Environmental Impact Assessment Review最新文献

{"title":"Calculation of life cycle-based emission factors for administrative services: A replicable framework for climate action in the public sector","authors":"Enrico Nocentini,&nbsp;Michela Marchi,&nbsp;Dario Caro,&nbsp;Fabiola Tropea,&nbsp;Nicoletta Patrizi,&nbsp;Federico Maria Pulselli","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Municipal services are rarely evaluated systematically for their environmental impacts. This study introduces an innovative life-cycle-based methodology for calculating emission factors for 21 municipal services, thereby filling a critical gap in public-sector impact assessment.</div><div>Services are classified into administrative office services (e.g., identity card issuance, residence changes, marriage licenses) and macro-services (e.g., school canteen management, green maintenance, bulky waste collection). While administrative office services are often considered intangible and underestimated in environmental terms, both types require significant resources and generate measurable impacts.</div><div>The methodology quantifies Carbon Footprints (CFs) of municipal services, producing emission factors per functional unit. Unlike previous fragmented assessments focused on specific sectors or public activities, this study applies a unified, systems-based framework. The results are consolidated into a structured database made of standardized emission factors (EFs), which serve as proxies when site-specific data are unavailable and facilitate replication across different institutions and geographic contexts. Applied in the Municipality of Grosseto (Italy), results show that macro-services account for 78.55 % of total emissions (particularly from school canteens and green maintenance), while site inspections and document processing are the most impactful administrative functions.</div><div>The approach helps local authorities identify emission hotspots and align services with strategic planning tools such as Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs).</div><div>By providing a flexible and transferable evaluation framework, this study advances environmental accounting practices in the public sector and supports evidence-based climate strategies with broader policy relevance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108294"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing the nonlinear effects of traditional rural streetscape features on visual quality based on the XGBoost-SHAP model","authors":"Lanhong Ren ,&nbsp;Wei Xiong ,&nbsp;Jie Li ,&nbsp;Aihemaiti Namaiti ,&nbsp;Jie Zhuang","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the context of a global trend emphasizing livable environments and cultural heritage preservation, the “internal–external imbalance” in the visual quality of traditional village streetscapes has become a bottleneck constraining the development of China's “Beautiful and Livable Countryside”. Current research on rural streetscape features fails to effectively integrate neurocognitive mechanisms with local cultural attributes. Furthermore, its reliance on linear models limits the capture of complex nonlinear relationships. This study takes She Village, a traditional village in the rapidly urbanizing Yangtze River Delta region of China, as a case study. We established an indicator system comprising 23 streetscape features by integrating neurocognitive mechanisms and local cultural attributes. This indicator system adheres to the principles of human visual processing, offering a theoretical foundation for streetscape feature selection. We compared an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) linear model with five machine learning models and selected XGBoost model. This study uncovered nonlinear mechanisms underlying the effect of streetscape features on visual quality in traditional rural contexts, which differ from predominantly urban-focused studies. We further constructed the “dual-hierarchy” theory of streetscape visual quality. The findings demonstrate: The dominant factors affecting rural streetscape visual quality are, in sequence, culture, building, coordination of style, green, road, fence, streetlight, and color diversity. This confirms the critical role of cultural attributes in rural visual quality. It reveals threshold effects and interaction effects that influence the visual quality of rural streetscapes, which differ from those in urban areas. The thresholds for diminishing marginal benefits of green and road elements are 0.1 and 0.05, respectively. Building view index has a critical threshold at 0.6; beyond this value, its effect on visual quality shifts from positive to negative. Cultural attributes (coordination of style and culture) interact with building, green, Std-depth, and sky. Based on k-means clustering, we formulated targeted, precise improvement strategies for traditional villages focusing on optimizing streetscape configuration, emphasizing cultural characteristics, and strengthening threshold control. This study provides a reference method for identifying and optimizing rural streetscape visual quality in other regions, promoting the sustainable development of rural human settlements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108282"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating life cycle and techno-economic assessment for bio-based lactic acid production from industrial residues","authors":"Jesús Ibáñez ,&nbsp;David Blanco-Alcántara ,&nbsp;Jose Manuel Perales-Fernández ,&nbsp;María López-Abelairas ,&nbsp;Daniel Silva ,&nbsp;Tiago Ramos da Silva ,&nbsp;Helena Monteiro ,&nbsp;Agata Olszewska-Widdrat ,&nbsp;Joachim Venus ,&nbsp;Charilaos Xiros ,&nbsp;Anders Wallenius ,&nbsp;Sonia Martel-Martín ,&nbsp;Rocío Barros","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Evaluating the economic viability and environmental impact of emerging technologies is crucial for the transition to a bio-based economy. This study proposes a methodology to assess the environmental and economic performance of bio-based lactic acid (LA) production by scaling up from pilot to industrial levels using fiber sludge, a residue from the pulp and paper industry, as a feedstock. Process design, Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) were conducted at pilot scale to identify key environmental and economic hotspots. External costs were estimated following the environmental Life Cycle Costing (eLCC) approach using the Environmental Prices (EP) method. At the pilot scale, the LCA indicated a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 3.87 kg CO₂-eq, which aligns with the values reported in previous studies. Scaling up to different plant capacities revealed the potential economies of scale. At a production rate of 50 kt per year, the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) was estimated at 1.71€/kg, which is comparable to that of other bio-based LA production routes. Assuming proportional environmental impacts from pilot to industrial scale, external costs were integrated into the MSP, resulting in adjusted values of 2.04€/kg (lower value), 2.21€/kg (central value), and 2.46 €/kg (upper value). Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses using Monte Carlo simulations indicated an 87.5 % probability of achieving a positive Net Present Value (NPV). This study highlights the need for standardised methodologies to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of emerging bio-based technologies, particularly when accounting for external costs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108291"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145680837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The future of global Ramsar wetlands under intensifying precipitation extremes: Arid regions as emerging hotspots","authors":"Deepak Mishra,&nbsp;Nakka Naveen Kumar,&nbsp;Shekhar Singh,&nbsp;Manish Kumar Goyal","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wetlands are critical ecosystems sustaining ecological balance, climate regulation, water purification, and biodiversity, yet climate-induced precipitation extremes pose growing threats to their hydrological stability worldwide. This study investigates hydroclimatic regime shifts across 2490 Ramsar wetlands using a climate-informed framework integrating precipitation variability and extremes, assessed through a multi-model ensemble of 13 CMIP6 models for historical (1951–2024) and SSP585 future (2025–2100) periods. In arid regions, annual precipitation increased 9.3 % (337.3 to 368.7 mm) while Ramsar wetlands expanded 14.5 % (447 to 512 sites), reflecting spatial growth under evolving hydroclimatic regimes. Despite remaining driest, arid wetlands exhibit heightened hydrological stress with RR95 frequency rising 16.36 %, R95pTOT contributions increasing 7.74 % (11.21 % to 12.08 %), SDII rising 9.5 % (2.1 to 2.3 mm/day), and Rx1 climbing 11.9 % (12.6 to 14.1 mm), indicating greater event-scale intensity. Across all climate zones, wetland-year records exceeding extreme rainfall thresholds increased significantly, reaching 95 % for R95pTOT in temperate zones and over 80 % in arid regions, demonstrating a global shift toward clustered, intense precipitation events. The expansion of arid zone wetlands coupled with increasing extremes creates a paradoxical risk where short, intense water bursts undermine ecosystem resilience, intensify flash flooding, and disrupt fragile wetland hydrology. These findings underscore urgent needs for climate-resilient wetland management policies tailored to arid and vulnerable regions, with targeted adaptation strategies including early warning systems, sustainable land use, and nature-based solutions essential for preserving wetland integrity aligned with SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108275"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracing carbon flow to unravel carbon lock-in in China through a supernetwork-based perspective for targeted decarbonization","authors":"Quan Wen ,&nbsp;Ruixue Mao ,&nbsp;Yuxi Zheng ,&nbsp;Shipian Shao ,&nbsp;Dabo Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pathway to carbon neutrality requires not only reducing emissions but also addressing the structural complexity of how emissions are generated, transmitted, and embedded across regions and sectors. Conventional mitigation strategies target high-emission locations, yet they overlook who emits, who enables, and who intermediates in the carbon system. This study develops a carbon flow supernetwork by integrating multi-regional input-output analysis with supernetwork theory, enabling tracing where emissions occur, how they move, and who sustains them from 2007 to 2017. Results reveal a three-layered structure of carbon lock-in in China. Upstream emitters like Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, and Hebei concentrate emissions through coal-based electricity and heavy industries. Downstream distributors, notably coastal regions such as Guangdong and Jiangsu, account for over 60 % of carbon inflows via embedded trade and final demand. Structural intermediaries, including Shandong and Henan via logistics and information services, exhibit high network centrality and govern carbon circulation despite moderate emission levels. Furthermore, the Jing-Jin-Ji and Yangtze River Delta function as systemic carbon anchors, where dense industrial networks and embedded supply chains lock China's economy into high-emission trajectories. As the system matured from 2007 to 2015, connectivity and internal carbon cycling increased, but signs of topological reconfiguration emerged post-2015, coinciding with China's green transition efforts. Carbon governance should shift from targeting emission volume to incorporating network-sensitive, system-level interventions. Prioritizing central intermediaries and redesigning flow pathways offers a more effective and equitable route toward carbon neutrality in structurally complex economies like China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108278"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The driving factors of CO2 emissions in China's resource processing industry: Evidence from an income-based accounting perspective","authors":"Jixin Wen ,&nbsp;Manzhi Liu ,&nbsp;Lili He","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The resource processing industry is currently the primary contributor to CO₂ emissions in China, and it is also a pivotal point in the industrial chain where the transition to a low-carbon model can be realised. This study constructed a decomposition model for income-based CO₂ emission drivers in an industry using Ghosh input-output model and Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method. The model was then applied to China's resource processing industry from 2017 to 2020. Furthermore, it simulates the potential evolution trends and contribution differences of drivers influencing income-based CO₂ emissions in China's resource processing industry before 2050. The findings reveal that from 2017 to 2020, income-based CO₂ emissions in China's resource processing industry exhibited an initial decrease followed by an increase, with an aggregate growth of 11.71 %, in which the economic scale emerged as the primary carbon-promoting factor, while the intermediate goods import scale and energy intensity were identified as the key carbon-inhibiting factors. Notably, the primary input structure and intermediate goods supply structure underwent a shift from carbon-inhibiting to carbon-promoting effects. With the exception of the baseline scenario (peaking in 2033), alternative policy scenarios have the potential to ensure that the income-based CO₂ emissions of China's resource processing industry to reach their peak in a timely manner. The scenario analysis also shows that the coordinated promotion of energy structure transformation, industrial structure adjustment and improvement of intermediate goods supply structure is an effective way to reduce emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108277"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Carbon trading in the construction industry: A systematic review and a vigorous impact assessment framework to facilitate implementation","authors":"Ying Liu ,&nbsp;Becky P.Y. Loo","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While carbon trading is considered a promising global market mechanism for promoting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, it has been underdeveloped in the construction industry. Furthermore, existing studies on carbon trading in construction focus almost exclusively on cutting operational emissions, disregarding embodied carbon (EC) due to challenges in measuring material-side emissions, allocating allowances, and ensuring feasibility. To overcome these barriers, this study systematically analyses the literature and proposes a replicable multi-objective optimisation (MOO) framework that evaluates construction-sector emission trading system (ETS) designs by simultaneously maximising contractor participation, financial viability and EC abatement. Six real-world prototypes (five Chinese pilots plus the EU model) are tested using the case of Hong Kong. With a manageable size of construction contractors and available data on residential and non-residential construction area in Hong Kong, the MOO model allows the regulator to observe how EC benchmarks, fees and penalties affect participation and costs—making the city an ideal pilot ground. Our research findings suggest that a linked-ETS following the Beijing Model with moderate entry fees, high penalties, and transparent pricing could achieve 100 % participation, stable financial returns, moderate increase in construction cost, and effective carbon abatement. Academically, this study presents the first contractor-level optimisation toolkit that integrates EC metrics into emissions-trading design. Methodologically, our MOO framework is fully replicable across regions and construction typologies. To policy makers, this study estimates fees, benchmarks and penalty schedules that regulators can deploy flexibly to link construction to stand-alone or regional ETS to achieve carbon reduction while preserving industry competitiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108271"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An impact assessment and decision support tool for geothermal projects in Aotearoa","authors":"Nona Taute ,&nbsp;Te Kipa Kēpa Brian Morgan ,&nbsp;Jason Ingham ,&nbsp;Rosalind Archer ,&nbsp;Tumanako Fa'aui","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108273","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108273","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Aotearoa, geothermal resource management requires assessing sustainability trends across environmental, cultural, social, and economic dimensions, as mandated by legislation. While triple-bottom-line approaches are well-established for evaluating environmental, social, and economic impacts, cultural impacts are typically assessed separately. This report introduces a novel decision-support tool that integrates all four dimensions, offering a comprehensive quadruple-bottom-line impact assessment specifically for the geothermal industry. The tool adapts the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework, traditionally used for engineering projects, by identifying a transferable set of indicators tailored to geothermal developments in the Central North Island.</div><div>The tool was developed through a combination of mātauranga Māori and Western knowledge, employing diverse research methodologies. Cultural indicators and thresholds were informed by over 16 h of wānanga (collaborative workshops) with Māori participants and augmented by literature reviews, as detailed in Taute, Morgan (<span><span>Taute et al., 2022</span></span>; <span><span>Taute et al., 2023</span></span>). Environmental, social, and economic indicators were developed through participatory action research, including consultations with 14 industry professionals from organisations such as GNS Science, the New Zealand Geothermal Association, and major geothermal companies. Over 500 potential indicators were reviewed, with expert feedback refining the final indicator set and thresholds for industry alignment. The final set contained 112 indicators with thresholds. This tool ensures that cultural impacts are systematically evaluated together with conventional sustainability metrics, addressing a critical gap in geothermal impact assessments. It offers a robust framework for holistic decision-making in geothermal resource management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108273"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative multi-algorithm AI framework for real-time carbon emission optimization in a medium-scale irrigation project in Thailand","authors":"Chiratthawat Mueangphaen ,&nbsp;Wuttipong Kusonkhum ,&nbsp;Kittiwet Kuntiyawichai ,&nbsp;Tanyada Pannachet ,&nbsp;Ratamanee Nuntasarn ,&nbsp;Maetee Boonpichetvong","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study develops and validates a real-time carbon monitoring framework that integrates automated meteorological data with operational construction logs to enhance environmental impact assessment (EIA) methodology for tropical infrastructure projects. Leveraging 2332 h of synchronized climate–operational data from a reinforced-concrete sluice gate project in Thailand, the framework addresses critical gaps in carbon governance for medium-scale irrigation construction, a sector underrepresented in current EIA literature yet vital to climate adaptation in emerging economies. Three machine learning models (artificial neural networks, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting) were used to capture complex emission patterns. Under the tested monsoon scenarios, all models achieved high predictive fidelity (R² = 0.997–0.998) with low normalized errors (mean absolute scaled error &lt; 0.05). The framework demonstrated 5 %–30 % potential emission reduction across operational–climatic scenarios, confirming its robustness for tropical infrastructure management and showing robust cross-algorithm consensus. Feature importance analysis highlighted embodied carbon in concrete (59.7 %) and steel reinforcement (24.8 %) as the primary emission sources, while environmental conditions emerged as influential factors. Furthermore, lower embodied‑carbon levels were observed during operational periods under ambient temperatures below 28 °C. The framework facilitates climate-responsive construction planning via real-time emission forecasting, scenario testing, and adaptive resource optimization. A three-tier implementation strategy encompassing climate-adaptive material scheduling, climate-responsive planning, and scenario-based emission testing demonstrates 5 %–30 % reduction potential while accommodating the technological constraints of tropical developing economies. This approach advances EIA methodology from retrospective assessment toward predictive, climate-responsive decision support, offering a scalable framework for integrating real-time carbon management into digital EIA platforms and aiding national net-zero infrastructure goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108276"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Innovative safety framework and direct load–settlement method to optimize vertical subgrade modulus in sustainable mat foundations","authors":"Antonio J. Sánchez-Garrido ,&nbsp;José F. Moreno-Serrano ,&nbsp;Ignacio J. Navarro ,&nbsp;Víctor Yepes","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108191","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108191","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work presents a rigorously formulated methodology for directly estimating the vertical subgrade modulus (<em>Ks</em>) in slab foundations, overcoming key deficiencies of conventional indirect and semi-direct approaches. The model integrates elastic half-space theory with multilayer settlement analysis and oedometer-based consolidation mechanics, explicitly incorporating depth of influence and load compensation effects—parameters typically excluded from standard practice. The proposed formulation yields a <em>Ks</em> value of 5.30 MN/m³, closely matching the harmonic mean of established upper (17.82 MN/m³) and lower (2.91 MN/m³) bounds, thereby producing a modulus consistent with elastic energy principles and mechanistically grounded, suitable for advanced soil–structure interaction modeling. A new, application-specific safety coefficient for <em>Ks</em> is introduced, offering a calibrated metric for reliability-based foundation design under spatially variable subsurface conditions. The study implements a life-cycle sustainability assessment across three reinforced concrete slab foundation alternatives, utilizing a hybrid neutrosophic analytic hierarchy process (NAHP-G) in conjunction with the ELECTRE IS multi-criteria decision method. This framework enables integrated evaluation across structural, environmental, and socio-economic dimensions. Results indicate a 2.5-fold enhancement in the social safety index and a 50 % relative improvement in sustainability performance compared with baseline methodologies. The outcomes delineate a unified analytical and decision-making framework for subgrade characterization and foundation optimization, advancing the state of practice in geotechnical design and sustainability integration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108191"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}