Sustainable Urban Engineering

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING & APPLICATIONS

Dr. Anabel A. Abuzo, Associate Professor

Civil Engineering Department- Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan
ENVIRONMENT: CHANGE AND IMPACTS
CLIMATE CHANGE refers to the
change in the state of the climate
that can be identified by changes
in the mean and or variability of
its properties, and that persist for
an extended period.

IMPACTS refer to the effects of

climate change on the natural and
human systems.
 OUR RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
URBAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
"Sustainable development is
development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs.”
Brundtland Commission

Commitment to SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT alongside CLIMATE CHANGE…

Adaptation and Mitigation initiatives
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_structure

Types: Solid, Frame, Shell, Membrane, Composite, and Liquid

System: Tensile, Compressive, Shear, Bending, Composite
Forms: 1-, 2-, and 3- dimensions
1D: ropes, cables, struts, columns, beams, arches.
2D: membranes, plates, slabs, shells, vaults, domes, synclastic, anticlastic
3D: solid masses & composite: a combination of the above
Materials: timber, concrete, metal, masonry and glass, adobe, composite
Elements: substructure, superstructure, foundation, roof, shell and core, structural,
frame, floor, wall
Overall Building Form: multi- storey. low-rise. mid-rise. high-rise. ground scraper.
skyscraper. supertall. mega tall. super-slender. megastructure. anticlastic. synclastic.
hyperbolic paraboloid. conoid. tower. dome.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: APPLICATIONS
✓ Building
✓ Aqueducts and viaducts
✓ Bridges
Canals
Cooling towers and chimneys
Dams
Railways
Roads
Retaining walls
https://www.newcivilengineer.co

Tunnels m/latest/scots-rail-viaduct-in-
harry-potter-films-set-for-new-
walkway-13-02-2019/

Coastal Defenses
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_structure
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: APPLICATIONS
Building
Aqueducts and viaducts
Bridges
✓ Canals
✓ Cooling towers and chimneys
✓ Dams https://assetrecov.com/en/references/coalpowerplant-mol/

✓ Railways
Roads
Retaining walls
Tunnels
Coastal Defences
https://www.mysurulive.in/city-guide/dams-and-canals-in-mysore

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_structure
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: APPLICATIONS
Building https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/digital-construction/bim-
news/bim-for-coastal-defences/13453/
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Malinta_Tunnel

Aqueducts and viaducts

Bridges
Canals
Cooling towers and chimneys
Dams https://www.milbank.co.uk/precast-concrete-sea-defence/

Railways
✓ Roads
✓ Retaining walls
✓ Tunnels
✓ Coastal Defenses
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_structure
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING https://www.structuremag.org/?p=12613

Environmental Impact. anthropogenic emissions of GHGs into the atmosphere, particularly

CO2, are causing dramatic changes to the earth’s climate and oceans

Figure 1. Carbon dioxide in atmosphere. Courtesy of NASA/NOAA. Figure 2. Global land-ocean temperature. Courtesy of NASA/NOAA.
POLLUTION SOURCES BY SECTOR
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: IMPACTS https://www.structuremag.org/?p=12613

Structural Material Contribution to Climate Change

Concrete. mix design, contributes approximately 90% of its
carbon footprint in ordinary portland cement; high
contribution is attributable to the energy used, namely:
(1) during manufacturing and chemical reaction (calcination)
(2) during concrete production i.e., mining, crushing of
aggregates, and transportation of aggregates/cement
Steel. steel fabrication environmental impact comes from
the raw manufacturing process and the production
processing i.e., domestic hot-rolled structural steel, rebar,
hollow structural sections and cold-formed steel
Wood. material carbon impact comes from harvesting,
milling, transportation, and production https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/concrete-steel-or-
wood-searching-for-zero-net-carbon-structural-materials_o
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: IMPACTS
https://www.structuremag.org/?p=12613

Contribution of Buildings to
Climate Change
environmental impacts of
buildings are of two types,
namely:
(1) Operational Impacts
during the buildings service life
(2) Embodied Impacts
during the buildings construction,
renovation, and demolition
https://sabmagazine.com/design-practice-buildings-
as-a-climate-change-solution/
ADAPTATION &
MITIGATION
Global adaptation
readiness and
income mitigate
sectoral climate
change
vulnerabilities

https://www.sciencedirect.c
om/science/article/abs/pii/S
0048969720351718
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: MITIGATION
https://www.structuremag.org/?p=12613

Environmental Impact… Climate change mitigation measures…

❖ Manufacturing ✓ reducing material quantities
❖ Production ✓ mitigating thermal bridging
❖ Construction ✓ utilizing structure as finish
❖ Renovation ✓ performance-based design
❖ Demolition ✓ using alternate structural systems than
❖ Service life typically used for a particular building type
✓ utilizing functionally equivalent materials
✓ sourcing salvaged materials
✓ designing for deconstruction
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: MITIGATION
Zero Waste/Materials and Products: design for deconstruction or reuse (e.g. using
bolted steel connections rather than welded) to encourage zero waste when the
building reaches the end of its life
Zero Carbon Energy/Zero Waste: use indigenous and local materials on site,
particularly reclaimed or recycled materials. This reduces transportation, and supports
local businesses
Culture and Community: encourage designs that have flexibility and dual-use facilities,
allowing clients to let out the facilities to local community use
Land and Nature: compost organic waste on-site, reducing truck movements and
limiting the volume of material directed to landfill
Materials and Products/Land and Nature: use materials and finishes with no volatile
organic compounds i.e., promote the health and wellbeing of workers
MITIGATION: Zero
Waste/Materials &
Products
MITIGATION:
Zero
Carbon
Energy/Zero
Waste

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Zero-Carbon-
Manufacturing-concept-definition_fig2_266088977
MITIGATION:
Zero
Carbon
Energy/Zero
Waste
MITIGATION:
Life Cycle
Assessment

https://www.eurima.org/uploads/files/modules/articles/1584367144_SC%20Eurima_LCA_WhitePaper_Final_20170915.pdf
MITIGATION: Life Cycle
Assessment

https://www.eurima.org/uploa
ds/files/modules/articles/1584
367144_SC%20Eurima_LCA_W
hitePaper_Final_20170915.pdf
MITIGATION: Energy Improvements

https://sftool.gov/plan/400/life-cycle-assessment
MITIGATION:
Energy
Improvements

https://www.greenbuildingsolutions.org/blog/
energy-codes-need-your-help/
MITIGATION: ZERO ENERGY https://www.naturallofts.com/building-features/
MITIGATION:
Energy
Improvements
https://slideplayer.com/slide/9390588/
MITIGATION:
Green Building
Dimensions of sustainability
of green buildings
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Dimensions-of-
sustainability-of-green-buildings_fig2_333784260
MITIGATION:
Green Building
o Life cycle assessment
o Siting and structure
design efficiency
o Energy efficiency
o Water efficiency
o Materials efficiency
o Indoor environmental
quality enhancement
o Operations &
maintenance optimization
o Waste reduction

https://www.cadpro.com/green-building-designs/
MITIGATION:
Green Building
https://www.naturallofts.com/building-features/
ADAPTATION: Global Readiness Assessment https://www.nature.com/artic
les/s41599-022-01130-7
ADAPTATION: RISKS & RISK MANAGEMENT

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/2-Projected-US-Regional-Indicators-from-the-2014-National-Climate-Assessment_tbl2_284672926
ADAPTATION:
SOLUTION
METHODOLOGY
A comparison of top-down and
bottom-up approaches to climate
change adaptation.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-comparison-of-top-down-and-
bottom-up-approaches-to-climate-change-adaptation_fig3_284672926
ADAPTATION APPROACHES & STRATEGIES
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284672926_Adapting_Infrastructure_and_Civil_Engineering_Practice_to_a_Changing_Climate

INTEGRATED APPROACHES: adaptation should be incorporated into core policies,

planning, practices and programs
PRIORITIZE THE MOST VULNERABLE: adaptation plans should prioritize people,
places, and infrastructure that are most vulnerable to Climate Change (CC) impacts
USE BEST-AVAILABLE SCIENCE: adaptation should be grounded in the
best‐available scientific understanding of CC risks, impacts and vulnerabilities
RISK MANAGEMENT METHODS & TOOLS: adaptation plan should incorporate risk
management methods and tools to help identify, assess and prioritize options to
reduce vulnerability to environmental, social and economic implications of CC
ADAPTATION https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284672926_Adapting_Infrastructure_and_Civil_Engineering_Practice_to_a_Changing_Climate

APPLY ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACHES: adaptation should consider strategies

to increase ecosystem resilience and protect critical ecosystem services
MAXIMIZE MUTUAL BENEFITS: adaptation should use strategies that complement or
directly support climate or environmental initiatives i.e., to improve disaster
preparedness, promote sustainable resource management, reduce GHG emissions,
and the development of cost‐effective technologies
CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATE PERFORMANCE: adaptation plans should include
measurable goals and performance metrics to continuously assess whether adaptive
actions are achieving desired outcomes
BUILD STRONG PARTNERSHIPS: adaptation should be coordinated across multiple
sectors and should be build on the existing efforts and knowledge of public and private
stakeholders
ADAPTATION: IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR COASTAL

https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0964569119309287-ga1_lrg.jpg
ADAPTATION:
IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
FOR COASTAL
https://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/740602/fmars-
08-740602-HTML/image_m/fmars-08-740602-g001.jpg
ADAPTATION: IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR SEISMIC

https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-
S167498711930132X-fx1_lrg.jpg
ADAPTATION:
IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
FOR ROADS
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/1057/htm
ADAPTATION: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/1057/htm

IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
FOR ROADS