Exploiting suction to reduce embodied carbon in geotechnical structures

The commitment to cut the CO2 emissions is now a matter of legal obligation in several countries worldwide including the UK. For example, around 10% of the CO2 emissions in the UK are directly associated with the manufacture and transport of construction materials, and the operations on site (Construction Excellence, 2008 as cited by UKGBC, 2013). Coupled with the legal obligation to reduce carbon emission, there is also a growing commercial interest in carbon efficient design as companies strive to succeed in a low-carbon economy.