Life Cycle Cost Assessment And Performance Evaluation Of Sediment Control Technologies

This study was performed for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to better understand the environmental impacts associated with sediment control technology currently employed on transportation projects. In this study, a review of current and past methods for testing sediment control devices (SCDs), both in the field and in the laboratory, as well as procedures for conducting a life cycle assessment was performed. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is discussed in depth in this report to facilitate future LCA on this subject. Field and laboratory testing is executed to measure performance of five different SCDs for retention of sediment, metals, and nutrients. Results of the tests are combined with existing data for the production and disposal of metal, plastic, and timber and emission data for trucks and machinery to model the life cycle of each SCD. An environmental impact analysis was performed using GaBi 6.0 software and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) methodology. Results of the impact analysis indicate: (1) Straw bale installations significantly increase eutrophication potential in downstream water systems due to high levels of phosphate present in the straw bales; (2) Production of steel sections and wire mesh for support of low permittivity Type C silt fence result in large increases in global warming and acidification potential; (3) Performance of high permittivity Type A silt fence suggests that it is a good alternative to low permittivity silt fence in high volume and high sediment runoff conditions; and (4) The overall low global warming and acidification potentials of mulch berms, as well as their low aquatic toxicity levels, suggests that their use as an alternative to geotextile silt fence is favorable.

• Record URL:
  http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/10-24.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/29639
• Corporate Authors:

  Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

  School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30332

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  Office of Materials and Research, 15 Kennedy Drive
  Forest Park, GA  United States  30297-2534

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Burns, Susan E
  • Troxel, Cameron F
• Publication Date: 2015-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 187p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Berms; Environmental impacts; Erosion control; Field tests; Geotextiles; Laboratory tests; Life cycle analysis; Performance measurement; Runoff; Sediments
• Geographic Terms: Georgia
• Subject Areas: Construction; Environment; Highways; I15: Environment; I26: Water Run-off - Freeze-thaw; I50: Construction and Supervision of Construction;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01583646
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: RP 10-24
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 23 2015 8:11AM