Pavements, Active

Concrete Pavement Life Cycle Assessment Tool for Pennsylvania

This project will develop a Pennsylvania-specific concrete pavement Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool to support data-driven decision-making in the context of net-zero and carbon reduction goals. Building upon existing platforms such as FHWA’s LCA Pave and integrating with the University of Pittsburgh’s PittRigid pavement design software, the research will establish representative Pennsylvania pavement archetypes, develop a customized life cycle inventory reflecting local materials and construction practices, and create a web-based CO₂ quantification tool tailored to state conditions. The effort will go beyond stand-alone emissions estimation by integrating LCA outputs directly into pavement performance design, enabling simultaneous optimization for structural performance and carbon footprint. The final deliverable will be a practical, user-oriented tool supported by case studies, implementation guidance, and recommendations for future refinement, providing Pennsylvania stakeholders with a robust framework for performance-based and environmentally responsible pavement design.

Contacts

Dr. Melissa Bilec
mbilec@pitt.edu
Dr. Lev Khazanovich
lev.k@pitt.edu

The IRISE Consortium is a pioneering initiative aimed at addressing the durability and resiliency challenges of aging highway infrastructure.

3700 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261

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