LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF UHPC BRIDGE CONSTRUCTIONS: SHERBROOKE FOOTBRIDGE, KASSEL GARTNERPLATZ FOOTBRIDGE AND WAPELLO ROAD BRIDGE

The paper presents the results of life cycle assessments (LCA) performed for three bridges in which UHPC was an essential part of the structure. The bridges investigated are the Sherbrooke footbridge in Canada, the Kassel Gartnerplatz footbridge in Germany and the Wapello road bridge in USA. The life cycle assessment was performed using the Swiss process and material database ecoinvent. The ecological effects of global warming (GWP100), depletion of the stratospheric ozone (ODP), photo-oxidant formation (POCP), acidification (AP) and eutrophication (NP) were adopted as impact category indicators according to the Dutch CML method. The results show that UHPC used in the Sherbrooke footbridge and the Gartnerplatz footbridge causes approximately 60 to 85% of the environmental impact. In addition, appreciable contributions are made by the steel truss and the prestressing of the UHPC. In case of the Wapello road bridge, the contribution of UHPC to environmental impact was from 44 to 74% somewhat smaller. As well as UHPC, in particular normal concrete in the bridge deck, the steel reinforcement of the bridge deck and the prestressing of the UHPC contribute appreciably to the effect on the environment. The present contribution is a summary of a paper presented in 2008 AMCM conference.