The construction sector, responsible for 39 % of global CO2 emissions, requires innovative solutions to reduce its environmental footprint. This study presents a "cradle-to-cradle" life cycle assessment (LCA) of prestressed concrete railway sleepers, following EN 15804:2012 + A2:2019, to quantify and mitigate their environmental impacts. It covers production, installation, use, maintenance, dismantling, and potential reuse, recovery, and recycling benefits. The product stage contributes 79 % of total environmental impacts, primarily driven by cement (50 %) and steel (49 %). Proposed strategies, including the use of recycled materials and alternative transportation methods, achieve an 18 % reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a 30 % decrease in nonrenewable energy consumption, and a 50 % reduction in ozone depletion potential. Key contributions to these reductions come from replacing traditional cement with clinker derived from solid fuels and shifting sleeper transportation from road to rail, highlighting the critical role of sustainable practices in advancing the environmental performance of railway infrastructure.
Cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of railway prestressed concrete sleepers: A state-of-the-art review and strategies for reducing environmental impacts / Del Serrone, G.; Riccio, G.; Moretti, L.. - In: RESOURCES, CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING. - ISSN 0921-3449. - 214:(2025). [10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.108020]
Cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of railway prestressed concrete sleepers: A state-of-the-art review and strategies for reducing environmental impacts
Del Serrone G.
Primo
;Riccio G.Secondo
;Moretti L.Ultimo
2025
Abstract
The construction sector, responsible for 39 % of global CO2 emissions, requires innovative solutions to reduce its environmental footprint. This study presents a "cradle-to-cradle" life cycle assessment (LCA) of prestressed concrete railway sleepers, following EN 15804:2012 + A2:2019, to quantify and mitigate their environmental impacts. It covers production, installation, use, maintenance, dismantling, and potential reuse, recovery, and recycling benefits. The product stage contributes 79 % of total environmental impacts, primarily driven by cement (50 %) and steel (49 %). Proposed strategies, including the use of recycled materials and alternative transportation methods, achieve an 18 % reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a 30 % decrease in nonrenewable energy consumption, and a 50 % reduction in ozone depletion potential. Key contributions to these reductions come from replacing traditional cement with clinker derived from solid fuels and shifting sleeper transportation from road to rail, highlighting the critical role of sustainable practices in advancing the environmental performance of railway infrastructure.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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