A material efficiency-based evaluation framework for soil-cement reinforcement in construction applications

Soil-cement mixtures are widely used in construction to improve ground performance; however, key design parameters are often determined empirically, leading to excessive cement consumption and inefficient material utilization. This study proposes a quantitative evaluation framework to assess and optimize soil-cement applications from a material efficiency perspective. The framework integrates cement consumption per unit area, performance improvement, and an efficiency index to enable systematic comparison of different reinforcement strategies. The proposed approach is validated through two engineering case studies in Shanghai, with parametric analyses conducted to examine the effects of cement content, treatment depth, and reinforcement configuration. The results indicate that concentrating cement within a shallower treatment range achieves greater performance improvement under the same material consumption. A threshold reinforcement depth is identified, beyond which additional material input yields limited benefits. Furthermore, targeted material application in regions with higher deformation potential significantly improves overall efficiency. The proposed framework offers a practical basis for optimizing material use and supports more efficient and sustainable design in soil-cement reinforcement. • A quantitative evaluation framework integrating cement consumption, performance improvement, and material efficiency is proposed for soil-cement reinforcement. • Concentrating cement within a shallower treatment range achieves greater deformation control than uniform distribution under the same material consumption. • An optimal reinforcement depth of approximately 6 m is identified, beyond which material efficiency diminishes significantly.