Meta-analysis of Emerging Trends in Sustainable Structural Engineering: Integrating High-performance Materials, Digital Design, and Resilient Infrastructure

This meta-analytic review discusses the disruptive changes in structural engineering practice to include advanced materials, digital design technology and a resilience-based life-cycle performance framework. The review synthesizes many recent studies, wherein authors are increasingly moving away from deterministic design towards performance-based, data-driven and sustainability-focused design practices. Novel engineered material systems, such as hybrid timber–steel and FRP–concrete composites, demonstrate they have improved mechanical performance with lower environmental impacts, compared to conventional reinforced concrete. Digital innovations such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Digital Twins and Artificial Intelligence based finite element modelling, have further advanced structural performance optimization and real-time performance monitoring. The role of resilience and life-cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks for making design decisions for long-lasting, adaptable and carbon neutral structures continues to remain central to design discourse as well. Despite rapid advancements, research identified challenges exist in the form of data interoperability, condensate material behaviour on probabilistic principles and quantifying resilience measures. Addressing these research gaps calls for an interdisciplinary approach and the development of standardized frameworks and methodologies that link material innovations, computational models and sustainable design objectives. In summary, the results endorse that the future of structural engineering practice will be defined by the convergence of intelligent materials, digital technologies, and resilience-based design philosophies, establishing a foundation for adaptive and environmentally responsible infrastructure systems.