Asphalt pavement resurfacing: a review toward a better selection and representativeness of LCI
Résumé
Road maintenance, and especially resurfacing, has become a major stake in the environmental performance of the road industry. LCA is used to provide science-based recommendations to enhance this performance. But LCA results are widely acknowledged to be context-dependent, and their robustness largely depends on the quality of the input data. This study provides knowledge on how to prioritize efforts to contextualize resurfacing LCIs, by analyzing the impact contribution of the different life cycle stages and sub-stages of resurfacing operations, from cradle-to-laid. Then, it gives an overview of existing LCIs for asphalt resurfacing: it re-views and qualitatively details the selection and development of these LCIs, published in both academic and institutional literature. It highlights an overall need for better quality data and easier access to information on this quality. A collaborative “LCI observatory” is suggested to help the infrastructure LCA community to gather and scientifically select LCIs according to the specificity of each study, to produce more robust recommendations for decision-makers.