Periodic Reporting for period 1 - LIAISON (Lowering transport envIronmentAl Impact along the whole life cycle of the future tranSpOrt iNfrastructure)
Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-10-31
Transport Infrastructure (TI) has a high environmental impact due to its material use, waste production, and CO2 emissions. In particular, "Europe must move towards a 100% renewable transportation system for climate, energy, and sustainability reasons in 2050 and 50% in 2030."
The overall objective of the LIAISON project is to develop a methodology, support tools, and close-to-market technological solutions to transform EU TI into a more sustainable and low-carbon economic activity, implementing four main lines of action: 1) minimizing the consumption of resources, 2) reusing available ones, 3) evolving towards a prosumer infrastructure, and 4) actions to facilitate market uptake by supporting procurement, legislation, and standardization processes. A validation process in real case studies will be carried out, addressing TI managers to include circularity and sustainability dimensions in the procurement, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and decommission phases.
In order to reach this ambition, the LIAISON methodology will be supported by the development of 1) Industrialized Solutions; 2) Circular Solutions; and 3) Smart Operation and Maintenance Solutions. These solutions will be applicable from a whole life cycle perspective, from the conception and design stage of TI through generative and sustainability performance-based design processes, with special attention to the operation and maintenance stages up to the decommissioning phase. The life cycle approach will be promoted and supported by different software tools to integrate life cycle assessment in public procurement and the EU sustainable finance framework.
The project will investigate smart and sustainable beams, rigid road pavements, and improved ballast; bioasphalts and smart pavement inspection systems; intelligent tunnel control systems and photovoltaic guardrails.
Public purchases could greatly contribute to a transition to a circular economy if circular principles were applied.
LIAISON introduces a sustainability dimension in the carbon-neutral construction, maintenance, operation, and decommissioning of TI, minimizing emissions, reducing the consumption of raw materials and energy from non-renewable sources. This goal is achieved through the implementation of a novel governance framework, evolving to prosumer TI, developing a methodology supported by digital circularity tools to facilitate the achievement of clear economic and environmental KPIs and targets along multiple infrastructure lifecycles, as well as several industrialized, circular, and smart O&M solutions.
The overall objective of the LIAISON project is to develop a methodology, support tools, and close-to-market technological solutions to transform EU TI into a more sustainable and low-carbon economic activity, implementing four main lines of action: 1) minimizing the consumption of resources, 2) reusing available ones, 3) evolving towards a prosumer infrastructure, and 4) actions to facilitate market uptake by supporting procurement, legislation, and standardization processes. A validation process in real case studies will be carried out, addressing TI managers to include circularity and sustainability dimensions in the procurement, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and decommission phases.
In order to reach this ambition, the LIAISON methodology will be supported by the development of 1) Industrialized Solutions; 2) Circular Solutions; and 3) Smart Operation and Maintenance Solutions. These solutions will be applicable from a whole life cycle perspective, from the conception and design stage of TI through generative and sustainability performance-based design processes, with special attention to the operation and maintenance stages up to the decommissioning phase. The life cycle approach will be promoted and supported by different software tools to integrate life cycle assessment in public procurement and the EU sustainable finance framework.
The project will investigate smart and sustainable beams, rigid road pavements, and improved ballast; bioasphalts and smart pavement inspection systems; intelligent tunnel control systems and photovoltaic guardrails.
Public purchases could greatly contribute to a transition to a circular economy if circular principles were applied.
LIAISON introduces a sustainability dimension in the carbon-neutral construction, maintenance, operation, and decommissioning of TI, minimizing emissions, reducing the consumption of raw materials and energy from non-renewable sources. This goal is achieved through the implementation of a novel governance framework, evolving to prosumer TI, developing a methodology supported by digital circularity tools to facilitate the achievement of clear economic and environmental KPIs and targets along multiple infrastructure lifecycles, as well as several industrialized, circular, and smart O&M solutions.
The activities performed under the LIAISON project so far include:
1. Developing a methodology for Dynamic Multi-Infrastructure Governance Framework (DMIGF)
The LIAISON methodology to foster the circularity of TI is described in Deliverable D1.1 already completed. A sample application based on dummy data have been provided, and the road to implementation within the project and beyond has been presented. Further development and refinement of the DMIGF will continue throughout the remainder of the LIAISON project. Initial lists of KPIs to be quantified within each Demos case have been prepared and will be presented in the final version of the LIAISON DMIGF.
2. Developing a Digital toolbox comprising a Digital Logbook for TI to track TI circularity throughout its life cycle; a C&D waste generation assessment tool for TI and an end-of-life Materials blockchain based traceability platform to support the deployment of DMIGF.
The three tools that make up the Digital toolbox are under development (70% complete):
i) Digital Logbook for TI to track TI circularity throughout its life cycle and including a complete digital business environment which makes the use of secondary raw materials coming from end-of-life materials more transparent, traceable and attractive to user.
ii) New BIM-aided-Smart tool (BIM4INFRA) to enable a higher accuracy estimate of end-of-life materials during maintenance operations of existing TI (roads and railways).
iii) A novel digital end-of-life materials traceability service based on a Cloud Blockchain based Traceability Platform covering the whole circular TI supply chain to support the deployment of DMIGF.
3. Developing industrialised solutions for TI
- Sustainable Smart precast geopolymer solution for rigid road pavements.
- Sustainable smart structural beams
4. Developing circular solutions for road and rail TI that will reduce material consumption
- Innovative Bioasphalt: The mechanical performance of the dense (AC) bioasphalt is similar or better than the traditional mixture in all the tests carried out, with a reduction of around 80% in CO2 emissions and an 8% cost reduction comparing to traditions materials per ton of asphalt mixture.
- New Low Noise & Vibration Railway circular Ballast Track,
- Secondary Raw Materials based Circular concrete with energy harvesting capabilities
5. Developing models, management solutions and systems for smart and active infrastructures to reduce emissions and carbon footprint by at least 20%
- adaptive & dynamic tunnel fan control system for improved energy efficiency
- an intelligent tunnel lighting control system for improved energy efficiency
1. Developing a methodology for Dynamic Multi-Infrastructure Governance Framework (DMIGF)
The LIAISON methodology to foster the circularity of TI is described in Deliverable D1.1 already completed. A sample application based on dummy data have been provided, and the road to implementation within the project and beyond has been presented. Further development and refinement of the DMIGF will continue throughout the remainder of the LIAISON project. Initial lists of KPIs to be quantified within each Demos case have been prepared and will be presented in the final version of the LIAISON DMIGF.
2. Developing a Digital toolbox comprising a Digital Logbook for TI to track TI circularity throughout its life cycle; a C&D waste generation assessment tool for TI and an end-of-life Materials blockchain based traceability platform to support the deployment of DMIGF.
The three tools that make up the Digital toolbox are under development (70% complete):
i) Digital Logbook for TI to track TI circularity throughout its life cycle and including a complete digital business environment which makes the use of secondary raw materials coming from end-of-life materials more transparent, traceable and attractive to user.
ii) New BIM-aided-Smart tool (BIM4INFRA) to enable a higher accuracy estimate of end-of-life materials during maintenance operations of existing TI (roads and railways).
iii) A novel digital end-of-life materials traceability service based on a Cloud Blockchain based Traceability Platform covering the whole circular TI supply chain to support the deployment of DMIGF.
3. Developing industrialised solutions for TI
- Sustainable Smart precast geopolymer solution for rigid road pavements.
- Sustainable smart structural beams
4. Developing circular solutions for road and rail TI that will reduce material consumption
- Innovative Bioasphalt: The mechanical performance of the dense (AC) bioasphalt is similar or better than the traditional mixture in all the tests carried out, with a reduction of around 80% in CO2 emissions and an 8% cost reduction comparing to traditions materials per ton of asphalt mixture.
- New Low Noise & Vibration Railway circular Ballast Track,
- Secondary Raw Materials based Circular concrete with energy harvesting capabilities
5. Developing models, management solutions and systems for smart and active infrastructures to reduce emissions and carbon footprint by at least 20%
- adaptive & dynamic tunnel fan control system for improved energy efficiency
- an intelligent tunnel lighting control system for improved energy efficiency
1. DMIGF- Dynamic Multi-Infrastructure Governance Framework: digital framework combining risk, circularity analysis and multi life cycle analysis, to be incorporated in future EU procurement.
2. Precast geopolymer solution for rigid road pavements, capable of being handled in standard industrial facilities.
3. Sustainable smart structural beam: 3D printed formworks with positioning assistance of rebars, connections or SHM devices.
4. Innovative Bioasphalt replacing part of bitumen by bio-binders.
5. New Low Noise & Vibration Railway circular Ballast Track, reusing ballast mixed with rubber chips.
6. Secondary Raw Materials based Circular concrete with energy harvesting capabilities.
7. Adaptive & dynamic tunnel fan control system optimising energy efficiency
8. Intelligent tunnel lighting control system optimising energy efficiency
2. Precast geopolymer solution for rigid road pavements, capable of being handled in standard industrial facilities.
3. Sustainable smart structural beam: 3D printed formworks with positioning assistance of rebars, connections or SHM devices.
4. Innovative Bioasphalt replacing part of bitumen by bio-binders.
5. New Low Noise & Vibration Railway circular Ballast Track, reusing ballast mixed with rubber chips.
6. Secondary Raw Materials based Circular concrete with energy harvesting capabilities.
7. Adaptive & dynamic tunnel fan control system optimising energy efficiency
8. Intelligent tunnel lighting control system optimising energy efficiency