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<p>The need for improving the resiliency of road pavements to climate change is currently imperative more than ever. Increases in precipitation, flooding events and temperatures are likely to worsen, and therefore, to lead to faster deterioration of road pavements. To tackle this issue, recent studies focused on improving and developing novel road pavements surfacing materials. While the durability of these materials has been demonstrated through laboratory experiments, little is known about their life cycle performance. A major part of a pavement’s life cycle analysis (LCA) involves modelling types of deterioration under various environmental and traffic conditions. This paper explores the use of epoxy-modified asphalt concrete (EMAC) as a novel surfacing material for high-volume roads in Ethiopia. The paper demonstrates a robust roughness deterioration model for EMAC using the Highway Development and Management Model (HDM-4) software with Level -1 calibration based on literature and relevant parameters to account for Ethiopian climatic and traffic conditions. Henceforth, it assesses EMAC’s life cycle performance in comparison to traditional asphalt concrete (AC). Based on a 40-year LCA study period, EMAC shows 15–25% slower roughness deterioration and 16–20% longer service life than AC, with 1 to 2 fewer maintenance interventions. Economic analysis highlights that the higher initial construction cost of EMAC may limit its long-term economic advantages. However, reducing EMAC thickness can help optimize economic performance, and analysis indicate cost savings within a 15–23-year timeframe while maintaining higher structural strength with thinner layers (35&#xa0;mm). Moreover, wider economic and sustainable benefits of EMAC in the long term, enhanced by extensive field trials, can benefit strategic planning for road administrations.</p>

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Life cycle analysis of epoxy-modified asphalt concrete for affordable and sustainable road surfacing in low-income countries

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月13日

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  • Rahiya Jumanath Thirunavaya Kalathil,
  • Esdras Ngezahayo

摘要

The need for improving the resiliency of road pavements to climate change is currently imperative more than ever. Increases in precipitation, flooding events and temperatures are likely to worsen, and therefore, to lead to faster deterioration of road pavements. To tackle this issue, recent studies focused on improving and developing novel road pavements surfacing materials. While the durability of these materials has been demonstrated through laboratory experiments, little is known about their life cycle performance. A major part of a pavement’s life cycle analysis (LCA) involves modelling types of deterioration under various environmental and traffic conditions. This paper explores the use of epoxy-modified asphalt concrete (EMAC) as a novel surfacing material for high-volume roads in Ethiopia. The paper demonstrates a robust roughness deterioration model for EMAC using the Highway Development and Management Model (HDM-4) software with Level -1 calibration based on literature and relevant parameters to account for Ethiopian climatic and traffic conditions. Henceforth, it assesses EMAC’s life cycle performance in comparison to traditional asphalt concrete (AC). Based on a 40-year LCA study period, EMAC shows 15–25% slower roughness deterioration and 16–20% longer service life than AC, with 1 to 2 fewer maintenance interventions. Economic analysis highlights that the higher initial construction cost of EMAC may limit its long-term economic advantages. However, reducing EMAC thickness can help optimize economic performance, and analysis indicate cost savings within a 15–23-year timeframe while maintaining higher structural strength with thinner layers (35 mm). Moreover, wider economic and sustainable benefits of EMAC in the long term, enhanced by extensive field trials, can benefit strategic planning for road administrations.