| 1. |
- Ebrahimi, Babak, 1987, et al.
(author)
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Tank-to-wheel emissions from articulated steered wheel loaders
- 2018
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In: Proceedings of 7th Transport Research Arena TRA 2018.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Performing a comprehensive emission accounting via monitoring equipment to survey the performance of machinery is often an intensive work and costly. This often requiring hours of measurements and a sufficient number of observations to obtain valid findings. The purpose of current work is to introduce a screening emission accounting as a way to have a quick overview of emissions associated with non-road mobile machinery by having a simplified assessment method. To meet this aim, this study uses documented data from performances of machinery and couples them with the recently published guidebook by the European Emission Agency. To map the results, operational performances of four wheel loaders operating in quarries to move stone materials are used, equipped with Stage IV engines and net power output in a range between 130 ≤ kW < 560. The obtained results showed that the positive correlation between an increase in fuel consumption and exhaust emissions is not changed. The mass of emissions, however, is better addressed if emissions are linked with the efficiency of equipment, instead of effective hour. Machinery that consumed less fuel per m3 moved volume of materials, resulted in having less emissions compared to those that had higher fuel consumption per m3 moved volume.
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| 2. |
- Liljenström, Carolina, et al.
(author)
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Life cycle assessment as decision-support in choice of road corridor: case study and stakeholder perspectives
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The possibilities to influence environmental impacts during the road life cycle are greatest in early planning; however, the lack of project specific data makes it difficult to use life cycle assessment as decision-support. This paper examines how life cycle assessment can be used to support the choice of road corridor, considering the practical prerequisit of simplicity and usefulness of results for decision-making. The model LICCER was used to quantify life cycle impacts of road corridors in a construction project in Sweden. Availability of input data and usefulness of results was discussed with road authorities in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Traffic operation contributed most to life cycle impacts in all road corridors, thus the shortest construction alternative had the lowest life cycle impacts. However, the shortest alternative had the highest infrastructure related impacts due to large quantities of earthworks. Parameters that had the highest influence on results were those that affected the impacts of traffic, earthworks, and pavement. While workshop participants agreed that project specific data are scarce and uncertain in early planning, they also believed that planners can make satisfactory estimations and that the model output is useful to support the choice of road corridor. To balance simplicity and usefulness of results, data collection should focus on parameters that have high contribution to environmental impacts, that differentiate the road corridors, and are not proportional to the road length. To implement life cycle assessment in practice, models should preferably include nation specific data approved by the national road authority.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- O'Born, Reyn, et al.
(author)
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Quantifying energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions of road infrastructure projects : An LCA case study of the Oslo fjord crossing in Norway
- 2016
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In: European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research. - : EDITORIAL BOARD EJTIR. - 1567-7133 .- 1567-7141. ; 16:3, s. 445-466
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The road sector consumes large amounts of materials and energy and produces large quantities of greenhouse gas emissions, which can be reduced with correct information in the early planning stages of road project. An important aspect in the early planning stages is the choice between alternative road corridors that will determine the route distance and the subsequent need for different road infrastructure elements, such as bridges and tunnels. Together, these factors may heavily influence the life cycle environmental impacts of the road project. This paper presents a case study for two prospective road corridor alternatives for the Oslo fjord crossing in Norway and utilizes in a streamlined model based on life cycle assessment principles to quantify cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions for each route. This technique can be used to determine potential environmental impacts of road projects by overcoming several challenges in the early planning stages, such as the limited availability of detailed life cycle inventory data on the consumption of material and energy inputs, large uncertainty in the design and demand for road infrastructure elements, as well as in future traffic and future vehicle technologies. The results show the importance of assessing different life cycle activities, input materials, fuels and the critical components of such a system. For the Oslo fjord case, traffic during operation contributes about 94 % and 89 % of the annual CED and about 98 % and 92 % of the annual GHG emissions, for a tunnel and a bridge fjord crossing alternative respectively.
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| 5. |
- O'Born, Reyn, et al.
(author)
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Sustainability review of Norwegian road construction and infrastructure
- 2018
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In: 1st International Conference on Sustainable Mega Infrastructures - SMI 2018.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Effective and efficient road transportation in Norway is a continuing concern. The growth in population and the continuing need for better infrastructure to serve this population propel the growth of road construction. Roads will continue to occupy the most prominent place in the Norwegian transport puzzle as the most commonly used form of transport by both people and goods today. The quadrennial National Transport Plan guides large scale transport planning in Norway and has recently included national CO2 emissions reductions targets for all new road infrastructure and construction. At the same time, the investment in Norwegian road infrastructure is at an all-time high, as authorities seek to modernize the Norwegian road network through megaprojects, such as the Ferry Free E39. This increase in investment and construction will inevitably lead to an increase in resource consumption and emissions without wise planning decisions, smart material choices and the use of sustainability assessment tools. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is one such tool that is used to measure environmental impacts of infrastructure and construction processes, including climate change emissions. To what extent LCA is already used in Norwegian road planning and what lessons can be learned from earlier studies that can apply to today’s megaprojects are of interest to road builders if emissions reduction goals are to be taken seriously. The purpose of this paper is to determine the state-of-the-art of Norwegian road LCA and determine in which direction Norwegian research should move. The first section of the paper looks at the overarching conditions for Norwegian road construction in terms of planning, trends, and policy; the second section looks at relevant LCA studies on Norwegian roads, while the third section looks at possible research paths which should be followed to better assess and reduce the impacts of emissions in road infrastructure.
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| 6. |
- Vignisdottir, H., et al.
(author)
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A review of environmental impacts of winter road maintenance
- 2019
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In: Cold Regions Science and Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-232X. ; 158, s. 143-153
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The need for winter road maintenance (WRM) is changing in cold regions due to climate change. How the different modes of WRM will contribute to future overall emissions from infrastructure is therefore of great interest to road owners with a view to a more sustainable, low-carbon future. In the quest for near-zero-emissions transport, all aspects of the transport sector need to be accounted for in the search for possible mitigation of emissions. This study used 35 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2018 to map available information on the environmental impacts and effect of WRM and reveal any research gaps. The articles were categorized according to their research theme and focus. They were found to focus mainly on the local effects of WRM with emphasis on effects on water. Of the reviewed works, 27 contain information related to the environmental effects of deicers on a local level while five focused on global impact, which was mainly caused by fuel consumption. Only two articles took a holistic look at the system to identify emission sources and the effectiveness of possible changes in operations methods or material selection. In conclusion, WRM would benefit from further research to understand how it affects the natural environment in regions with a cold climate. Furthermore, a life-cycle approach could reveal ways to mitigate emissions through effectively comparing possible changes in the system without shifting the problem to other aspects of road transport.
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| 7. |
- Vignisdottir, H., et al.
(author)
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Life cycle assessment of winter road maintenance
- 2020
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In: International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1614-7502 .- 0948-3349. ; 25:3, s. 646-661
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: Winter road maintenance in the Nordic climate is demanding due to challenging weather conditions, high precipitation, and icy conditions. As a leading country in the transition to low-emission transport, Norway must work to reduce their emissions while providing a safe level of service through winter maintenance operations. This article investigates the environmental impacts of winter road maintenance (WRM) in Norway both today and under a climate change scenario predicted for 2050. Methods: Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate the environmental impact of the functional unit “average winter road maintenance in Norway on national and county roads per km.lane.” The ReCiPe (hierarchy) method was used to identify and categorize emissions related to WRM to show how different factors affect the system and to reveal hidden emissions hotspots. Real-time data from WRM vehicles were used to determine how fuel consumption is affected by gradient and weather. Producers and operators provided other relevant information on WRM vehicles. Official reports supplied information on deicer quantities used and the total distance driven by WRM vehicles in Norway. Results and discussion: The quantity of deicer used is the main source of emissions contributing toward all impact categories. The effect of deicer is likely to be even higher in certain impact categories. The environmental impact of the deicer after application is not included. The representation of WRM in existing emissions data is limited despite the considerable amount of deicer applied and the long distances that WRM vehicles travel. The results document how energy use throughout the system is another important source of emissions. Various parameters, such as road gradient, vehicle properties, driver behavior, and weather, affect the fuel consumption of WRM vehicles, with weather being the most important of these. Conclusions: Significant potential for emissions reductions from WRM was found, and WRM operations should be included in cold-climate road LCA studies. The environmental impacts of deicer application are especially high compared to the mechanical clearing of roads and contribute strongly to impact categories such as terrestrial, freshwater, and human toxicity and to the formation of particulate matter.
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