Circular Economy for Construction and Waste Demolition: A Bibliometric Review of Research Trends

Abstract

The construction sector is one of the largest contributors to global waste generation, posing significant environmental challenges. In response to this issue, the concept of circular economy (CE) has gained prominence as a sustainable framework for managing construction and demolition (C&D) waste. A bibliometric review analyzing the research trends in CE practices applied to C&D waste was elaborated in this study. The study utilizes a comprehensive dataset of scholarly publications in the Scopus database, spanning publications in the year 2014 to 2023, and employs bibliometric analysis using a two-step literature selection process to map the evolution of research in the field. The review identified key thematic areas, scholarly authors, prolific journals, and co-occurrence networks using VOSviewer software. The findings revealed a growing interest in circular economy approaches for C&D waste, with a surge in research output that focused on circularity in resource efficiency and material flow, life cycle assessment of materials, and circularity in material recovery and recycling. The insights derived from this study contributed to a comprehensive understanding of the current state of C&D waste and facilitated the identification of knowledge gaps within the circular economy framework. It also provided a roadmap for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to identify research gaps and sustainable solutions for managing C&D waste within the circular economy framework.