Abstract
Purpose: It is frequently mentioned in literature that LCA is linear, without a proof, or even without a clear definition of the criterion for linearity. Here we study the meaning of the term linear, and in relation to that, the question if LCA is indeed linear.
Methods: We explore the different meanings of the term linearity in the context of mathematical models. This leads to a distinction between linear functions, homogeneous functions, homogenous linear functions, bilinear functions, and multilinear functions. Each of them is defined in accessible terms and illustrated with examples.
Results: We analyze traditional, matrix-based, LCA, and conclude that LCA is not linear in any of the senses defined.
Discussion and conclusions: Despite the negative answer to the research question, there are many respects in which LCA can be regarded to be, at least to some extent, linear. We discuss a few of such cases. We also discuss a few practical implications for practitioners of LCA and for developers of new methods for LCI and LCIA.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1872-1882 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Early online date | 21 Aug 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2020 |
Funding
Two anonymous reviewers added a number of interesting points that helped to better articulate the issue. The handling editor, Yi Yang, also supplied a few valuable points. I thank Thomas Schaubroeck for his remarks that stimulated me to write this article.
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Keywords
- LCA
- Life cycle assessment
- Linear models
- Linearity
- Nonlinear models
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