In addition to the traditional drivers of cost and timely
programme delivery, embodied energy (EE) and embodied carbon (EC) have emerged
as major considerations in all aspects (including geotechnical) of large
construction projects. Foundation engineers are beginning to undertake
comparisons of the EE/EC associated with various piling and ground improvement
options as part of an overall appraisal of scheme feasibility. Where
construction involves the modification or removal of peat, these calculations
become more challenging as allowances should be made for the impact on the
carbon stored within the peat and the gases potentially released from peat.
Using a calculator developed at NUI Galway, research
is underway to consider the EE/EC associated with piling, soil-mixing and
excavate-and-replace—options that can facilitate road/motorway construction on
peat. Several high-profile motorway projects in Ireland will provide data for
the analysis. Also, with the help of scientists presently measuring Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) emissions from peat, the research will investigate GHG emissions from
peat under various management practices, restoration techniques, and mitigation
against drainage methods, assessing their strength in terms of hydrology and
carbon storage potential. This paper summarises a literature review carried out
to identify specifically the ‘peat-related’ factors that will impact upon EE/EC
calculations on construction of a road/motorway on peat.