Document Type : ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Authors
1
Department of Civil Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
2
School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) is one of the largest waste streams generated by the built environment and presents substantial environmental, economic, and resource-management challenges. Although research on sustainable C&DW management has expanded considerably, an updated assessment of its publication patterns, collaboration structures, influential contributors, and emerging themes is needed. This study examined the global development of sustainable C&DW management research from 2001 through August 2025.
METHODS: Bibliographic records were retrieved from the Scopus database. After applying the predefined search and eligibility criteria, 952 publications were included. Performance analysis and science-mapping techniques were used to evaluate annual publication and citation trends, document types, subject areas, productive countries, international collaboration, sources, institutions, authors, and keyword structures. VOSviewer version 1.6.20 was used to construct country co-authorship and keyword co-occurrence networks.
FINDINGS: Research output increased substantially during the study period, with particularly rapid growth after 2015. China, India, and Australia were the most productive countries, while the United Kingdom and the United States occupied central positions in international collaboration networks. Environmental science and engineering were the dominant subject categories. Keyword analysis identified four major thematic concentrations: foundational C&DW management and sustainable construction, recycling and secondary materials, environmental assessment and carbon reduction, and circular-economy and resource-efficiency strategies. The emergence of terms related to life-cycle assessment, carbon footprint, global warming, and circular economy indicates that the field has expanded beyond conventional waste disposal and recycling.
CONCLUSION: Sustainable C&DW management research has developed into an increasingly interdisciplinary field connecting waste recovery, environmental assessment, circular-economy policy, and construction innovation. Future research should strengthen cross-country collaboration, evaluate the institutional conditions supporting circular construction, improve the quality and market acceptance of recycled materials, and examine the contribution of digital technologies to waste prevention and resource recovery.
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