Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Engineering Sciences ISSN 2066 – 8570 Volume 7, Number 2/2015 41 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FIBRE-REINFORCED POLYMER STRENGTHENING SOLUTIONS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE COLUMNS Sebastian George MAXINEASA 1 , Nicolae TARANU 2 Rezumat. Sectorul construcțiilor este considerat unul din factorii cheie în atingerea dimensiunilor sustenabilității. În afara influenței sale, deja incontestabile, asupra ariei economice și sociale, acest fapt este justificat, în principal, de impactul ecologic masiv. O metodă de micșorare a impactului mediului construit asupra celui natural constă în reutilizarea structurilor din beton armat existente, folosind pentru consolidarea acestora materialele compozite. Obiectivul prezentei lucrări este de a stabili dacă extinderea perioadei de exploatare a stâlpilor din beton armat prin aplicarea unor sisteme compozite bazate pe produse polimerice armate cu fibre din carbon (CPAFC) reprezintă o soluție viabilă din punct de vedere a dimensiunii ecologice a sustenabilității. Rezultatele obținute în urma studiilor Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) la soluțiile de consolidare a stâlpilor din beton armat încurajează utilizarea sistemelor compozite analizate în această lucrare pentru atingerea dimensiunii ecologice a sustenabilității în sectorul construcțiilor. Abstract. The construction sector is considered by many as one of the key factors in fulfilling the three dimensions of sustainability. Notwithstanding its indisputable influence over economy and society at large, the statement above is most importantly justified by the massive impact the construction industry exerts over the environment. Strengthening existing reinforced concrete structures with composites and reusing them instead of building new ones is one of the ways by which the impact of the built environment over the natural one can be successfully decreased. This paper aims at determining if the extension of the life span of the reinforced concrete columns by applying different carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthening systems can be considered a viable solution in terms of the ecological dimension of sustainability. The results obtained after conducting Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies encourage the usage of the composite systems hereby analysed in the context of achieving the environmental aspect of sustainability in the construction sector. Keywords: CFRP, construction sector, LCA, reinforced concrete columns, sustainability 1. Introduction At present, the volume of natural resources consumed in one year exceeds with approximately 50% the stock renewing capacity of planet Earth. It is estimated 1 PhD student, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University, Iasi, Romania (e-mail: sebastian.maxineasa@tuiasi.ro). 2 Professor, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University, Iasi, Romania, full member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists (nicutara@yahoo.com).