Sustainability-oriented assessment of pavement technologies: A case study of a heavy-traffic highway in Brazil

The paper proposes a sustainability-oriented assessment through a case study based on the duplication project of one of the most critical federal highways for cargo transport in Southern Brazil, considering the most common pavement technologies used in the country. The framework consists of concatenating life cycle impacts determined through life cycle assessment, the corresponding social effects regarding the population's health and well-being, and the life cycle cost. Results show that while hot mix asphalt contributed 30% more to the damage of natural resources, the Portland cement concrete contributed 16% more to harming ecosystem quality and 27% to harming human health. The photochemical oxidation and climate change potential of Portland cement concrete was 33% and 68% higher than those of hot mix asphalt. The toxic substances potentially released in ecosystems were 27% (freshwater), 15% (marine), and 11% (terrestrial) higher for Portland cement concrete. In contrast, ozone layer depletion potential, cumulative energy demand, and net present value were 36%, 29%, and 89% higher for hot mix asphalt, and the acidification and eutrophication impacts surpassed those of Portland cement concrete by 10% and 8%. Maintenance services are the hotspots for both pavement technologies throughout the life cycle. The significance of the proposed framework relies on guiding local strategic initiatives at the government and agency levels, assisting decision-making processes, and designing business models that meet sustainability requirements for road infrastructure in emerging countries where sustainability-oriented practices are not yet consolidated.