Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Wrap-Faced Retaining Walls: A Comprehensive Life-Cycle Evaluation in Bangladesh

In the field of geotechnical engineering, there's a growing emphasis on climate-friendly and sustainable approaches, leading to a heightened demand for solutions that integrate technical, ecological, and aesthetic considerations. In response, life cycle assessment (LCA) has become increasingly important as a method for assessing the environmental effects of geotechnical engineering projects. This paper focuses on a soil and water soil and water bioengineering construction project that utilizes geotextile to construct a wrap-faced retaining wall. The objective is to evaluate the wall's contribution to global warming potential (GWP) by evaluating its CO2 emissions. The results highlight the significant environmental advantages of soil and water soil and water bioengineering compared to conventional approaches, especially in terms of global warming potential (GWP). The selection of materials is crucial in determining this benefit, as wrap-faced walls exhibit significantly reduced carbon footprints in comparison to conventional alternatives such as reinforced concrete (RC) walls and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. The carbon footprint of soil and water soil and water bioengineering constructions is estimated to be nine times lower than RC walls and three times lower than MSE walls, indicating a notable reduction in emissions associated with their construction and utilization. This comprehensive approach ensures a thorough examination of the environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of soil and water soil and water bioengineering projects, facilitating informed decision-making and sustainable practices in construction and bioengineering.