Feasibility study of the feasibility of using sand and gravel mixture in road surfaces during transport development of the timber resource base in the north of the Republic of Karelia

Abstract

Defects and unevenness of the road surface reduces the speed of transportation of forest raw materials by 30-35%, increasing the cost of transportation by 50-60%. In areas with low bearing capacity of soils, which are overwhelmingly typical for the Republic of Karelia, this problem is aggravated by the presence of elevated groundwater levels and, as a result, deeps and subsidence of the roadway. Reducing the likelihood of such defects is possible when using local stone materials. Such a material for the Republic of Karelia is a sand-gravel mixture (SGM) obtained in its natural state. The technology of construction of logging roads using gravel mixes requires studying it for compliance with standards in existing and potential quarries, analyzing the location of mining sites, and the possibility of delivering it for the construction and repair of forest roads. The article analyzes the geography of the location of sand and sand-gravel mixture extraction sites in the Republic of Karelia, presents the results of a study of its qualitative properties, evaluates the technical and economic efficiency by calculating and comparing the estimated cost of crushed stone and SGM during construction, depending on the transport and logistics scheme of their delivery.