euglcs
03-04-2010, 12:07 AM
Hi,
I am doing a thesis on durability and its correlation to sustainable development. The construction industry today, makes a lot of its decisions based upon the cost-effectiveness of the outcome. Factors such as environmental impacts, economic impacts and social impacts are often overlooked and sometimes disregarded. As a result, we are imposing a huge strain on our planet and jeopardising future generations.
Durability is basically the length of time that a particular structure can continue to be used effectively without maintenance. Increased durability implies a lower maintenance frequency and could possibly reduce life-time costs of projects. But is there any correlation between durability and sustainability? And is there a way to provide evidence for this?
An example of providing evidence of a correlation, would be to design 3 similar structures for the same expected life, usage and exposure conditions but with varying durabilities. Comparing these 3 structures with different durabilities based on their sustainability would provide us with some sort of correlation right?
I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas of experiments or ways of providing some sort of evidence for a correlation between sustainability and durability.
Many Thanks,
Eugene Lim
I am doing a thesis on durability and its correlation to sustainable development. The construction industry today, makes a lot of its decisions based upon the cost-effectiveness of the outcome. Factors such as environmental impacts, economic impacts and social impacts are often overlooked and sometimes disregarded. As a result, we are imposing a huge strain on our planet and jeopardising future generations.
Durability is basically the length of time that a particular structure can continue to be used effectively without maintenance. Increased durability implies a lower maintenance frequency and could possibly reduce life-time costs of projects. But is there any correlation between durability and sustainability? And is there a way to provide evidence for this?
An example of providing evidence of a correlation, would be to design 3 similar structures for the same expected life, usage and exposure conditions but with varying durabilities. Comparing these 3 structures with different durabilities based on their sustainability would provide us with some sort of correlation right?
I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas of experiments or ways of providing some sort of evidence for a correlation between sustainability and durability.
Many Thanks,
Eugene Lim