Life cycle assessment of refurbishment scenarios to confined tank structures at a waste water treatment plant

Abstract

The paper will show a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of three different refurbishment scenarios for confined tank structures at a waste water treatment plant. – One using a traditional Portland cement based repair mortar, one combining this cement repair mortar with a reactive protective coating, and one using 100% calcium aluminate based repair mortar technology. In order to evaluate the sustainability and potential environmental impact of each of the three scenarios, the Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) were performed, which included Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), Global Warning Potential (GWP) and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP). The results are compared and analyzed in this paper, particularly in relation to extending the structural service life, which shows how innovative systems can give advantages to designers and contractors, which in turn are also of benefit to their customers.