A highway project covers a wider scope than its carriageway alone. A complete life cycle assessment typically runs from land take and earthworks through pavement construction, drainage and utility diversions, structural works (bridges, retaining walls, tunnels, culverts), roadside furniture and safety systems, lighting and electrical infrastructure, and the construction plant operating throughout. One Click LCA holds generic data across all of these elements. The sections below map available datasets to each part of the scope.

This is the highest-volume material category on most highway projects and one of the most thoroughly covered in the library.

Asphalt concrete is available by pavement layer: base course (hot-mix), binder course (hot-mix and warm-mix, 20 mm nominal aggregate size), and surface course (hot-mix and warm-mix, 10 mm nominal aggregate size). Hot-rolled asphalt is available in hot-mix and warm-mix variants at 14 mm nominal aggregate size. A generic compacted asphalt dataset (5/95% bitumen-aggregate ratio) is also available for early-stage estimation.

Thin surfacing course systems cover both asphalt concrete (TSCS-AC) and stone mastic asphalt (TSCS-SMA), each in hot-mix and warm-mix variants at 6, 10 and 14 mm nominal aggregate sizes — the full range used in surface dressing and resurfacing scopes.

Paving-grade bitumen is available as a standalone material, relevant to binder quantification and tack coat layers. Waterproofing for asphalt and granular surfaces is available as a polyurethane-modified bitumen coating. Modified bitumen waterproofing membrane (3.54 mm, 4.25 kg/m²) is also available, applicable to bridge deck waterproofing.

For end-of-life modelling, asphalt pavement removal by milling is covered as a C1 process dataset.

Process datasets are available per functional unit of work, allowing emissions from plant operation to be quantified directly rather than approximated:

Asphalt paving is covered per m², with an 80 kW paver (17 t operating weight, 6 m paving width). Asphalt compaction is available per m² across four roller sizes from 25 kW/2.5 t up to 80 kW/10 t. Tack coating with an asphalt spreader is available per m² at three application thicknesses (0.1, 0.15 and 0.2 kg/m²) and two ramp widths (2.5 m and 4 m).

Thermoplastic road marking white paint (2.5 mm, 4.75 kg/m²) is available as a material dataset, applicable to lane markings, edge lines and junction markings.

Road salt for de-icing (1200 kg/m³ bulk density) is included for use-stage (B2/B3) maintenance modelling.

Earthworks material states cover the full range needed for cut-and-fill modelling: gravel at dry (1680 kg/m³) and wet (2000 kg/m³) bulk density; recycled gravel at the same densities; gravel from quarry; crushed rock/gravel mix (50/50%) at dry and wet densities; crushed rock in eight graded fractions from 0–4 mm through 125–250 mm; sand at loose dry (1555 kg/m³) and loose wet (1905 kg/m³) densities; soil at loose dry (1220 kg/m³) and loose wet (1250 kg/m³) densities; non-cohesive soil (1975 kg/m³ average); clay soil at compacted dry (1600 kg/m³) and loose dry (1280 kg/m³) densities; and dried silica sand. Activated bentonite is available for sealing applications. Biochar from willow chips is included for soil stabilisation.

Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) covers five processing variants: compression and impact, eccentric rotor crusher, ordinary recycling, heating and rubbing (microwave oven), heating and rubbing (kerosene furnace), and heating and sorting (petroleum coke rotary kiln) — useful for sub-base reuse assessments.

Lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) and expanded glass aggregate are available for lightweight fill applications.

Earthwork process datasets cover excavator operation (285 kW, 61 t) per m³ excavated across four material classes from loose soil through gravelly moraine. Soil removal is covered per hour using medium-power (300 kW) and heavy-power (430 kW) scrapers across easy, moderate and difficult terrain conditions. Soil compaction is available per m² with 60 kW/6 t and 80 kW/11 t soil rollers. Rock blasting is modelled per m³ for four rock hardness classes (granite/basalt/quartzite, sandstone/schist, marble/limestone, and rock gypsum/chalk). Rock drilling per metre covers top-hammer drilling at 40–76 mm and 64–115 mm diameters.

Battery-electric plant datasets cover mini excavator (15 kW, 2.6 t), mini wheeled front loader (22 kW, 5.2 t), full-size wheeled front loader (200 kW, 20 t), and full-size excavator (90 kW, 21 t), each available per hour of operation with default, Norwegian and European electricity scenarios.

Road verge mowing is covered per metre (85 kW wheel loader with mowing attachment, 1.5 m mowing width).

Precast reinforced concrete piles are available in square section from 150×150 mm to 500×500 mm across C40/50, C50/60, C55/67 and C60/75 strength classes, and in circular section from 200 mm to 900 mm diameter. Prestressed spun hollow concrete piles cover 250 mm to 1200 mm diameter in C60/75 to C90/105. Prestressed square piles cover 250×250 mm to 500×500 mm, and prestressed octagonal piles cover 300 mm to 600 mm diameter. Tapered steel-tip variants are available at 350 mm and 600 mm circular diameters.

Drilling for cast-in-place concrete piles per metre is covered using a double rotary rig up to 900 mm diameter and 20 m depth. Pile driving is available per metre driven.

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is modelled per metre across four diameter bands (50–356 mm) and three ground conditions (clay, sand and rock), relevant to utility crossings under the carriageway.

Steel sheet pile (72.6 kg/m) is available for temporary and permanent retaining works.

Highway structures — bridges, underpasses, retaining walls, culverts, portal frames and gantry foundations — draw on a broad concrete library. Ready-mix concrete covers C12/15 through C40/50 at multiple SCM substitution levels including GGBS-blended mixes. Lightweight aggregate concretes cover pervious/no-fines types (expanded clay, crushed gravel) for drainage layers. Shotcrete (sprayed concrete) is available for cut slope stabilisation and tunnel lining.

Cements include Portland, blastfurnace (CEM III/A at 40%, 50% and 60% GGBS; CEM III/B at 70%, 75% and 80% GGBS), GGBS as a standalone SCM (with both system expansion and economic allocation variants), fly ash, metakaolin and volcanic ash.

Reinforcement steel (rebar) spans 0% to 100% recycled content. Structural steel profiles (I, H, U, L, T sections in S235/S275/S355), hollow sections (HSS), steel sheets, hot-dip galvanized sheets, and galvanised profiled sheet are each available at multiple recycled-content levels. Structural steel rolled section and steel sheet pile are also included.

Concrete reinforcement fibres cover steel (0% and 100% recycled), polypropylene (0–100% recycled), basalt, glass, flax, jute and kenaf. Basalt rebar is available as an alternative to conventional steel. Formwork datasets cover wooden, steel and GFRP single-sided types.

Coatings for structural steelwork include waterborne silicate, epoxy and polyurethane paints, and solventborne epoxy, polyurethane and chlorinated rubber paints.

Drainage pipes are available across all common materials and diameters. HDPE drainage and sewerage pipe covers DN 20 mm to DN 500 mm. PVC drainage and sewerage pipe covers DN 8 mm to DN 500 mm. PP drainage and sewerage pipe covers DN 15 mm to DN 300 mm. Steel pipe covers DN 6 mm to DN 1200 mm. Galvanized steel pipe covers DN 15 mm to DN 200 mm. Stainless steel pipe covers DN 6 mm to DN 900 mm.

HDPE oil/water gravity separators are available in 16 sizes from 1.5 l/s to 100 l/s flow rate — directly applicable to highway drainage treatment requirements. HDPE grease interceptors cover 0.5 l/s and 1 l/s flow rates.

Valves for highway drainage and utility services cover gate valves (DN 50–600), globe valves (DN 50–300), check valves (DN 50–400), butterfly valves (DN 50–300), and brass ball valves (DN 8–100).

HDPE electrical conduit is available in six sizes from 26.7 mm to 114.3 mm outer diameter for buried ducting under the highway.

Horizontal directional drilling per metre is available for trenchless utility installation (see Section 4 above).

Geogrids are available in polypropylene (nine areal weight variants from 0.16 to 0.54 kg/m²) and polyethylene terephthalate/PET (seven variants from 0.185 to 2.4 kg/m²), covering sub-base reinforcement and slope stabilisation applications.

Geotextiles cover polypropylene non-woven (0.1–0.5 kg/m²), polypropylene woven (0.15–0.3 kg/m²), PET non-woven (0.12–0.8 kg/m²) and PET woven (0.4–1.2 kg/m²), for separation, filtration and drainage functions in the pavement foundation.

Galvanized steel guardrail is available in seven section weights from 18.5 kg/m to 112.5 kg/m, covering W-beam and thrie-beam barrier types used on motorways and rural roads.

Bollards cover galvanized steel (90 mm diameter, 165 mm diameter), stainless steel (114 mm diameter) and heavy-duty steel (219 mm and 273 mm diameter), plus an automatic hydraulic retractable security bollard (625 kg/unit).

Galvanized steel chain-link fencing is available in five section weights from 2 kg/m to 15 kg/m for highway boundary and security fencing. Razor-wire and barbed-wire fencing are also covered.

Emulsion explosives for civil blasting operations include standard mineral oil formulation, aluminium-reinforced, sodium nitrate, vegetable oil-based, alternative emulsifier, and glass microsphere-sensitised variants.

Utility poles for power transmission are available in four materials and a wide height range: galvanized steel (7–16 m, 75–340 kg), GFRP (6–12 m, 40–100 kg), precast concrete (9.1–22.8 m, 900–5500 kg), and wood (6.1–36.5 m, 280–4000 kg).

LED equipment for highway lighting includes modules (linear 700 lm, circular 2500 lm), drivers (linear 100 W, compact 40 W), and an IP66/IK10 linear industrial luminaire (33 W, 3950 lm), plus a full range of LED light bulbs from 2 W to 60 W.

High-voltage disconnectors and earthing switches cover 10 kV through 550 kV, relevant to high-voltage supply infrastructure serving motorway service areas and tunnel power systems. Power cables include low-voltage stranded single-core PVC-insulated cables (16–240 mm²) and HDPE electrical conduit for buried installations.

Control and monitoring equipment includes RTUs (compact outdoor wireless, transmission-grade redundant, and solar-powered variants) suitable for traffic management, environmental monitoring and remote pump control along the highway corridor.

Tunnel boring machine operation is modelled per metre for diameters from 3.5 m to 9 m across six size variants. Rock drilling, rock blasting and shotcrete datasets complement TBM data for drill-and-blast tunnel construction.

Tunnel insulation and waterproofing can draw on EPDM waterproofing membrane (1.5 mm, 1.95 kg/m²), modified bitumen waterproofing membrane (3.54 mm), and polyethylene vapour barrier (0.15 mm).

PVC circular ventilation ducting (DN 150–600 mm), T-pieces, bends, couplings and reducers are available for tunnel ventilation systems. Air handling units across five capacity grades (100 m³/h to 16,000 m³/h) cover tunnel fan and ventilation building requirements.

For greenfield highway corridors, deforestation is modelled per m² and per hectare across three forest density classes (sparse, moderately dense and dense), with each variant accounting for biogenic CO₂ sink loss and soil carbon sequestration loss over a 60-year horizon.

Use the layer-specific datasets (base course, binder course, surface course) wherever the pavement design is known, as they reflect the different bitumen contents and aggregate gradings of each layer. The generic compacted asphalt dataset is suited to early-stage assessments where the layer breakdown has not yet been defined.

The process datasets give the emissions from running the plant (fuel consumption per m³ moved or per hour of operation). The material datasets give the embodied footprint of the soil or aggregate itself. Both are needed for a complete assessment: the process dataset accounts for module A5 construction activity, and the material dataset accounts for A1–A3 of any imported fill.

Can I request data for highway items not yet in the library? Yes. Requests are evaluated against the needs of the global customer base and the availability of credible background data. The Customer Success team can advise on both using existing data as a proxy and on commissioning new datasets where needed.