Abstract

Use of life cycle assessment (LCA) in choice of road corridor could reduce environmental impacts of traffic and infrastructure. This paper explores how the LCA model LICCER, designed to compare life cycle climate impact and energy use of alternative road corridors, fulfills practitioners’ requirements concerning data availability and usefulness for decision-making. Results are based on a case study where the model was applied to a Swedish road reconstruction project and a workshop with potential users of the model. In the case study, the shorter construction alternatives had the lowest traffic related impacts and the highest infrastructure related impacts. Earthworks, soil stabilization, and pavement contributed most to infrastructure related impacts. For the stakeholders, the LICCER model was considered useful because it includes both traffic and infrastructure, includes default data that the user can replace by project specific data, identifies possible improvements, and presents results relative to a reference alternative. However, the model could be improved by including further nation specific default data, different traffic scenarios depending on the road corridor, more detailed traffic scenarios, and an uncertainty assessment of the model output. These findings may be useful in the development and improvement of LCA models and when evaluating the suitability of existing models for use in early planning.

摘要

在选择道路走廊时使用生命周期评估 (LCA) 可以减少交通和基础设施对环境的影响。本文探讨了 LCA 模型 LICCER，旨在比较替代道路走廊的生命周期气候影响和能源使用，如何满足从业者对数据可用性和决策有用性的要求。结果基于一个案例研究，该案例研究将该模型应用于瑞典道路重建项目和该模型潜在用户的研讨会。在案例研究中，较短的施工替代方案对交通相关的影响最低，与基础设施相关的影响最高。土方工程、土壤稳定和路面对基础设施相关影响的贡献最大。对于利益相关者，LICCER 模型被认为是有用的，因为它包括交通和基础设施，包括用户可以用项目特定数据替换的默认数据，确定可能的改进，并提供与参考替代方案相关的结果。然而，该模型可以通过包括更多国家特定默认数据、取决于道路走廊的不同交通场景、更详细的交通场景以及模型输出的不确定性评估来改进。这些发现可能有助于 LCA 模型的开发和改进，以及评估现有模型在早期规划中的适用性。该模型可以通过包括更多国家特定默认数据、取决于道路走廊的不同交通场景、更详细的交通场景以及模型输出的不确定性评估来改进。这些发现可能有助于 LCA 模型的开发和改进，以及评估现有模型在早期规划中的适用性。该模型可以通过包括更多国家特定默认数据、取决于道路走廊的不同交通场景、更详细的交通场景以及模型输出的不确定性评估来改进。这些发现可能有助于 LCA 模型的开发和改进，以及评估现有模型在早期规划中的适用性。