Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Grael, Paulo F. F. [UNESP]
Data de Publicação: 2021
Outros Autores: Oliveira, Luiza S. B. L., Oliveira, Deborah S. B. L., Bezerra, Barbara S. [UNESP]
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01842-5
http://hdl.handle.net/11449/205717
Resumo: Purpose: Currently, there are no life cycle impact data available on the construction of road infrastructure in Brazil. This study aimed to determine several environmental impacts associated with the construction of an asphalt-paved highway in Brazil using the life cycle assessment approach and road construction data available from two Brazilian highways. The results from this study can potentially raise awareness to the importance of life cycle thinking in road construction in Brazil. Methods: The processes considered within the asphalt road pavement product system were extraction and processing of sand, gravel, and pitch; transportation of these inputs; and machinery use and operation, including direct and indirect emissions, raw materials, and electricity/fuel. Inventories available in Ecoinvent were used, and processes relevant to the Brazilian scenario were selected, with modifications made when necessary. The ReCiPe method was used to calculate the impacts, and for each category a second method was used to verify the results. The impact categories analyzed were global warming potential (GWP), terrestrial acidification potential (TAP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), freshwater eutrophication (FWEP), marine eutrophication (MEP), and freshwater ecotoxicity (FWECP). In addition, an alternative scenario was considered by substituting diesel with biodiesel in the transportation trucks. Results and discussion: Gravel production was the main contributor to TAP (56% based on ReCiPe) and MEP (62%) categories. It was also a significant contributor to the GWP (16%), FWEP (25%), and FWECP (33%) categories. Transport of raw materials was the most impactful process in the GWP (58%), FWEP (55%), and FWECP (52%) categories. Pitch production was the major contributor to the ODP category (57%). The impact from sand production was negligible for all categories. Machinery operation had a small contribution in all impact categories (less than 14%). The different assessment methods used for each category indicated similar percent contributions for all processes considered (gravel, sand, pitch, transport, and machinery). Substitution of diesel with biodiesel caused an increase in the total impact for all categories, except for ODP. Conclusions and recommendations: Gravel and pitch production, as well as raw material transport, were the most impactful processes in road construction. Therefore, strategies to reduce the impacts of road construction projects should focus on these three processes. In particular, investigation of the environmental impact, using a life cycle approach, of substituting gravel and pitch with alternative or recycled materials should be carried out for the Brazilian context.
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spelling Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in BrazilAsphalt pavementBiodieselComparison of LCIA methodsLife cycle impact assessment (LCIA)Life cycle inventory (LCI)OpenLCARoad constructionPurpose: Currently, there are no life cycle impact data available on the construction of road infrastructure in Brazil. This study aimed to determine several environmental impacts associated with the construction of an asphalt-paved highway in Brazil using the life cycle assessment approach and road construction data available from two Brazilian highways. The results from this study can potentially raise awareness to the importance of life cycle thinking in road construction in Brazil. Methods: The processes considered within the asphalt road pavement product system were extraction and processing of sand, gravel, and pitch; transportation of these inputs; and machinery use and operation, including direct and indirect emissions, raw materials, and electricity/fuel. Inventories available in Ecoinvent were used, and processes relevant to the Brazilian scenario were selected, with modifications made when necessary. The ReCiPe method was used to calculate the impacts, and for each category a second method was used to verify the results. The impact categories analyzed were global warming potential (GWP), terrestrial acidification potential (TAP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), freshwater eutrophication (FWEP), marine eutrophication (MEP), and freshwater ecotoxicity (FWECP). In addition, an alternative scenario was considered by substituting diesel with biodiesel in the transportation trucks. Results and discussion: Gravel production was the main contributor to TAP (56% based on ReCiPe) and MEP (62%) categories. It was also a significant contributor to the GWP (16%), FWEP (25%), and FWECP (33%) categories. Transport of raw materials was the most impactful process in the GWP (58%), FWEP (55%), and FWECP (52%) categories. Pitch production was the major contributor to the ODP category (57%). The impact from sand production was negligible for all categories. Machinery operation had a small contribution in all impact categories (less than 14%). The different assessment methods used for each category indicated similar percent contributions for all processes considered (gravel, sand, pitch, transport, and machinery). Substitution of diesel with biodiesel caused an increase in the total impact for all categories, except for ODP. Conclusions and recommendations: Gravel and pitch production, as well as raw material transport, were the most impactful processes in road construction. Therefore, strategies to reduce the impacts of road construction projects should focus on these three processes. In particular, investigation of the environmental impact, using a life cycle approach, of substituting gravel and pitch with alternative or recycled materials should be carried out for the Brazilian context.Department of Production Engineering UNESP – Universidade Estadual PaulistaDepartment of Chemical Engineering UFSCar – Universidade Federal de São CarlosDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering UNESP – Universidade Estadual PaulistaDepartment of Production Engineering UNESP – Universidade Estadual PaulistaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering UNESP – Universidade Estadual PaulistaUniversidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar)Grael, Paulo F. F. [UNESP]Oliveira, Luiza S. B. L.Oliveira, Deborah S. B. L.Bezerra, Barbara S. [UNESP]2021-06-25T10:20:07Z2021-06-25T10:20:07Z2021-02-01info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article402-416http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01842-5International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, v. 26, n. 2, p. 402-416, 2021.1614-75020948-3349http://hdl.handle.net/11449/20571710.1007/s11367-020-01842-52-s2.0-85099222135Scopusreponame:Repositório Institucional da UNESPinstname:Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)instacron:UNESPengInternational Journal of Life Cycle Assessmentinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess2021-10-22T14:02:57Zoai:repositorio.unesp.br:11449/205717Repositório InstitucionalPUBhttp://repositorio.unesp.br/oai/requestopendoar:29462024-08-05T22:11:37.212049Repositório Institucional da UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)false
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
title Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
spellingShingle Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
Grael, Paulo F. F. [UNESP]
Asphalt pavement
Biodiesel
Comparison of LCIA methods
Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)
Life cycle inventory (LCI)
OpenLCA
Road construction
title_short Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
title_full Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
title_fullStr Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
title_sort Life cycle inventory and impact assessment for an asphalt pavement road construction—a case study in Brazil
author Grael, Paulo F. F. [UNESP]
author_facet Grael, Paulo F. F. [UNESP]
Oliveira, Luiza S. B. L.
Oliveira, Deborah S. B. L.
Bezerra, Barbara S. [UNESP]
author_role author
author2 Oliveira, Luiza S. B. L.
Oliveira, Deborah S. B. L.
Bezerra, Barbara S. [UNESP]
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar)
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Grael, Paulo F. F. [UNESP]
Oliveira, Luiza S. B. L.
Oliveira, Deborah S. B. L.
Bezerra, Barbara S. [UNESP]
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Asphalt pavement
Biodiesel
Comparison of LCIA methods
Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)
Life cycle inventory (LCI)
OpenLCA
Road construction
topic Asphalt pavement
Biodiesel
Comparison of LCIA methods
Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)
Life cycle inventory (LCI)
OpenLCA
Road construction
description Purpose: Currently, there are no life cycle impact data available on the construction of road infrastructure in Brazil. This study aimed to determine several environmental impacts associated with the construction of an asphalt-paved highway in Brazil using the life cycle assessment approach and road construction data available from two Brazilian highways. The results from this study can potentially raise awareness to the importance of life cycle thinking in road construction in Brazil. Methods: The processes considered within the asphalt road pavement product system were extraction and processing of sand, gravel, and pitch; transportation of these inputs; and machinery use and operation, including direct and indirect emissions, raw materials, and electricity/fuel. Inventories available in Ecoinvent were used, and processes relevant to the Brazilian scenario were selected, with modifications made when necessary. The ReCiPe method was used to calculate the impacts, and for each category a second method was used to verify the results. The impact categories analyzed were global warming potential (GWP), terrestrial acidification potential (TAP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), freshwater eutrophication (FWEP), marine eutrophication (MEP), and freshwater ecotoxicity (FWECP). In addition, an alternative scenario was considered by substituting diesel with biodiesel in the transportation trucks. Results and discussion: Gravel production was the main contributor to TAP (56% based on ReCiPe) and MEP (62%) categories. It was also a significant contributor to the GWP (16%), FWEP (25%), and FWECP (33%) categories. Transport of raw materials was the most impactful process in the GWP (58%), FWEP (55%), and FWECP (52%) categories. Pitch production was the major contributor to the ODP category (57%). The impact from sand production was negligible for all categories. Machinery operation had a small contribution in all impact categories (less than 14%). The different assessment methods used for each category indicated similar percent contributions for all processes considered (gravel, sand, pitch, transport, and machinery). Substitution of diesel with biodiesel caused an increase in the total impact for all categories, except for ODP. Conclusions and recommendations: Gravel and pitch production, as well as raw material transport, were the most impactful processes in road construction. Therefore, strategies to reduce the impacts of road construction projects should focus on these three processes. In particular, investigation of the environmental impact, using a life cycle approach, of substituting gravel and pitch with alternative or recycled materials should be carried out for the Brazilian context.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021-06-25T10:20:07Z
2021-06-25T10:20:07Z
2021-02-01
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01842-5
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, v. 26, n. 2, p. 402-416, 2021.
1614-7502
0948-3349
http://hdl.handle.net/11449/205717
10.1007/s11367-020-01842-5
2-s2.0-85099222135
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01842-5
http://hdl.handle.net/11449/205717
identifier_str_mv International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, v. 26, n. 2, p. 402-416, 2021.
1614-7502
0948-3349
10.1007/s11367-020-01842-5
2-s2.0-85099222135
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 402-416
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Scopus
reponame:Repositório Institucional da UNESP
instname:Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
instacron:UNESP
instname_str Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
instacron_str UNESP
institution UNESP
reponame_str Repositório Institucional da UNESP
collection Repositório Institucional da UNESP
repository.name.fl_str_mv Repositório Institucional da UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
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