Asfalt Symposium 2019 - Research meets Industry Matti Buyle

Life cycle assessment, a guided tour

LCA, a guided tourMatti Buyle

Asfalt Symposium 2019 - Research meets Industry

Matti Buyle

Introduction

Some first thoughts

Energy efficient products are sustainable!


?

Introduction

Some first thoughts


Recycling materials is the way to go to reduce environmental impacts!?

Introduction

System thinking!


Raw materials

Production

Construction

Use

End-of-life

Introduction

LCA is easy!


Red is great!(But purple is ok too)(In any case DON’T go green!!)

Imp

act


Raw materials

Production

Construction

Use

End-of-life

Introduction

Too bad… LCA is not easy!

Methodology

General framework


Goal & scope definition

Life cycle inventory (LCI)

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)

Inte

rpre

tati

on

LCA framework (ISO 14040/44)

Methodology

1. Goal & scope definition

Scope:qualitative and quantitative information denoting what is included in the study


Goal: intended application, reasons for the study, target audience, and the comparative results disclosed to public?

Functional unit:should quantify the function in a way that makes it possible to relate it to the relevant inputs and output

Methodology

1. Goal & scope definition

Nuclear power plants:Nuclear fuel, infrastructure, waste-treatment, flexible production


Wind turbines:Wind, infrastructure, non-flexible production

Coal power plants:Coal, infrastructure, flue gas purification, flexible production

Functional unit:1 kWh electricity production

Methodology

2. Life cycle inventory


… …Product/Process 1

Product/Process 2

Outputs: losses, waste, emissions, by-products

Product/Process 3

Define product system and process flow Inventory of inputs and outputs (data collection)

materials Production use End-of-life

Inputs: materials, energy, from nature, etc.

Methodology

3. Life cycle impact assessment

Midpoints:Links LCI results to relevant impact categories


LCI results per impact category

e.g. global warming potential, human

toxicity, land use, …

Category endpoints

Single score indicator

LCI results

e.g. human health, damage to ecosystems, resource depletion, …

e.g. monetization, weighted by experts, …

Endpoints:Groups and/or weights midpoints into general issues of concern or a single score

Modelling assumptions

LCA ≠ ‘one-size-fits-all’

Modelling assumptions need, tuned to research question


General framework allows flexible use

General frameworks and ready-to-use tools are easy, but think for yourself!


Recycled content


Primarymaterials

Production use Disposal

Recycling

Recycledmaterials

Cut-off

Recycled content

Pri

m.

Sec.

Pri

m.

Sec.

Pri

m.

Sec.

Pri

m.

Sec. Life cycle phase

Environmental impact

Tota

l Pri

m.

Tota

l Sec

.

No

-rec

.

No

-rec

.

No

-rec

.

No

-rec

.

Tota

l no

-rec

.


Recycling potential


Primarymaterials

Production use Disposal

Recycling

Avoidedproducts

Recycling potential

Expanding system boundary

do

wn

cycl

ing

Reu

se Life cycle phase

do

wn

cycl

ing

Reu

se

do

wn

cycl

ing

Reu

se

do

wn

cycl

ing

Reu

se

Environmental impact

do

wn

cycl

ing

Reu

se


Raw materials

Production

Construction

Use

End-of-life

Wrap up

LCA as a way to explore opportunities!

SSMARAGDTowards a sustainable selection model for the use of RAP in asphalt

Sustainable asphalt pavementsBen Moins

Asfalt Symposium 2019 - Research meets Industry

Ben Moins

[email protected]

Introduction

The reduction of greenhouse gasses by 2030 & 2050


Data source: http://www.vlaamseklimaattop.be/verkennende-studie-2030-2050-VlaanderenSource: Cargill REjuveBIT test track 1

Total reduction of 24% by 2050

Total reduction of 49% by 2030 and 74% by 2050

Total reduction 39% by 2030 and 55% by 2050

http://www.vlaamseklimaattop.be/verkennende-studie-2030-2050-Vlaanderen

Introduction

Some first thoughts


Using RAP is one of the solutions for lowering the environmental impact ! ?

Source: Cargill – REjuveBIT test track 1

Background

Current recycling process of RAP


(43%)

(1%)

(56%)

Source: OVAM MDO report 2015

End-of-life Waste processing IndustryTransport Recyclings rate

Mix A

Mix B

Mix C

Background

The environmental impact of the asphalt industry


Source: Anthonissen, J. (2017), Bituminous Pavements in Flanders: quantifiying the effect of

RAP on the environmental impact

10%

19%

15%

9% 2%

28%

4%

12% 1%

A case study (HMA): 4 cm of surface layer + 8 cm base layer (44% RAP)

85% 52%

17%

9%

7%

PhD research

Conclusions from background


Bitumen as a binder is lost in 44% of the cases during recycling

Transport & bitumen contribute 59% to the total environmental impact

Is an increase of RAP in asphalt the next logical step?

Recent research shows that RAP has no negative effect on the mechanical properties of asphalt

PhD research

Research questions


How to decide on strategies to valorize RAP in the most sustainable way?

Can we increase the recycling rate of RAP without having to comprise on the quality of the RAP/new mixtures ? ?What’s the environmental & financial impact of the current use of RAP in the asphalt industry ? ?

What’s the environmental & financial impact of an optimization of the use of RAP in the asphalt industry ? ?

Sustainable asphalt pavementsBen Moins 4 important pillars

PhD research

Monitoring Lab

PeopleComfort

Road usersWZ delays

Fuel consumptionAccidents

SafetyNoise

…

EnvironmentalimpactTransportation distanceRaw material productionEnergy productionProduction temperature

Planet

LCA

Design Monitoring

Lab Mechanicalperformance

RuttingRavelingStiffnessFatigue

Water sensitivity…

Financial impact Transportations costsRaw material costsAdditive costsEnergy cost

ProfitsLCC

Sustainableasphalt

pavements

Design of a sustainable decision model


PhD research

TT

Energy

Raw materials

RAP

Asphaltproduction

Pavementconstruction

Use stage + maintenance

Pavementdeconstruction

Waste

Recycling

T

T

T

T

T

Financial impactEnvironmental impact

Pavement impact

End goal: a fictive example


x

x

x

1

2

3

Sustainable selection model

Impact

Impact

Impact

Impact

OutputInput

RAP

Information aboutupcomming

projects

PhD research

Time

Critical value

PSI

Time

Critical value

PSI

Time

Critical value

PSI

Thank you for the attention!

LCAMatti BuyleBen Moins

Questions ?

Discussion

Documents

Asfalt Symposium 2019 - Research meets Industry Matti Buyle