Effective construction waste management is a pressing need for our sustainable built environment. One of the key factors in an effective waste management plan is accurately quantifying the likely waste volume generated by a project. In this study, we develop a new model to account for waste generation using work breakdown quantification (WBQ) at the design stage. Das Modell basiert auf der detaillierten, aktivitätsspezifischen Abfallbeobachtung eines laufenden industriellen Bauprojektes über 17 150 m2, die 332 267 kg Abfall produziert hat. The WBQ model links 12 major activities that generate waste to waste coefficients for unit activity (x) and per square metre (y) for 34 types of material waste. Validation with six established models (Yost and Halstead, Gheewala, Fatta, Martinez–Lage, Hsiao, and Wang) showed close agreement with WBQ (19.4 kg/m2), with an accuracy range of 18.99–21.36 kg/m2. This model also allows tendering and project delivery to consider waste management issues earlier so that zero-waste principles can be developed as part of project delivery, based on circular economy principles. The study demonstrates the environmental and economic benefits of proactive waste quantification.
Article navigation
Research Article|
February 18 2026
Modelling material flow of construction and demolition waste from an infrastructure project for the construction phase Available to Purchase
Anil Soharu;
Department of Civil Engineering,
Amity University Haryana
, Gurgaon, India
Corresponding author Anil Soharu (soharu@gmail.com)
Search for other works by this author on:
Naveen BP;
Naveen BP
Department of Civil Engineering,
NITTTR
, Kolkata, India
Search for other works by this author on:
Kriti Vaid
Kriti Vaid
Department of Electrical Engineering,
DPG College
, Gurgaon, India
Search for other works by this author on:
Corresponding author Anil Soharu (soharu@gmail.com)
Conflicts of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Received:
May 12 2025
Accepted:
January 22 2026
Online ISSN: 1747-6534
Print ISSN: 1747-6526
© 2026 Emerald Publishing Limited
2026
Emerald Publishing Limited
Licensed re-use rights only
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Waste and Resource Management 1–10.
Article history
Received:
May 12 2025
Accepted:
January 22 2026
Citation
Soharu A, BP N, Vaid K (2026;), "Modelling material flow of construction and demolition waste from an infrastructure project for the construction phase". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Waste and Resource Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1680/jwarm.25.00016
Download citation file:
17
Views
Suggested Reading
Performance of alkali-activated aluminosilicate geopolymer mortar under exposure to acid, sulfate and high temperature
Magazine of Concrete Research (January,2025)
Circular economy landfills for temporary storage and treatment of mineral-rich wastes
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Waste and Resource Management (January,2023)
Environmental and economical assessment of earth-retaining walls for design optimisation
Environmental Geotechnics (April,2024)
Empowering sustainable construction: green rating system adoption prediction through machine learning
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering Sustainability (April,2026)
Carbon Reduction Design Tool for excavation-and-clean-cover remediation
Environmental Geotechnics (September,2024)
Related Chapters
Sustainability and Climate Change
Water Supply and Distribution Systems
Water Demand: Estimation, Forecasting and Management
Water Supply and Distribution Systems
Sustainability
Structural Design of Buildings: Fundamentals in Design, Management and Sustainability
Recommended for you
These recommendations are informed by your reading behaviors and indicated interests.
