Design of bridges according to environmental requirements

Abstract

Environmental protection undoubtedly becomes the primary task of humanity in the 21st century. The development of technology and technique has brought many conveniences to people, but it has created and negatively affects their environment. This paper presents the impact of bridge construction on the environment. Through the literature review, certain negative effects were determined through different stages of design, from construction to rehabilitation of bridge structures. The results of applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in bridge design are shown on a examples. The case study shows the possibility of using integral abutment bridges on reducing the environmental pollution. In the concluding remarks, a model for the introduction of environmental requirements into the design and construction process are presented.