Towards Sustainable Seismic Design: Assessing Embodied Carbon in Concrete Moment Frames

Abstract The construction industry faces the imperative of reconciling structural integrity with environmental sustainability, urging a nuanced exploration of the material choices and design parameters. This study investigated the seismic design and embodied carbon implications of varying concrete grades and column spacing in concrete moment frames. The primary objective was to evaluate the seismic design outcomes and embodied carbon of concrete moment frames, focusing on the variations introduced by different concrete grades and column spacings. This study employs a systematic approach, conducting seismic design analyses and embodied carbon assessments for concrete moment frames with varying concrete grades (C25/30, C32/40, and C40/50) and column spacings (4, 6, and 8 m). The results highlight the intricate influence of concrete grades on beam and column design parameters, with C32/40 emerging as the optimal choice, showing a substantial reduction in total embodied carbon. Additionally, column spacing is pivotal in shaping the beam design parameters, exhibiting a positive correlation between reduced column spacing and environmentally sustainable outcomes. This study contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on sustainable construction, offering a balanced perspective on the complex interplay between structural design choices and environmental implications.