Analytical Model for the Load-Bearing Capacity Analysis of Winter Forest Roads: Experiment and Estimation

Abstract

In northern forests, winter is the preferred time for logging operations, since, when wet soils freeze, their strength increases, which ensures a high load-bearing capacity of winter forest roads and reduces the cost of forestry work by increasing the load on forestry equipment, including when driving through frozen lowlands. The present article analyzes frozen loamy–sandy soil, which, at subzero temperatures, behaves like a brittle material with a sufficiently high, but limited, strength. Well-known models commonly use empirical parameters, correlations, and numerical methods to estimate the strength of such materials. An analytical model of the full load–displacement curve would reduce the number of necessary calculations and increase the ability to predict the bearing capacity of winter forest roads. However, there are few of these models. Such models were developed, as a rule, to study stress–strain in concrete and rocks, meaning that researchers have to recalculate the load into stress and displacement into deformation, which is not always simple. This work aimed at theoretically justifying a new analytical model for quantifying the bearing capacity of winter forest roads and assessing the adequacy of the model by comparing it with experimental data. To achieve this purpose, the concepts of fracture mechanics and methods of mathematical modeling were used. The model was verified using experimental data, and model examples for determining the peak load were provided. Prospects for development of the research topic were also considered, taking into account new developments in forest road monitoring for logging management.

Differential Energy Criterion of Brittle Fracture as a Criterion for Wood’s Transition to the Plastic Deformation Stage

“…Considering only the external aspects of the behavior of the material under load, we used the concept of structural stiffness (the stiffness of materials is usually characterized by the modulus of elasticity). Analysis of the behavior of heterogeneous materials, such as frozen ground, rocks, and concrete, also confirmed the effectiveness of this approach [36,45]. The main issue of this work was to determine the criterion for transition from the quasi-elastic behavior of wood to the quasi-plastic stage.…”

“…This paper uses the Blagojevich analytical model [34], which belongs to the class of simple but sufficiently versatile load-displacement models, a review of which can be found in [35]. The application of modifications of this model to the analysis of frozen soils and some rocks is considered in [36,37]. However, when applying this model to the analysis of wood, it is necessary to take into account features that have not been previously considered in sufficient detail in the known literature.…”

“…In this paper, we use the Blagojevich analytical model [34], which belongs to the class of simple but rather universal load-displacement models, a review of which can be found in [35]. Using [36,37], we write the basic equation of the model in terms of load-displacement (𝐹-𝑢):…”

Road transport infrastructure of republic of Karelia automobile roads: assessment of the state and development trends

“…The study [5] shows that labor productivity has a strong impact on the economic growth rate of the construction industry in the regions of Northwestern Russia, including the Republic of Karelia. Speaking about the labor productivity growth and production efficiency, it is noted that the regional logistics system development plays one of the key roles in achieving positive indicators dynamics [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…The study [18] accesses the logistics systems formation construction from the perspective of digitalization. Researches [4,6,7,8,10,12,16] are devoted to transport planning, the use of economic and mathematical methods in the transport systems construction and the application of logistics principles of development in the region.…”