Research on Tracking the Behavior of the Ciobanus Forest Road over a Season Time through Specific Tests and Analysis

Ioan Bitir,Aurel Lunguleasa,Valentina Ciobanu,Rudolf Derczeni,Cosmin Spirchez

doi:10.3390/app12010459

Abstract

Forest roads are of great economic importance as they ensure the transport of logs and forest biomass toward collection and processing centers, which is why they should be evaluated periodically, in order to establish the degree of degradation and periodicity and rehabilitation methodology and procedures. The main purpose of the paper is to follow the behavior of the Ciobanus forest road through specific tests over a difficult season of 5 months, in order to diagnose the degree of surface wear and structure degradation. Regarding the traffic on this forest road, an exhaustive study was made during the 2013–2017 period, and for in situ or in laboratory tests a more complex study during the year 2018, in the March-June period was also made. Out of the total of 20 tests that evaluated the Ciobanus forest road, 5 of them were classified as appropriate and 15 unsuitable for traffic, meaning the forest road had to be completely rehabilitated. Moreover, it has been shown that this forest road is part of the category of secondary forest roads and needs a total overhaul to cope with the increasing traffic or tonnage of trucks. Through the methodology and the obtained results, the paper supports the specialists in the field of forest roads to be able to diagnose or evaluate such a road, and to realize a program and its timing for maintenance.

Highlights

Forest roads or forest tracks are the roads on which motor vehicles run and are used exclusively for forestry purposes, such as conservation or logging activities
Forest roads are of great economic importance as they ensure the transport of logs and forest biomass toward collection and processing centers, which is why they should be evaluated periodically, in order to establish the degree of degradation and periodicity and rehabilitation methodology and procedures
The main purpose of the paper is to follow the behavior of the Ciobanus forest road through specific tests over a difficult season of 5 months, in order to diagnose the degree of surface wear and structure degradation

Summary

Introduction

Forest roads or forest tracks are the roads on which motor vehicles run and are used exclusively for forestry purposes, such as conservation or logging activities. The materials used to make forest roads can be characterized from a physical or mechanical point of view. The second mechanical property is the resistance to shear which can lead to cracks or fissures in the surface roadway of forest roads

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Conclusion