Life Cycle Assessement of Reclaimed Asphalt Compared to Hot Mix Asphalt

Bachelor Thesis , 2019 , 138 Pages , Grade: 3.0

Engineering - Civil Engineering

This study is a Life Cycle Assessment which shows the implementation of RAP in HMA design compared to the conventional pavement in Mauritius.

Firstly, a thorough literature review was carried out which was supported by interviews from contractors and local authorities about the use of RAP and its implementation in the local context. The information concerning the use of HMA and its construction practices in Mauritius were obtained from local authorities through specifications. The data for RAP was obtained through literature as its practice in Mauritius is still not implemented. After processing the data, the software SimaPro was used to model both systems with a functional unit of 1 km and 4 m for the width of the single lane. Consequently, design 1 was modelled as conventional HMA and design 2 showed the use of 10 % of RAP in the wearing course with a system boundary consisting of the raw material acquisition, raw material processing, the construction, maintenance and the end of life phase but excluding the operation/use phase. The ReCiPE indicator was then used for the impact assessment which consists of the midpoint and endpoint indicators.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1.0 INTRODUCTION
• 1.1 Background
• 1.2 Problem Statement
• 1.3 Aim & Objectives
• 1.4 Report Structure
• 2.0 ROAD DESIGNS AND CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE IN MAURITIUS
• 2.1 Road Construction in Mauritius
• 2.2 Road Responsibilities
• 2.3 Maintenance
• 2.4 Pavement types
• 2.4.1 Flexible pavements
• 2.4.2 Rigid pavements
• 2.4.3 Composite pavements
• 2.5 Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)
• 2.5.1 Asphalt production
• 2.5.2 Asphalt Binder
• 2.5.3 Properties of Asphalt binder
• 2.6 Pavement Sustainability
• 2.7 Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)
• 2.7.1 Overview
• 2.7.2 Removal process
• 2.7.3 Practice in Mauritius
• 2.7.4 Uses of RAP
• 2.7.5 Advantages and Disadvantages of RAP
• 2.8 Types of sustainable materials
• 2.8.1 Glass Waste
• 2.8.2 Rubber
• 2.8.3 Fly Ash
• 2.8.4 Polymer
• 2.8.5 Recycled Concrete Pavement (RCP)
• 2.9 Equipment used for asphalting
• 2.9.1 Lorry
• 2.9.2 Pavers
• 2.9.3 Roller
• 2.9.4 Miller
• 3.0 LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT(LCA)
• 3.1 Life Cycle Assessment
• 3.2 LCA Approaches
• 3.2.1 Process LCA
• 3.2.2 Input-Output LCA
• 3.2.3 Hybrid LCA
• 3.3 Limitation of LCA
• 4.0 PAVEMENT LCA LITERATURE REVIEW
• 4.1 Pavement Life Cycle
• 4.2 Pavement LCA models
• 4.3 Cost Estimate
• 4.4 Conclusion
• 5.0 MATERIAL AND METHODS
• 5.1 Goal and Scope Definition
• 5.1.1 Goal Definition
• 5.1.2 Scope definition
• 5.1.3 System studied
• 5.2 Function and Functional unit
• 5.3 System boundary
• 5.4 Types, quality and sources of required data
• 5.5 Data categories
• 5.6 Data quality
• 5.7 Critical review
• 5.8 Life Cycle Inventory
• 5.9 Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)
• 5.10 Life Cycle Interpretation
• 5.11 Economic Analysis
• 6.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
• 6.1 Life Cycle Inventory Results
• 6.2 Life Cycle Impact Assessment Results
• 6.2.1 Recipe Midpoint
• 6.2.2 Recipe Endpoint
• 6.3 Damage Assessment
• 6.3.1 Design 2
• 6.3.2 Design 1
• 6.4 Comparative Study of the models
• 6.4.1 Impact assessment
• 6.4.2 Damage Assessment
• 6.5 Life Cycle Interpretation
• 6.5.1 Energy
• 6.5.2 Global Warming Potential (GWP)
• 6.5.3 Damage Assessment
• 6.5.4 Recipe
• 6.5.5 Limitation
• 6.6 Comparative cost analysis
• 6.6.1 Cost model
• 6.6.2 Data collection
• 6.6.3 Assumption
• 6.6.4 Cost Calculation
• 6.6.5 Discussion
• 7.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• 7.1 Findings
• 7.2 Conclusions
• 7.3 Recommendations
• 7.3.1 Further LCA research
• 7.3.2 The Construction industry in Mauritius

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This project aims to conduct a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) and economic evaluation of asphalt pavements using reclaimed asphalt and hot mix technology in Mauritius. The study focuses on the environmental and economic sustainability of using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in road construction, comparing it to traditional methods using virgin materials. The project evaluates the environmental impacts and cost effectiveness of incorporating RAP into asphalt pavements, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable construction practices in the context of Mauritius.

• Life Cycle Assessment of Asphalt Pavements
• Environmental Sustainability of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)
• Economic Evaluation of RAP Utilization
• Comparative Analysis of Traditional and Sustainable Pavement Designs
• Implementation of Sustainable Construction Practices in Mauritius

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The study begins with an introduction outlining the background, problem statement, objectives, and report structure. Chapter 2 delves into road designs and construction practices in Mauritius, covering topics such as road construction methods, maintenance, different pavement types, and the use of hot mix asphalt (HMA), including its production, asphalt binder, and properties. The chapter also explores the concept of pavement sustainability and the role of RAP, discussing its overview, removal process, practices in Mauritius, uses, and advantages and disadvantages. The chapter further examines other sustainable materials like glass waste, rubber, fly ash, polymer, and recycled concrete pavement.

Chapter 3 introduces the concept of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), exploring its definition, different approaches, and limitations. Chapter 4 presents a literature review focusing on pavement life cycle, LCA models, and cost estimation. Chapter 5 details the materials and methods used in the study, including goal and scope definition, functional unit, system boundary, data sources, and data quality assessment. The chapter also describes the methodology used for Life Cycle Inventory, Life Cycle Impact Assessment, and economic analysis. Chapter 6 presents the results and discussion, analyzing the Life Cycle Inventory and Impact Assessment results, conducting a comparative study of different models, and discussing the life cycle interpretation and comparative cost analysis.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The research focuses on asphalt pavements, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), hot mix technology, life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental sustainability, economic evaluation, pavement design, construction practices, and sustainable materials. The project delves into the environmental impacts and cost effectiveness of incorporating RAP into asphalt pavements, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable construction practices in the context of Mauritius.

• College: University of Mauritius
• Grade: 3.0
• Author: Doorgesh Jugbandhan (Author)
• Publication Year: 2019
• Pages: 138
• Catalog Number: V1349724
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346861238
• ISBN (Book): 9783346861245
• Language: English
• Tags: life, cycle, assessement, reclaimed, asphalt, compared