Design for Disassembly for a Circular Economy in Construction: a Systematic Literature Review of Reversible Structural Connections

Most of the focus of buildings lies in the construction and use phases, but rarely on the end-of-life phase. Currently, demolition is seen as the most economically and convenient approach to dispose of a building although it generates a significant fraction of the construction industry’s waste. Deconstruction is touted as a promising approach to reducing the demolition waste through reuse, repair and recycling of building materials and products. However, deconstruction of current buildings is economically and technically challenging as opposed to their demolition, as most building connections are permanent fixtures. Design for disassembly (DfD) in buildings requires a thorough understanding of reversible building connections which this study investigates. This study presents a systematic literature review of reversible connections between building structural elements, analysing connection types, the circular economy (CE) objectives driving DfD, and the construction systems and structural materials associated with elements designed for deconstruction. The findings reveal that research predominantly focuses on steel, concrete, and steel–concrete construction systems, with particular emphasis on designing for component reuse. Reversibility is primarily achieved through fastening with and without connection accessories and interlocking mechanism. The review identifies significant opportunities to expand research on structural DfD connections for timber and emerging bio-based construction materials. Further research should also explore broader applications of topological interlocking and innovative construction technologies, particularly additive manufacturing, to facilitate disassembly, component recovery, and circularity in the built environment.