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Author ORCID Identifier
[https://orcid.org/0000-0001-2345-6789]
Date Available
8-5-2028
Year of Publication
2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
College
Engineering
Department/School/Program
Mechanical Engineering
Faculty
Fazleena Badurdeen
Jonathan Wenk
Abstract
Circular product design (CPD) is widely recognized as essential for advancing circular and sustainable product development. However, existing CPD practices remain fragmented, inconsistent in terminology, and often too high-level to directly support design decision-making. While existing literature and emerging standards emphasize the importance of addressing circularity early and throughout the product development process (PDP), they rarely specify where in the PDP specific CPD guidelines should be considered or what actions designers should take at each PDP phase. As a result, product circularity often remains an abstract design goal rather than being operationalized through design decisions. This study addresses these gaps by first synthesizing a comprehensive set of CPD guidelines and organizing them into a structured hierarchy of Guidelines, Representative Requirements, and Recommended Actions. The study then systematically maps the Representative Requirements and Recommended Actions associated with each Guideline to relevant PDP phases and decision categories, creating a CPD guidelines-to-PDP phases mapping framework. This framework helps designers identify CPD requirements to consider and the specific phases of the PDP where those requirements can be most effectively implemented. The framework was validated through a controlled experiment in which participants applied selected CPD guidelines to improve the circularity of a product. Overall, the experimental findings demonstrate that the proposed framework can support more systematic integration of CPD requirements into product development decisions. By linking CPD guidelines to actionable requirements, recommended design actions, and PDP phases, this research helps operationalize CPD integration during product development.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.406
Archival?
Archival
1st Funding Information
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
A Comprehensive Approach for Product Circularity Assessment Towards Sustainable Value Creation
3200005815
2nd Funding Information
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Developing Methods for Assessing and Improving Circularity of Consumer Electronics Products and Semiconductor Chips
3200006574
3rd Funding Information
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Value Recovery Strategies for Semiconductor Chips: End-of-Life Management of Microelectronic Components and Sub-Assemblies
3200007269
Recommended Citation
Kharal, Dhanraj, "Operationalizing Circular Product Design: A Structured Approach for Integrating Guidelines into Product Development" (2026). University of Kentucky Master's Theses. 661.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/661
Supplement Table
Nonmedical Institutional Review Board Approval Letter.pdf (129 kB)
Supplement Document
Figure 7_Circular economy at multiple scales.pdf (152 kB)
Copy right permission
Figure 9 Generic product development process phases.pdf (218 kB)
Copy right permission
Included in
Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Commons, Manufacturing Commons, Other Mechanical Engineering Commons
