Uncovering Social Hotspots in Asphalt Mixture Production: A Pathway to Sustainable Infrastructure Development

The social dimensions of sustainability in the construction industry, particularly in asphalt mixture production, have often been underexplored compared to environmental and economic aspects. Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) offers a structured framework to evaluate social impacts across the asphalt mixture production (cradle-to-gate). This study investigates the application of S-LCA, identifying 24 key social sustainability subcategories derived from the 40 outlined in the UNEP/SETAC S-LCA guidelines and social generic databases such as SHDB and PSILCA. These subcategories address five stakeholder groups: workers, local communities, society, consumers, and value chain actors. Core subcategories like freedom of association, health and safety, and equity are consistently included across studies, while others like cultural heritage protection and fair competition vary by context. The findings of this study serve as a foundation for developing a framework that combines generic database-based S-LCA analysis with primary data collection, advancing sustainable practices in road construction.