DECISION-MAKING METHOD OF PAVEMENT MATERIALS CONSIDERING ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Abstract

 To promote the practical application and widespread adoption of alternative asphalt binders, it is essential to demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing environmental impact. However, a fair and versatile evaluation method has not yet been established. In addition, it can be assumed that adopting new materials expected to reduce environmental impact as pavement materials is challenging because their costs tend to be higher than those of conventional ones. In this study, a method for calculating the Life Cycle CO₂ emission (LCCO₂) of pavements based on ISO standards and other relevant guidelines was developed. Additionally, a method for integrating LCC (Life Cycle Cost) and LCCO₂ using a carbon tax was investigated to select pavement materials considering both economic efficiency and environmental impact reduction. Then, the LCCO₂ and the LCC/LCCO₂ integrated values were calculated for pavements using alternative asphalt binders incorporating plant-derived materials and waste plastics, and the validity and issues of the proposed method were discussed.