## 4 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
### Inventory Analysis
To quantify the environmental impacts generated by the different arrangement alternatives, we proceeded to the description of the processes taken into consideration for each constituent element of the proposed solution that was implemented in the software considering the available databases presented in Table 4.  
In calculating the number of hours that should be used to create the scenarios considered a solution to the stiffness problems (yields), recommendations made by the GTR guide were implemented for each compacted layer thickness [21]. A moderate degree of compaction, similar thickness, compact speed of approximately 5.0 km/h, 2.0 m wide mono compact-type compaction machines, and materials classified as type A and C were assumed. In addition, the values of Q/L, which is considered the theoretical yield corresponding to a mono compactor, were calculated and used to calculate the yield for each soil layer assumed in the previously determined solutions. The yields and Q/L values for each layer conforming to the proposed solutions are presented in Table 5. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Eoinvent Processes** & **Ballast** & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Sub-Ballast**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Track-Bed**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Landfill**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Foundation**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Wedge 1**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Wedge 2**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Sleepers**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Railroad**} \\ \hline
**Crushed stone 16/32 mm, open pit mining, production** & x & x & & & & & x & & x & & & \\ mix, at plant, underl HER S & x & x & & & & & x & & & & & \\ Gravet, round [CI] & grav and and quarry & & & x & & & & & & & & \\  & operation [PERSON], S & & & & & x & & & & & & \\ Clay and soil from quarry, EUEZ & & & & & x & x & & & & & & \\ Cement, Portland (Europe without & & & & & x & & & x & & & \\ Switzerland) marked for If [PERSON], S & & & & & & & x & & & & & \\ Leader operation, large, NE-NC/RNA & x & x & x & x & x & x & x & x & & & \\ Transport, combination truck, diesel powered/US & x & x & x & x & x & x & x & x & & x & & \\ Railway track (low)construction [PERSON], S & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Processes implemented to carry out the quantification of the environmental impact. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Q/L** & **BSC** & **Yield** & **BM** & **Yield** & **19/T/T/S** & **Yield** & **14/T** & **Yield** & **19/18** & **25/20** & **Yield** & **19/18** & **Yield** & **25/20** & **Yield** \\
**[m\({}^{3}\)h\({}^{-}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[h\({}^{-}\)]** & **[h\({}^{-}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[h\({}^{-}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** & **[m\({}^{3}\)]** \\ \hline Ballast & 180 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 & 71.04 & 0.39 \\ Sub-ball-ballast & 180 & 125.24 & 0.70 & 125.24 & 0.70 & 125.24 & 0.70 & 125.24 & 0.70 & 125.24 & 0.70 & 125.24 & 0.70 & 125.24 & 0.70 \\ Track-bed & 180 & 258.95 & 1.33 & 186.98 & 1.04 & 234.33 & 1.30 & 237.75 & 1.32 & 237.24 & 1.32 & 237.58 & 1.32 & 233.48 & 1.30 & 232.11 & 1.29 \\ Landfill & 200 & 2530.43 & 12.65 & 2992.75 & 14.96 & 2508.88 & 12.54 & 2517.27 & 12.99 & 2522.45 & 12.61 & 252.53 & 12.61 & 252.09 & 12.60 & 2511.62 & 12.56 \\ Foundation & 200 & 6733.48 & 33.67 & 4472.31 & 22.36 & 6733.48 & 33.67 & 6733.48 & 33.67 & 6733.48 & 33.67 & 6733.11 & 33.86 & 6733.48 & 33.67 & 6726.64 & 33.63 \\ Webge 1 & 180 & N/A & N/A & 500.12 & 2.78 & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A \\ Webge 2 & 180 & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: Calculated yields for each layer of material following the proposed arrangements.