Geotechnical Environmental Impact Assessment: Key Impact Categories, Weighting Methods, and Local Conditions

The aim of this paper is to identify the major environmental impact categories associated with geotechnical works, evaluate the adequacy of commonly used weighting methods, and highlight the need to adapt them to sector-specific characteristics and local conditions. Currently applied weighting approaches rely on standardized values that may not accurately reflect the environmental impact of activities across different economic sectors. Moreover, several impact categories, such as eutrophication, acidification, and water use, are strongly dependent on local conditions. The study included the identification of key environmental challenges across Europe and the development of maps illustrating their spatial distribution. Four weighting methods were applied and compared in terms of their influence on the ranking of assessed materials. The analysis shows that geotechnical works include Global Warming Potential, Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, Particulate Matter, and Abiotic Depletion Potential—fossil. Adapting weightings to local conditions did not change the ranking of analyzed materials in Poland. However, it may significantly influence the results in regions facing different environmental challenges. The results may support the adaptation of environmental assessment methods in geotechnics and contribute to informed decision-making for sustainable development.