Life cycle assessment of tunnel structures: Assessment of the New Austrian Tunnelling Method using a case study

Abstract One important measure to combat progressing climate change is compliance with and under no circumstances exceed the decreasing greenhouse gas budget. Every economic sector must strive make its ecological contribution achieve this objective. The construction largely responsible for these negative environmental burdens. Although tunnels are considered have extensive energy material consumptions literature has failed present their impacts. Aimed at knowledge gap, objective of study life cycle assessment (LCA) a tunnel project situated in Bulgaria. analyzes impacts New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) using case “Modernization Railway Section Elin Pelin-Kostenets – Lot 3”. Moreover, by applying dominance sensitivity analyses, drivers optimization potential reducing emissions identified. results show that steel, shotcrete, concrete, contribute most global warming indicator 85% this. Furthermore, stages production materials components share close 85 % total potential. These findings may help future tunnelling projects improve performance thus alarming development change.