WP4:

WHOLE LIFE-CYCLE COST

CALCULATION TOOLS
Assist. prof. dr. Karmen Fifer Bizjak (ZAG)
Assist.prof.dr. Stanislav Lenart (ZAG)
Friderik Knez, univ.dipl.fiz. (ZAG)
Katja Slanc univ.dipl.in.gradb. (ZAG)
Matt Wayman (TRL)

ZAG-Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute

Goal: LCA/LCC CALCULATION TOOL

A LCA & LCC web-based tool, to enable end-users to

compare resource input (renewable, non renewable energy
resources, use of recycled recourses, use of water) for
different maintenance techniques,
calculate indicators describing environmental impacts
(sustainability) (GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP)
compare costs for different rail assets in scope and
maintenance techniques.
 Participants
ZAG (Slovenian Building and Civil Engineering institute- Slovenia)
LEADER OF WP 4, Karmen Fifer Bizjak, Katja Slanc, Friderik Knez
NUID-UCD (National University of Ireland, Dublin University
College Dublin, Alan OConnor
FEHRL (Forum of European National Highway Research
Laboratories), Matthew Wayman
EURNEX (The European Rail research Network of Excellence),
Frank Panse, Wolfgang H. Steinicke
IGH (Civil Engineering Institute- Croatia),
(University of Twente) Irina Stipanovi
RODIS (Civil Engineering Consultant SME, Ireland), Alan
OConnor
IK (Research Institute, Poland)
Description of WP4:
Task 4.1
Identification of construction techniques and technologies
from other WPs and preparation of modelling processes and
structure
Task 4.2
LCA analyses for selected typical railway rehabilitation
systems (sustainability)
Task 4.3
LCC analyses for selected typical railway rehabilitation
systems (cost/finacial)
Task 4.4
Development of multi-decision tool (web available)
Smart Rail starting date: September 1st 2011

Time table of WP4:

LCA and LCC analyses
Software: GaBi 4
Databases for generic data to be used for Europe:
IISI (International Iron and Steel Institute)

Ecoinvent

ICA (International Copper Association)

European Copper Institute

(Deutsches Kupferinstitut Life Cycle Center)
EAA (European Aluminum Association)

PE Plastics Europe
(former APME Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe)
EIME (Environmental Information and Management Explorer) EcoBilan

NTM

CORINAIR

Possible problem: database compatibility

QUESTIONNARE

Gain information on
composition of track construction

procedure and machinery used for open track

construction
maintenance works in predicted life time

assessment of material costs

Questionnaires results
Participan Participant name (short finished In procedure
t number name)

1 NUID-UCD
2 S
3 FEHRL
4 EURNEX
5 IGH
6 ZAG
7 RODIS
8 Adaptronica
9 TUM
10 IK
11 UNOTT
12 HZ
13 IE
14 DMU
Railway construction for LCA
open track in Slovenia

LCA calculation without geosynthetic

LCA calculation with geosynthetic
Railway transition zone for
LCA test field in Croatia

LCA calculation without geosynthetic

Railway transition zone for
LCA test field in Croatia

LCA calculation with geosynthetic

LCA for test field in Ireland

LCA calculation for open track with

high embankment in soil?

Difference between different

reinforcement for the soil
embankment?
LCA analysis with Gabi for 1km of open track
construction of Substructure
LCA analysis with Gabi for 1km of open track
construction of Track
LCA analysis with Gabi for 1km of open track RESULTS
(Global Warming Potential)
LCA analysis with Gabi for 1km of open track RESULTS
(Energy renewable and non renewable )
 LCC - objectives

Life cycle cost (LCC) analysis of typical

railway rehabilitation techniques
Facilitate comparison of cost effectiveness
On asset classes covered by SMART RAIL
Permanent way
Embankments

Transition zones (with sufficient data)

Focus on novel vs. established techniques

Geosynthetics

Monitoring inspection via sensors

 General scope

Comparing alternative maintenance

techniques for the same asset
Over a 60 year life time
Includes a generic set of indicative costs
Accepts country-specific cost data
Maintenance intervals also specified by the
user, with some indicative values
Does not incorporate deterioration models, but
accepts data from them
 Costs included

Maintenance of existing assets

Not new-build
Costs of rehabilitation (maintenance)
Inspection, materials, plant, manpower
Indirect costs disruption, closures, down
time
Discounting
Residual value (the value of interventions at
the end of the 60 year analysis)
Permanent way - options
Correcting poor track geometry
Tamping
Ballast re-profiling
Ballast cleaning
Ballast undercutting
Ballastless track (if cost data permits)
Inspection
Sensors vs. routine inspection
Embankments - options
Maintenance of embankments and cuttings
Remedial or preventative
Use of geosynthetics (grids, membranes)
Soil stabilisation (cement, lime)
Soil improvement (material addition,
replacement)
Soil nailing
Retaining walls (if relevant)
Piling (if relevant)
Inspection
Sensors vs. routine inspection
Transition zones - options
Solutions to adjust the stiffness of the track
Rail pad
Under sleeper pad
Sub-ballast mat
Compare to do nothing approach
Low cost and effective?
Need to include monitoring techniques?
 Data requirements
From the rail operators (& other partners)
There is a particular data requirement
regarding the novel techniques:
Costs
Output rates (time to implement on the network)
Effective lifetime
Also need some estimates regarding novel
monitoring (sensor) approaches:
As alternatives to routine inspection?
Costs
Output rates (any down time on the network?)
Benefits in terms of extended lifetime
 Review
Are we focussing on the correct asset classes
and rehabilitation techniques?
Is the data obtainable in the next 3-6 months?
Data shopping list:
Inspection costs
Material costs
Labour & plant costs
Rate of installation (requirement for network closure)
Effective lifetime of the rehabilitation
LCA/LCC CALCULATION TOOL

At least 2 different LCA analyses for railway construction ( open

track and transition zone with and withought geotextile)

comparisons resource input (renewable, non renewable

energy resources, use of recycled resourses, use of water)
for different maintenance techniques,
comparisons of the Indicators describing environmental
impacts (GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP)
comparisons of the costs for different rail assets in scope
and maintenance techniques.
 LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT FOR RAILWAY TRACK
Component submodels are:
railway track construction (without track
foundations)
railway track maintenance

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

single railway track

Type of track

Country of railway construction Slovenia

GEOMETRY DATA

LCA Note: calculations are made for one kilometre

of track

CALCULATION Road lenght

Thickness of ballast
1000

0,3
m

TOOL Medium width of ballast

Thickness of base
3,95
0,3
m

Data input Medium width of base 6,6

0,5
m

sheet
Thickness of sub base m

Medium width of sub base 7,8 m

Distance between sleepers 0,6 m

LIFE-TIME DATA
Note: calculation period is 60 years

Assumed life-time of ballast 20 years

Assumed life-time of rails 30 years
Assumed life-time of sleepers 30 years
Assumed life-time of fastening system
(including base plate) 40 years
Assumed life-time of elastomeric pads 20 years
Assumed life-time of drainage 20 years
Assumed life-time of geosynthetics (geotextile,
geogrid) 20 years

MAINTENANCE PERIOD with geotextile

Ballast profiling 6 years
Ballast stabilization 6 years
Ballast tamping 6 years
Ballast cleaning 25 years
Rail milling 5 years
2. MATERIAL/PRODUCT DATA

Ballast type of material crushed stone 32/64

density of build-in (compacted) material 1700 kg/m3

Base type of material crushed stone 0/32

density of build-in (compacted) material 2000 kg/m3

Sub base type of material crushed stone 0/32

density of build-in (compacted) material 2000 kg/m3

Rail weight (steel) 60,4 kg/m

Sleeper type of material softwood

type of preservative creosot

weight of preservative per 1 wooden sleeper 13 kg/sleeper

weight 267,96 kg/sleeper

weight of steel reinforcement 0 kg/sleeper

Fastening system (including base plate) weight 9,6 kg/sleeper

Elastomeric pads type of material steel

weight 0,277 kg/sleeper

Drainage type of material polyethylene

weight 1 kg/m

Geosynthetics (geotextile, geogrid) material type of material polypropylene

weight 0,2 kg/m2

3. DATA ABOUT PROCESSES - CONSTRUCTION OF TRACK
Note: option for two tipes of transport is
Transport of material/products available (rail and train)
Type of transport Distance (km)
Transport of ballast Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Train (diesel) 20

Transport of base Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50

Train (diesel) 20

Transport of sub base Train (diesel) 50

Train (diesel) 20

Transport of rails Train (diesel) 50

Train (diesel) 20

Transport of sleepers Train (diesel)

Train (diesel) 50

Transport of fastening system (including base

Train (diesel)
plate)
Train (diesel) 50

Transport of elastomeric pads (neoprene) Train (diesel) 100

Train (diesel)

Transport of drainage Train (diesel) 100

Train (diesel)

Transport of geosynthetics Train (diesel) 100

Train (diesel)
Compaction of sub base - roller Number of layers following compaction 3

Number of passes for each layer 3

litres diesel/one pass of 1km
Fuel consumption 200 of track
Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5

Compaction of base - roller Number of layers following compaction 2

Number of passes for each layer 3

litres diesel/one pass of 1km
Fuel consumption 200 of track
Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5

Tamping of ballast Number of passes for each layer 3

litres diesel/one pass of 1km
Fuel consumption 60 of track
Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5

Ballast profiling Fuel consumption 20 litres diesel/km of track

Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5

Ballast profiling Fuel consumption 20 litres diesel/km of track

Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5

Laying rails - mechanical Fuel consumption 20 litres diesel/km of track

Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5
 4. DATA ABOUT PROCESSES - MAINTENANCE OF TRACK

Transport of machines Type of transport Distance

Transport of roller Train (diesel) 50 km
km

Transport of tamper Train (diesel) 50 km

km

Transport of special machine 1 own drive 50 km

km

Ballast profiling Fuel consumption 20 litres diesel/km of track

Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 3

Tamping of ballast Fuel consumption 60 litres diesel/km of track

Number of passes for each layer 3
Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 3

Ballast cleaning Fuel consumption 200 litres diesel/km of track

type of added material crushed stone 32/64

weight of added material 5000 kg/km of track

Rail milling (grinding) Fuel consumption 375 litres diesel/km of track

Type of diesel fuel (default is EURO 5) EURO 5

5. END OF LIFE CYCLE

Type of process Type of transport Transport distance
landfill Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Ballast km
recycling Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Rails km
landfill Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Sleepers km
recycling Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Fastening system km
landfill Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Base plate km
landfill Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Elastomeric pads km
landfill Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Drainage km
landfill Truck 32t (diesel, 28t load capacity) 50
Geosynthetics km
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!