GHG Emissions during Flexible Pavement Life Cycle - Data Gaps and Remedial Measures

Abstract: In support of the Presidential Executive Order (EO) 14057 of 08 December 2021, the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the United States Army Corps of Engineers is conducting over a dozen research and development (R&D) projects to help achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by no later than (NLT) 2050 and of limiting global warming to 1.5 oC. These R&D efforts encompass sustainable/low emissions construction methods, materials, and innovative GHG mitigation strategies over the life cycle of both rigid and flexible airfield and highway pavement systems. Work completed to-date explored documented baseline GHG emissions associated with construction and maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation (MRR) of flexible airfield and highway pavements and opportunities for reducing GHG emissions and developed and formalized strategies for reducing GHG emissions for flexible pavement life cycle. This paper will briefly summarize the baseline GHG emissions, emissions reduction strategies and highlight identified data gaps and inconsistencies in literature. The GHG emissions reduction strategies are classified as belonging to (1) pavement design, (2) materials, (3) equipment, (4) processes and (5) disposal (end-of-life) categories. Data quality inconsistencies are characterized as (1) crystallization, (2) harmonization (integration and standardization) and (3) robustness discrepancies. Identified data gaps refer to where GHG emissions information is simply not available or cannot be sourced from objective documented sources. Remedial measures to overcome identified data gaps are also presented.