Shaping Tomorrow's Skylines: A Review of Emerging Methods and Technologies in Sustainable Structural Engineering

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Publicado en:i-Manager's Journal on Structural Engineering vol. 14, no. 1 (Jun 2025)
Autor principal: Girmay Mengesha Azanaw
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iManager Publications
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Acceso en línea:Citation/Abstract
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Resumen:The race to net-zero emissions and resilient infrastructure has spurred rapid innovation and demands urgent transformation in structural engineering. This review synthesizes recent advances in AI-driven design, modular construction, green materials, 3D concrete printing, and lifecycle/digital tools for sustainable structures. The author surveys state-of-the-art methods and case studies, quantifying environmental benefits and highlighting adoption barriers. In AI-based design, generative and machine-learning algorithms explore vast design spaces, yielding lighter and more efficient structures than traditional methods. Modular and prefabricated systems demonstrate dramatic schedule acceleration (e.g., a Hong Kong modular hospital built in four months) and 10–21% reductions in embodied carbon compared to conventional construction. Wood and other bio-composites (e.g., mass timber, bamboo, mycelium) are shown to sequester carbon and cut global-warming potential by >25% versus concrete materials.While advanced bio-based insulation materials offer low embodied energy. 3D concrete printing enables material and form optimization, reducing waste and formwork needs and showing lower life-cycle GHG emissions for simple structural elements. Finally, integrated life-cycle assessment (LCA) and digital twins/IoT monitoring allow real-time optimization of energy use and maintenance, further curbing carbon footprints. The author discusses cross-cutting challenges (data requirements, codes/regulations, and material durability) and proposes future directions. This comprehensive review underscores how converging technologies can reshape future skylines into greener, more efficient designs and outlines pathways for their wider implementation.
ISSN:2278-7887
2320-2343
DOI:10.26634/jste.14.1.21950
Fuente:Engineering Database