ABSTRACT
The increasing demand for infrastructure development necessitates a shift towards sustainable construction practices, particularly in bridge engineering. This study evaluates the circular economy (CE) performance of a medium-span bridge design—a steel plate girder bridge—using life cycle assessment (LCA) and a modified material circularity indicator (MCI) that incorporates multi-recycling. The results reveal the correlation between the circularity of the bridge system and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and indicate that efforts are needed to increase the circularity of the construction material level through recycling activation. The study underscores the importance of integrating CE principles into bridge design, advocating for material selection strategies that enhance recyclability and reduce environmental impacts. Findings contribute to sustainable infrastructure development by providing a data-driven framework for improving material efficiency and reducing emissions in future bridge projects.
