ABSTRACT
The growing emphasis on carbon neutrality and sustainability within the global infrastructure sectors exerts a profound influence on the decision-making processes concerning construction materials. Now, it become imperative to select the primary construction materials not only based on economic feasibility but also by taking into account the quantified environmental impact in terms of life-cycle assessment. The cost and environmental impact may vary significantly depending on the maintenance strategy during operation and the recycling rate after the end-of-life stage. In this study, life-cycle assessments were conducted on steel plates and pre-stressed concrete girder bridges under identical structural conditions. We systematically quantified the effects of primary construction materials and environmental conditions on the overall environmental impact.
