Circular Management of Tunnel Excavation Materials in Transport Infrastructures: An LCA Approach

The construction of a transport infrastructure has significant environmental impacts in terms of overall emissions and resource consumption, making the transition to circular models a priority. This study examines the management of excavated materials (ESR) generated by the Terzo Valico dei Giovi railway project (Italy), assessing their reuse for the renaturalisation of disused quarries. The analysis, based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, identifies three indicators (Climate Change, Land Use and Abiotic Resource Depletion, Fossil) to compare traditional and mechanised excavation methods to identify the specific impacts of ESR management. The results show that mechanised excavation has a greater impact on Climate Change, mainly due to the logistical complexity involved in the proper management of ESR. Overall, their reuse for the morphological restoration of quarries generates benefits in terms of Land Use, contributing to landscape continuity. On the whole, the study highlights how the circular management of ESR represents a key element for the sustainability of major infrastructure projects, transforming excavated materials into resources that benefit the local area.