Ground Improvement Sustainable by Nature

The construction industry faces significant challenges today due to its high energy consumption and the resulting elevated carbon dioxide emissions. Efforts are underway through global initiatives and evolving frameworks to establish comprehensive environmental and sustainability policies, aiming to guide the construction sector towards a more sustainable development pathway. Geotechnical engineering within the realm of infrastructure is expected to play a critical role in ensuring the safety and stability of superstructures within a sustainable framework, both in the present and the foreseeable future. This article seeks to explore the potential for sustainability in infrastructures through ground improvement techniques. It sheds light on ongoing global research and development efforts aimed at promoting sustainability. The article briefly introduces a case study involving the rigid inclusions type Controlled Modulus Columns (CMC), emphasizing ongoing research and development focused on the reutilization of CMCs under wind turbine foundations during the repowering phase. The repowering phase becomes imperative when onshore wind turbine foundations require replacement after reaching their typical operational lifetime of 25 years, as stipulated by international standards and guidelines.