Comparative Life Cycle Performance of Conventional and Recycled Materials in Soil–Pavement Systems for Road and Port Infrastructure

Abstract

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which was first employed for products, is now used to assess complex systems, such as
highways, by examining the effects of construction, usage, and maintenance. Topsoil loss, changed land/water systems, erosion, landslides, sedimentation, landscape degradation, noise, dust, spills, trash, and pollution are just a few of the major environmental impacts that studies consistently demonstrate across these stages. This study examines the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) in road building to measure the effects of both conventional and alternative materials. The most common alternative materials that were investigated were polymer, fly ash, and recycled asphalt. The two main effect areas evaluated were energy usage and global warming potential (GWP). The results highlight the need to incorporate technical, social, economic, and environmental factors into road developments. Studies on low-traffic roads in developing nations are desperately needed, as the majority of current research is on high-traffic highways.