Environmental Potentials of Asphalt Materials Applied to Urban Roads: Case Study of the City of Münster

Mayara S. Siverio Lima, Mohsen Hajibabaei, Sina Hesarkazzazi, Robert Sitzenfrei, Alexander Buttgereit, Cesar Queiroz, Arnold Tautschnig and Florian Gschösser
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Mayara S. Siverio Lima: Department of Structural Engineering and Material Sciences, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Mohsen Hajibabaei: Department of Infrastructure, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Sina Hesarkazzazi: Department of Infrastructure, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Robert Sitzenfrei: Department of Infrastructure, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Alexander Buttgereit: Department of Mobility and Civil Engineering, 48155 Münster, Germany
Cesar Queiroz: The World Bank, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Arnold Tautschnig: Department of Structural Engineering and Material Sciences, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Florian Gschösser: Department of Structural Engineering and Material Sciences, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: Life cycle assessment (LCA) tools have been used by governments and city administrators to support the decision-making process toward creating a more sustainable society. Since LCA is strongly influenced by local conditions and may vary according to various factors, several institutions have launched cooperation projects to achieve sustainable development goals. In this study, we assessed the potential environmental enhancements within the production of road materials applied to the road network of Münster, Germany. We also compared traditional pavement structures used in Münster and alternative options containing asphalt mixtures with larger amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Although the case study was conducted in Münster, the data collected and the results obtained in this study can be used for comparison purposes in other investigations. In the analysis, we considered all environmental impacts from raw material extraction to the finished product at the asphalt plant. Two environmental indicators were used: non-renewable cumulative energy demand (nr-CED) and global warming potential (GWP). The results show that using RAP increases the consumption of energy but potentially decreases the environmental impacts in terms of the nr-CED and GWP associated with the production of asphalt materials.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; asphalt mixtures; reclaimed asphalt pavement; environmental impact (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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