Eco-efficient design of forest roads in steep terrain: a case study in the italian alps

The construction of forest roads as key access points to forest resources and to allow timber harvesting activities is a process that has been in constant operation and is continuously looking for more efficient solutions. The principles concerning the construction standards of forest roads are regularly reviewed to ensure that advances in the most current off-road and on-road transportation technology and the best environmental practices are incorporated. While efforts are being aimed towards the optimization of the forest road network layout, there is a serious lack of research concerning the energy, cost and emissions created in the use of a forest road, the relationship between initial and future costs and the overall cost of a forest road during its lifetime. Using high spatial resolution LiDAR data this thesis investigates the in-depth cost concerning the construction and use of a forest road through the creation of forest road alignments in steep terrain. Key variables will be identified and analyzed with respect to their impact on the viability of a forest road, and the advantages of constructing forest roads to allow the most efficient extraction of forest resources.