Sustainability analysis: A stochastic formulation for evaluating the sustainability of engineering systems

Gharzouzi, Paul

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/102965 Copy

Description

Title

Sustainability analysis: A stochastic formulation for evaluating the sustainability of engineering systems

Author(s)

Gharzouzi, Paul

Issue Date

2018-12-14

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Gardoni, Paolo

Department of Study

Civil & Environmental Eng

Discipline

Civil Engineering

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Sustainability
• state-dependent stochastic models
• life-cycle analysis

Abstract

During their life-cycle, engineering systems typically suffer from deterioration due to regular operation and exposure to extreme events and harsh environmental conditions. As a result, regular recovery strategies are often required to restore the system to a target safety and functionality level. There is a need to evaluate the associated impact of such strategies on the life-cycle sustainability of engineering systems. This work proposes a novel stochastic formulation, named Stochastic Life-cycle Sustainability Analysis (SLCSA), for evaluating the sustainability of engineering systems throughout their service lives. In the SLCSA, the sustainability of the system is evaluated for a fixed time horizon in terms of its environmental impact, which includes the impact of the construction, operation processes and recovery strategies that are associated with the various structural and mechanical components of the system. The formulation proposes state-dependent stochastic models that capture the effects of gradual and shock deteriorations in the evaluation of the environmental impact of the system. Moreover, the formulation accounts for the relevant uncertainties, such as those in the external conditions (e.g., environmental exposure and potential hazards), and those in the environmental emissions, associated with the materials and energy used throughout the system life-cycle. As an illustration, the proposed analysis is used to evaluate the life-cycle sustainability of a typical reinforced concrete (RC) bridge.

Graduation Semester

2018-12

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/102965

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2018 Paul Gharzouzi

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