Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Road Networks: Current State and Future Directions

Abstract

The construction sector is one of the leading global contributors to environmental footprint, with road infrastructures being a significant resource consumer. The traditional practice of using virgin raw materials and extracting natural aggregates has a significant impact, causing landscape alterations and disruptions to ecosystems. As result, the focus on achieving sustainable mobility through road networks is increasing. Companies operating in the civil sector must consider the environmental performance of roads to inform their decision making. Various assessment tools are available, with life cycle assessment being a commonly employed methodology in the industrial sector. However, its application to infrastructure projects has inherent challenges, primarily due to the complexity associated with inventory management. This complexity has resulted in a limited adoption of LCA within this sector. This research explores the suitability and compatibility of existing tools, methodologies, and databases, while establishing future requirements to adapt LCA and other types of environmental analysis to the life cycle of roads. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive analysis of the scientific and technical literature is conducted in this study. The findings highlight the need for more versatile impact analysis tools, including specialized databases tailored to the specifics of road infrastructure. Such enhancements would facilitate the application of procedures outlined in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards.