GSB 7.0 Standardlösung

Construction and Infrastructure-related Emissions/Impacts on Waters and Soils (Main Topic 204)

Building materials contain many substances which can be released into the surrounding environment (soil, ground water, surface waters and marine waters) through outgassing, abrasion, dissolution or corrosion, where they can endanger the environment or human health. When transportation infrastructure is constructed and maintained, a lot of different materials are used, depending on the field of application. The types and intensities of the substances emitted depend on several factors, including weather conditions, the location and the composition of the materials used. Suitable information and data on environmental impacts with relevant concentrations use to be rare or unavailable and not accessible in an aggregate form.

The amended EU Construction Products Regulation expressly demands construction works made of construction products to be built in such a way that they comply with all requirements on hygiene, health and the environment applicable at the location of use, including provisions on the release of harmful substances into ground water, marine waters, surface waters or soil (BWR3). Construction products/construction works therefore must be designed and built in such a way that they will, throughout their life cycle (planning/permission – construction – use – dismantling), avoid effects with an exceedingly high impact on the environmental quality or on the climate.

The picture shows test plates Test plates Source: BASt, BAW

The experts within this main topic follow an iterative approach. Thanks to a combination of laboratory and field investigations they find evidence with practical relevance regarding the products’ durability, the release and formation of substances and their decomposition products as well as the involved (eco-)toxicological effects. Laboratory studies throw light on the processes behind the reduced durability of construction products and the release/formation of (hazardous) substances. The findings are then reviewed in field research to examine whether they can be transferred to practice. The researchers also consider the physical properties that are relevant in terms of construction requirements and therefore vary according to the specific intended use. This approach enables them to evaluate the use and (eco-)toxicological impacts of construction materials from the most holistic perspective possible.

Results from the BMDV Network of Experts’ prior research phase (2016-2019), for instance, were used to develop solutions to significantly extend the useful life of protective coatings on steel structures. In the ongoing research phase, the primary focus is on the release of substances from concretes, geosynthetics and anticorrosion applications. The research findings will be fed into a web-based research platform disclosing information on potential environmental risks of construction and infrastructure-related emissions and their environmental impacts. The platform aims to make available and usable necessary information on construction and infrastructure-related emissions, on exposure and release scenarios and on the spread potential of specific substances.

Coordination:

Prof. Dr. Thomas Ternes
Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG)
Ternes@bafg.de

Participating institutions:

  • BSH
  • BfG
  • BASt
  • BAW
  • DZSF/EBA