Search

Roads networks have a major impact on terrestrial ecosystems and on human life quality so there is an imperative need for a new approaching regarding system sustainability. "Green" transport infrastructure that underline energy efficiency, reduce costs to roads users and government should be planned, used, and monitored with sustainability in mind. Over recent years, a number of methods have been developed to evaluate sustainability of roads projects, including ratings systems and different evaluation schemes. The aim of this paper is to highlight new frameworks in order to understand the recent needs for sustainability, comparing technical and environmental properties and their contribution to roads infrastructure durability and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The destruction of natural resources and climate change are the main causes of damage and disruption of ecosystems. Industry, agriculture, and transport are blamed for being the main contributors. This awareness was formalized in 1997 by the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which featured, in particular, a commitment made by signatory states to bring greenhouse gas emission rates down to 1990 levels. This agreement came into force on February 13, 2005. Warm-mix asphalt technology addresses this issue in a rather small but important way. The concept of warm-mix asphalt has been introduced over the last few years, a mixture produced at temperatures in the range of 20ºC to 40ºC lower than typical hot-mix asphalt (HMA). Technologies that allow lower HMA production temperatures may demonstrate positive impacts on pavement performance and in reduction of pollutant emisions. The results are presented like comparative graphs and the conclusions will establish which is the performance of WMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]