Cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of railway prestressed concrete sleepers: A state-of-the-art review and strategies for reducing environmental impacts

Abstract

The construction sector, responsible for 39 % of global CO₂ emissions, requires innovative solutions to reduce its environmental footprint. This study presents a “cradle-to-cradle” life cycle assessment (LCA) of prestressed concrete railway sleepers, following EN 15804:2012 + A2:2019, to quantify and mitigate their environmental impacts. It covers production, installation, use, maintenance, dismantling, and potential reuse, recovery, and recycling benefits. The product stage contributes 79 % of total environmental impacts, primarily driven by cement (50 %) and steel (49 %). Proposed strategies, including the use of recycled materials and alternative transportation methods, achieve an 18 % reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a 30 % decrease in non-renewable energy consumption, and a 50 % reduction in ozone depletion potential. Key contributions to these reductions come from replacing traditional cement with clinker derived from solid fuels and shifting sleeper transportation from road to rail, highlighting the critical role of sustainable practices in advancing the environmental performance of railway infrastructure.