Environmental and economic analysis of hot-mix asphalt and warm-mix asphalt pavement construction : a case study in Thailand | |
| Author | Wimalin Kaewmakoon |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.TE-23-05 |
| Subject(s) | Pavements, Asphalt--Thailand--Cost effectiveness Sustainable construction--Thailand--Case studies |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Transportation Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Pavement construction plays a critical role in the development and upkeep of transportation infrastructure, ensuring safe and efficient travel for individuals and goods. However, these essential activities are not without their environmental consequences, particularly in regions like Thailand, where the issue of emissions has become a growing concern. Asphalt constitutes over 90% of paved roads in Thailand,with hot mix technology being the predominant method for asphalt mixture production, demanding substantial energy and fuel usage, especially for aggregate drying and asphalt heating processes, necessitating temperatures exceeding 160°C throughout production and construction. In this study, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment was conducted to evaluate environmental impacts, focusing on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The base cases represented conventional Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), which was widely used in Thailand. The 14 alternative cases include reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) utilization and three types of warm mix asphalt (WMA) technologies: Sasobit; Evotherm; and Advera. The results obtained from the base cases establish the threshold, as the study aims to identify the optimal solution for reducing CO2 emissions in pavement construction projects. Subsequently, the reduction in CO2 emissions is treated as a benefit in the cost-effectiveness analysis, allowing for an evaluation of the most suitable alternative in terms of both environmental and economic considerations. The results suggest that, for conventional HMA, CO2 emissions are primarily released from two main processes: raw material production and asphalt mixture production. In asphalt mixture production, more than 60% of the CO2 comes from heating aggregates followed by 24% from water vaporization. Among the three types of warm mix additives, Evotherm performs best in terms of emissions reduction in the asphalt mixture production process. However, in order to make it economically successful, WMA needs to be incorporated with RAP materials. |
| Year | 2024 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Transportation Engineering (TE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kunnawee Kanitpong |
| Examination Committee(s) | Ampol Karoonsoontawong;Pattharin Sarutipand |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2024 |