LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT ON DIFFERNET TIMBER BRIDGE TYPES: DECK BRIDGE, BLOCK GIRDER BRIDGE, TROUGH BRIDGE, PYLON BRIDGE

Abstract

Germany's national climate targets set the ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045, which is in line with the Paris Agreement. The construction sector is a key player in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In Germany, the focus has always been on the building sector, while little attention has been paid to civil infrastructures. At the international level, civil infrastructures are increasingly assessed and analysed for their environmental impact using life cycle assessment (LCA), although here, too, the use category of foot and bicycle bridges has hardly been studied. In the context of local mobility, foot and bicycle bridges (FBB) play an important role in the regional and local transportation network. Since in Germany timber bridges are used for FBB this paper presents, a standardized approach for life cycle assessment of bicycle bridges. A total of four different types of timber bridges are distinguished: deck, block girder, trough and pylon. The LCAs were performed following the applicable standards. The results show that the impact is influenced by different bridge components, although provides a basis that allows a first impression of the LCA results.