Life Cycle Assessment of Timber–Concrete Composite Bridges: Environmental and Structural Design Implications

This research project aims to evaluate the environmental performance of different bridge solutions using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a method that measures environmental impacts over the entire life of a structure. The study will compare three bridge types commonly used in transportation infrastructure: a timber–ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) composite bridge, a steel girder bridge, and a reinforced concrete bridge, all designed for Canadian climate conditions.
The analysis will consider all stages of the bridge life cycle, including material production, construction, transportation, maintenance, rehabilitation, and end-of-life scenarios. Special attention will be given to innovative and sustainable design strategies, such as the use of low-carbon UHPC, timber from sustainably managed forests, and structural solutions that facilitate material recycling, reuse, or replacement. In particular, demountable timber–concrete connections will be studied to assess their potential to reduce environmental impacts by extending service life and enabling circular economy practices.
This project will be carried out through an international research collaboration with Politecnico di Milano, allowing the intern to gain advanced expertise in infrastructure life cycle assessment. The expected outcome is a better understanding of how structural design choices influence long-term environmental performance, supporting the development of more sustainable and durable bridge infrastructure.

Faculty Supervisor:

Luca Sorelli

Student:

Partner:

Politecnico di Milano

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

Université Laval

Program: