Minimizing total costs of forest roads with computer-aided design model

Abstract

Advances in personal computers (PCs) have increased interest in computer-based road-design systems to provide rapid evaluation of alternative alignments. Optimization techniques can provide road managers with a powerful tool that searches for large numbers of alternative alignments in short spans of time. A forest road optimization model, integrated with two optimization techniques, was developed to help a forest road engineer in evaluating alternative alignments in a faster and more systematic manner. The model aims at designing a path with minimum total road costs, while conforming to design specifications, environmental requirements, and driver safety. To monitor the sediment production of the alternative alignments, the average sediment delivered to a stream from a road section was estimated by using a road erosion/delivery model. The results indicated that this model has the potential to initiate a new procedure that will improve the forest road-design process by employing the advanced hardware and software capabilities of PCs and modern optimization techniques.

Planning road networks in landslide-prone areas: A case study from the northern forests of Iran

“…Researchers have often focused on analyzing the alternatives in a given set, rather than on developing good alternatives for that set (Steinemann, 2001). Although many road design tools and optimization models have been built to assist planners with the development of forest transportation plans (e.g., Liu and Sessions, 1993;Abdi et al, 2009;Najafi and Richards, 2013;Pellegrini et al, 2013;Enache et al, 2013;Grigolato et al, 2013), the primary part of the design process must be on evaluating a sufficient number of alternative roads to locate a final road that addresses operational and environmental targets (Akay, 2006). PEGGER, developed by Rogers (2005), is a great tool for alternative development in designing forest roads.…”

“…The emphasis on forbidding road construction in a forest environment is, in part, a reflection of the poor state of environmental impact assessment (EIA) in road construction projects. Given that roads are the most costly structures in forestry (Akay, 2006), economic efficiency has usually been the most important criterion in forest transportation planning (Liu and Sessions, 1993;Dean, 1997;Murray, 1998). An efficient network of forest roads should not only minimize the costs of construction and log hauling, but also reduce their adverse environmental impacts.…”

Designing an Optimal Forest Road Network by Consideration of Environmental Impacts in Gis Optimalių Miško Kelių Tinklo Projektavimas Įvertinus Poveikį Aplinkai Gis Programa / Проектирование Oпtиmaльhoй Cetи Лechыx Дopoг С Учетом Boздeйctbия Ha Okpyжaющyю Cpeдy, Оцененного С Использованием Гис

“…Several attempts have been made already on the use of geographic information system (GIS) for forest road network optimization in Iran and elsewhere (Freycon 1999). Scientists combine main factors in the selection of the most suitable forest roads including hillside slope, hillside aspect or direction, soil, volume of trees per hectare as well as ecological capability of using GIS (Hosseini et al 2004;Akay, Sessions 2005;Akay 2006). Planning road on a topographic map and then routing on the field are the main phases of forest road network construction project.…”

Utilizing a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) and Modified Analytical Hierarchical Analysis for Forest Road Network Planning in Afforested Lands

“…The routes of these roads, which will be used as a "service road" while the afforestation activities continue and which will be used as a "forest road" after the afforestation activities are achieved, should be clarified during the projecting phase. The construction of forest roads is very costly [23][24][25][26], so it is necessary to determine the suitable places in the road network planning during the afforestation project phase in order to minimize the general costs on the forest. On the other hand, forest road construction in the forest area seriously damages the forest and environment [27][28][29][30][31].…”