Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5552/crojfe.2024.2216
Development of a Sustainable Maintenance Strategy for Forest Road Wearing Courses in Different Climate Zones
Aiub Rezaee Motlagh
; Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Faculty of Forest Science Basij Square Gorgan, 49189-43464 IRAN
Aidin Parsakhoo
; Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Faculty of Forest Science Basij Square Gorgan, 49189-43464 IRAN
Akbar Najafi
; Tarbiat Modares University Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences Jalal AleAhmad Nasr P.O.Box: 14115-111 Tehran
Jahangir Mohammadi
; Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Faculty of Forest Science Basij Square Gorgan, 49189-43464 IRAN
Abstract
This study was done to determine the appropriate maintenance strategies for the deteriorating gravel forest roads in the Mediterranean, sub-humid and semi-arid climates. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was used to monitor Unpaved Road Condition Index (UPCI), immediately after maintenance activities and seasonally in one year. The deterioration time of the wearing course was predicted using Markov chain analysis. Results showed that roads in sub-humid climates presented lower UPCI (7.19) compared to the Mediterranean (7.81) and semi-arid (8.82) climates. When roads were maintained by a high-budget strategy, deterioration time was longer than when other strategies were used. The cost-effectiveness (CE) value of the low-budget strategy was more favorable than different strategies in all traffic levels of the Mediterranean climate and high-traffic roads in a semi-arid environment. Low-budget maintenance activities include one culvert improvement per 6 km, light blading, and 30 mm layer graveling. In a semi-arid climate, a medium-budget maintenance strategy was more efficient in medium and low-traffic roads. Medium, high, and low-budget maintenance strategies were efficient in high, medium, and low-traffic roads in sub-humid climates. High-budget maintenance activities include one culvert improvement per 4 km, heavy blading and local compaction, and 60 mm layer graveling. Overall, it was concluded that monitoring UPCI over time and probability analysis using time series is helpful for a sustainable and long-term management of forest roads.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
311934
URI
Publication date:
12.1.2024.
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