Assessment of carbon dioxide emissions during production, construction and use stages of asphalt pavements

Abstract The carbon dioxide emissions generated during the life of flexible asphalt pavements are an important indicator of the sustainability of these infrastructures. The study aims at tentatively quantifying the CO2 released during production, construction and use stages of a road pavement, the analysis is performed adopting a Life Cycle Assessment approach. Each stage is structured based on data retrieved from an extensive literature review. Special focus is given to the use stage, which is usually only partially addressed. The study is achieved employing the “HERMES CO2” spreadsheet tool developed for the purpose and it is publicly available to maximize openness and the interaction with the user. As an illustrative application, the study then quantifies the generation of carbon dioxide for the three major categories of Norwegian highways referring to 1 km as functional unit with lifespan of 50 years. The analysis documents that the overall CO2 amount is approximately equal to 1 million metric tons, which is significantly related to the albedo and rolling resistance of the use stage. Overall, the research establishes a common methodology and analysis frame which is relevant to early planning of road pavements and can be refined further for specific case-studies.