Informing Circularity-Focused Design Optimization Using Parametric Life-Cycle Engineering Simulation Models

ABSTRACT Design for circular economy (DfCE) aims to systematically incorporate circular economy (CE) considerations during the design phase. In this article, we introduce an integrated quantitative framework that concurrently assesses product functionality, CE, and sustainability performance to enable a more holistic DfCE. This framework enables coupling multiple life-cycle phase simulation models for estimating the effects of parameterized changes in a product’s design or life-cycle behavior on its CE and sustainability performance. We showcase the ability of the proposed framework to support CE- and sustainability-centric design optimization and design space exploration using a case study on a commercial flange coupling. Results show that geometric optimization, to a certain extent, can compensate for material substitution. Furthermore, we show the existence of trade-offs between the above three indicators and that optimizing the flange coupling design to reduce global warming potential results in an increase in energy intensity for the same material composition. The case study shows the potential of the presented modeling framework to provide meaningful insights for DfCE. We demonstrate that the developed framework supports DfCE by highlighting interdependencies between product life-cycle data and their influence on CE and sustainability performance, which can be difficult to assess through other means. This research facilitates the integration of circularity considerations into simulation-based design by leveraging existing engineering simulation models and provides concrete design guidance on how products can be redesigned for CE.