concrete construction faces growing sustainability challenges due to climate-related regulations and shifting labor conditions. Existing component-level assessments often focus narrowly on environmental material indicators, overlooking the interplay of production, structural design, and socio-economic factors. This study presents an evaluation model integrating 20 criteria across ecological, economic, and social dimensions into a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework. A dominance matrix allows flexible weighting.The model is applied to the WiFaPu project, which developed a novel wrapping process for textile-reinforced concrete (TRC). A wrapped TRC pump sump is assessed alongside conventional solutions—cast-in-place, precast concrete, and plastic. Results show the wrapped TRC achieves the highest ecological performance, followed by precast concrete. Cast-in-place and plastic perform less favorably. Economically, the TRC solution needs further optimization. From a social perspective, cast-in-place ranks lowest due to higher labor demands and safety concerns. The model enables structured, transferable sustainability assessment across diverse components, materials, and production methods.

Source: Sustainable Futures

DOI: 10.1016/j.sftr.2025.101364

Authors: Fabian Kufner, Yannick Göttler, Petra Rucker-Gramm, Michael Horstmann

Institution: Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Building Design and Assessment

Subfield: Building and Construction

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,340