Any development project has an impact on the three pillars of sustainable development: environment, economy, and society.

Earthworks is a key stage in dealing with and optimising this impact in road infrastructures.

At the design and preliminary project level, it is necessary to choose the route that will avoid the impact on the environment and to develop the project that will allow the best possible integration into the landscape. The preservation of biodiversity, the protection of natural environments and resources are considered right from this stage.

At the level of the earthworks implementation and the execution of the works, the preservation of non-renewable resources is a primary objective. Thanks to an optimal use of available materials on the project the required transports can largely be reduced. This is the first contribution to sustainable development.

Booklet 2E of the Earthworks Manual, which can be downloaded from this page, presents various examples of environmental protection initiatives in the context of the execution of works on the sites. These actions concern notably the reduction of GHG emissions through controlled energy consumption, the reduction of water consumption for earthworks, and the protection of sensitive areas of the natural environment.

To be effective, the sustainable development strategy should be implemented based on a concerted effort by the main economic players involved in the design, construction and maintenance of road infrastructure. A proposal for environmental management is developed in the Appendix of this booklet.

MANUAL PARTS

PREAMBLE
PART 1 - General considerations
PART 2 - Specific technical development

2A / Materials
2B / Treatment of materials
2C / Earthworks project
2D / Earthworks execution and controls
2E / Environmental aspects