Abstract
Unlike roads used by the general public, forest roads serve a limited purpose. Their specialized function stems from three characteristics: low traffic volume, traffic mostly in one direction, and traffic of long and heavy trucks. Each road or section of roads is not subjected to the same amount of traffic. The characteristics of each section of road depend on its function in the road system. At its extreme points, the forest road is an extension of the harvesting system. Road builders concerned about constructing roads as economically as possible must find a solution between the natural conditions of the area and the actual needs of the expected traffic. A number of relatively inexpensive actions taken during planning, construction, and maintenance, if done in a consistent and disciplined manner, will protect the quality of the tropical forest environment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allan A, Edmonds G (1977) Manual on the planning of labour-intensive road construction. ILO, Geneva
Antola A (1979) Techniques in forest road construction. Research notes, 39. Department of Logging and Utilization of Forest Products, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (in Finnish)
Byrne J, Nelson R, Googins P (1960) Logging road handbook: the effect of road design on hauling costs, vol 183, USDA forest service agriculture handbook. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC
de Veen JJ (1980) The rural access roads programme. ILO, Geneva (3rd impr 1985)
FAO (1964) Road construction in the tropics. Unasylva 17(2–3):47 pp
FAO (1977) Planning forest roads and harvesting systems. FAO forestry paper, 2. FAO, Rome
FAO (1979) Mountain forest roads and harvesting. FAO forestry paper, 14. FAO, Rome
Garland J (1983) Road construction on forest properties. Oregon State University extension circular, 1135. Oregon State University, Corvallis, 12 pp
Heinrich R (1975) Problems of forest road construction in tropical high forests. Technical report of FAO/Austria training course on forest roads and harvesting in mountainous forests. FAO, Rome
Hindson J (1983) Earth roads. Intermediate Technology Publications, London
ILO (International Labor Office) (1981) Guide to tools and equipment for labor-based road construction. ILO, Geneva
Kantola M, Harstella P (1988) Handbook on appropriate technology for forestry operations in developing countries. Part 2. Wood transport and road construction. Forestry training programme publication no. 19. National Board of Vocational Education of the Government of Finland, Helsinki, 190 pp
Karlsson LS, de Veen JJ (1981) Guide to the training of supervisors for labor-based road construction and maintenance. ILO, Geneva
Megahan WF (1976) Tables of geometry for low-standard roads for watershed management considerations, slope staking and end areas. USDA Forest Service general technical report INT, 32. USDA Forest Service, Ogden
Nagy MM, Trebett JT, Wellburn GV (1980) Log bridge construction handbook. Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC), Vancouver-Pointe Blaire
Sedlak O (1982) Types of roads and road network under difficult mountainous conditions and its relation to operation of cable systems. ECE/FAO/ILO Joint Committee on Forest Working Techniques and Training of Forest Workers/IUFRO, Division III. Norwegian Forest Research Institute, Oslo
Sedlak O (1985) Forest road planning location and construction techniques in steep terrain. FAO forestry paper, 14, Rev 1. FAO, Rome
Sedlak O (1986) General principles of forest road net; general introduction to forest road construction methods; costs and production in forest road construction; maintenance of forest road. FAO/Finland training course on appropriate wood harvesting operations. FAO, Mutare. FAO: AWHO/86/LP/12-15
Sessions J (1986) Cost control in logging and road construction. FAO, Rome. FAO.FO: AWHO/86/LP/5
Sessions J (2007) Forest road operations in the tropics. Tropical forestry series 4, Springer, 170 pp
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Sessions, J., Heinrich, R., Castaneda-Langlois, H. (2016). Forest Road Engineering. In: Pancel, L., Köhl, M. (eds) Tropical Forestry Handbook. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54601-3_162
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54601-3_162
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-54600-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-54601-3
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences