Innovative End Locker for Efficient Design for Disassembly (DfD) in Concrete Construction

The construction sector is responsible for more than 7 % of the world’s anthropogenic CO2 emissions, primarily due to cement production. The cement production alone accounts for 4 % of CO2 emissions in the European Union (EU). The construction sector is also resource intensive, using billion tons of natural resources and generating billions of tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste yearly. In fact, approximately 30 % of all waste within the EU comprises C&D waste. To address these challenges and move towards a sustainable society, it is imperative to implement circular economy (CE) principles within the construction industry. A key strategy is to design the structural elements with the ability to disseminate and reuse in different projects, a design approach known as Design for Disassembly (DfD). This project focuses on the design, development, and evaluation of an innovative corrosion-free end locker to enable an efficient DfD in RC structures. By aligning with CE principles, our approach aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, minimise waste, and realise cost savings. This venture not only promises a sustainable shift in the construction domain but also propels advancements in material science, structural engineering, and numerical modelling. The project is product oriented, complemented by the development of design guidelines for practical applications of the locker system aligned with a novel construction practice.