A closed-loop life cycle assessment of recycled aggregate concrete utilization in China

Tao Ding; Jianzhuang Xiao; Vivian W. Y. Tam

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2016.05.031

A closed-loop life cycle assessment of recycled aggregate concrete utilization in China

Tao Ding, Jianzhuang Xiao, Vivian W. Y. Tam

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

246 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper studies the potential environmental impact of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) for concrete production in China. According to the cradle-to-cradle theory, a closed-loop life cycle assessment (LCA) on recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) utilization in China with entire local life cycle inventory (LCI) is performed, regarding the environmental influence of cement content, aggregate production, transportation and waste landfilling. Special attention is paid on the primary resource and energy conservation, as well as climate protection induced by RAC applications. Environmental impact between natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and RAC are also compared. It is shown that cement proportion and transportation are the top two contributors for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and energy consumption for both NAC and RAC. Sensitivity analysis also proves that long delivery distances for natural coarse aggregate (NCA) leave a possible opportunity for lowering environmental impact of RAC in China.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	367-375
Number of pages	9
Journal	Waste Management
Volume	56
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.05.031
Publication status	Published - 2016

Keywords

concrete
recycling
China
aggregates (building materials)
sustainable waste recycling

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.wasman.2016.05.031

Cite this

@article{37693cb1b98a4192be8fa4f0a7f03045,

title = "A closed-loop life cycle assessment of recycled aggregate concrete utilization in China",

abstract = "This paper studies the potential environmental impact of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) for concrete production in China. According to the cradle-to-cradle theory, a closed-loop life cycle assessment (LCA) on recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) utilization in China with entire local life cycle inventory (LCI) is performed, regarding the environmental influence of cement content, aggregate production, transportation and waste landfilling. Special attention is paid on the primary resource and energy conservation, as well as climate protection induced by RAC applications. Environmental impact between natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and RAC are also compared. It is shown that cement proportion and transportation are the top two contributors for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and energy consumption for both NAC and RAC. Sensitivity analysis also proves that long delivery distances for natural coarse aggregate (NCA) leave a possible opportunity for lowering environmental impact of RAC in China.",

keywords = "concrete, recycling, China, aggregates (building materials), sustainable waste recycling",

author = "Tao Ding and Jianzhuang Xiao and Tam, {Vivian W. Y.}",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1016/j.wasman.2016.05.031",

language = "English",

volume = "56",

pages = "367--375",

journal = "Waste Management",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A closed-loop life cycle assessment of recycled aggregate concrete utilization in China

AU - Ding, Tao

AU - Xiao, Jianzhuang

AU - Tam, Vivian W. Y.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - This paper studies the potential environmental impact of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) for concrete production in China. According to the cradle-to-cradle theory, a closed-loop life cycle assessment (LCA) on recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) utilization in China with entire local life cycle inventory (LCI) is performed, regarding the environmental influence of cement content, aggregate production, transportation and waste landfilling. Special attention is paid on the primary resource and energy conservation, as well as climate protection induced by RAC applications. Environmental impact between natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and RAC are also compared. It is shown that cement proportion and transportation are the top two contributors for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and energy consumption for both NAC and RAC. Sensitivity analysis also proves that long delivery distances for natural coarse aggregate (NCA) leave a possible opportunity for lowering environmental impact of RAC in China.

AB - This paper studies the potential environmental impact of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) for concrete production in China. According to the cradle-to-cradle theory, a closed-loop life cycle assessment (LCA) on recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) utilization in China with entire local life cycle inventory (LCI) is performed, regarding the environmental influence of cement content, aggregate production, transportation and waste landfilling. Special attention is paid on the primary resource and energy conservation, as well as climate protection induced by RAC applications. Environmental impact between natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and RAC are also compared. It is shown that cement proportion and transportation are the top two contributors for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and energy consumption for both NAC and RAC. Sensitivity analysis also proves that long delivery distances for natural coarse aggregate (NCA) leave a possible opportunity for lowering environmental impact of RAC in China.

KW - concrete

KW - recycling

KW - China

KW - aggregates (building materials)

KW - sustainable waste recycling

UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:37378

U2 - 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.05.031

DO - 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.05.031

M3 - Article

VL - 56

SP - 367

EP - 375

JO - Waste Management

JF - Waste Management

ER -

A closed-loop life cycle assessment of recycled aggregate concrete utilization in China

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this