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From durability to circularity: ensuring service life and enabling reuse of concrete in circular construction
KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Civil and Architectural Engineering, Sustainable Buildings.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9436-6753
Faculty of Built Environment, Renovation and Circular Economy Transition (ReCET), Tampere University, PO Box 600, 33014, Tampere, Finland.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4242-2968
KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Civil and Architectural Engineering, Sustainable Buildings.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0615-4505
Faculty of Built Environment, Renovation and Service Life Engineering of Structures, Tampere University, PO Box 600, 33014, Tampere, Finland.ORCID iD: 0009-0008-0027-4243
2026 (English)In: Materials and Structures, ISSN 1359-5997, E-ISSN 1871-6873, Vol. 59, no 1, article id 28Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Reusing reinforced concrete structures within a Circular Economy offers substantial environmental benefits, but requires reliable assessment of their remaining service life. Conventional approaches to concrete durability, based on prescriptive design parameters for new structures or carbonation depth measurements in existing ones, are insufficient to ensure reuse for an additional 50 or 100 years. This study addresses this gap by introducing a performance-based probabilistic framework for evaluating carbonation‑induced corrosion, tailored to circular construction. The study incorporates parametric analysis and probabilistic modeling of corrosion initiation and propagation phases, and assesses two precast concrete buildings located in Nordic climates. The study also examines how storage period before reuse, changes in exposure class after deconstruction, altered carbonation rates during a second service life, and repair interventions, affect service life. Monte Carlo simulations are used to estimate the total service life under various conditions, with outdoor carbonation rates reflecting typical Nordic exposures. Corrosion propagation is modelled following fib Model Code 2020 and fib Bulletin 112. The results demonstrate that reused concrete elements can achieve service lives comparable to new structures, provided that performance-based assessment and appropriate repair interventions are applied. The proposed framework supports data-driven decisions on service life, repair, and reuse strategies for structural concrete, considering exposure classes and performance. It can be complemented by non-destructive testing and durability indicators. It provides a scientific basis for extending the service life of reused concrete elements and supports design for circularity and resource efficiency, thereby advancing circular construction and the transition toward a sustainable built environment.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature , 2026. Vol. 59, no 1, article id 28
Keywords [en]
concrete, reuse, circular economy, circular construction, durability, service life, carbonation, corrosion, precast concrete, standards
National Category
Architectural Engineering Building materials Building Technologies Construction Management Environmental Management
Research subject
Civil and Architectural Engineering; Architecture; Civil and Architectural Engineering, Building Materials; Civil and Architectural Engineering, Building Technology; Civil and Architectural Engineering, Concrete Structures; Environmental Engineering; Planning and Decision Analysis, Risk and Safety; Materials Science and Engineering; Architecture, Architectural Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-374850DOI: 10.1617/s11527-025-02914-4ISI: 001652513800001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105026335373OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-374850DiVA, id: diva2:2025093
Projects
ReCreate project
Funder
EU, Horizon Europe, 958200
Note

QC 20260105

Available from: 2026-01-04 Created: 2026-01-04 Last updated: 2026-01-16Bibliographically approved

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Dervishaj, ArlindGudmundsson, Kjartan

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