ABSTRACT
In the framework of performance-based seismic assessment, environmental impacts have been valued in recent years. However, the assessment of environmental impacts caused by post-earthquake repair is only limited to material extraction phase. In this study, life cycle assessment was conducted to evaluate carbon emissions incurred from the post-earthquake repair. The method was illustrated on two typical steel structures, namely the moment-resisting frame (MRF) and the special concentrically braced frame (SCBF). Life cycle carbon emissions of two frames in the worst case were calculated, where the structure has to be rebuilt after earthquakes. The nonlinear behavior of structures was analyzed by OpenSees. According to the dynamic response, life cycle carbon emissions were discounted to obtain the environmental impacts of post-earthquake repair. The results indicate that environmental impacts can differ dramatically from alternative structural systems. The proposed method can assess the sustainability of structures and can be applied to other structural systems.
