Introducing the circular economy in road infrastructure development. Challenges and dilemmas in designing circular roads.

Abstract

The throwaway culture has for years been the hallmark of our economic system. We produce, use and throw
away what is left as waste. A circular economy assumes that materials are part of a closed system of subsequent
loops, where the output of one loop is the input of the next loop. Ideally, resources are used over and over again
without becoming waste. Currently, there is a growing political and societal pressure to reduce the use of basic
materials and to prevent creating waste. For example, Dutch government decided in 2016 that the whole Dutch
economy - including road construction - should be circular in 2050! The road construction industry is infamous
for its’ major use of energy resources and materials. Road constructions are usually constructed for a 50 to 100
years’ lifetime and are then supposed to be written off as waste. Under the above mentioned political and societal
pressure also the road infrastructure sector is strongly challenged to become circular. But, how to design and
realize a circular road for multiple lifecycles? The paper will discuss this question by mirroring theory about
circular design to the first circular designed highway viaduct in The Netherlands. The aim is to understand
circular design in highway development and to explore general design principles.