Multiparametric Cost–CO2 Optimization of Bored Reinforced-Concrete Piles Under Combined Loading in Cohesive Soils

Laterally loaded slender piles present a classic soil–structure interaction problem where pile displacements and flexural demands are governed by the mobilized lateral resistance of the surrounding soil and the axial-bending capacity of the reinforced concrete section. In response to increasing pressure to reduce embodied emissions, this study develops LAVERCO, an optimization framework for cost- and CO2-efficient design of bored reinforced-concrete piles in cohesive soils subjected to combined lateral and axial actions. The framework integrates Eurocode-based geotechnical checks with full N–M section verification of the RC pile and applies a genetic algorithm over a multi-parametric grid of lateral load, vertical load, and undrained shear strength, using economic cost and embodied CO2 as alternative single objectives. Rank-based (Spearman) sensitivity analysis quantifies how actions, soil strength, and design variables influence the optimal solutions. The results reveal two consistent geometry regimes: CO2-optimal piles are systematically longer and slimmer, while COST-optimal piles are shorter and thicker. In both cases, the objective is dominated by pile length and is reduced by higher undrained shear strength; vertical load has a moderate direct effect, while horizontal load contributes mainly through deflection and bending checks. Feasibility improves significantly in stronger clays, and CO2-optimal geometries generally incur higher costs, clarifying the trade-off between economic and environmental performance. The framework provides explicit geometry-level guidance for selecting bored pile designs that balance cost and embodied CO2 across a wide range of soil and loading conditions and can be directly applied in both preliminary and detailed designs.