Quantitative and qualitative assessment of road construction standards in Arasbaran region

Forest roads are as essential infrastructure and prerequisite in management of forested areas. Sustainable management of roads depends on regular and timely forest road maintenance. Road inventory is the first step in forest road management، control of construction standards and maintenance operation. The purpose of this study was to assess existing roads standards by road inventory and using the results to schedule maintenance operation. To do this a part of the road network from Kaleibarchay watershed in Arasbaran region was inventoried، and cross sectional components were measured and compared to standard ones. Culverts and bridges along the road were also investigated. Road components، problems of surfacing and slope stability were analyzed quantitative and qualitatively. The results showed that there were significant differences between existing parameters and standard ones and the exceptions were side ditch depth and roadbed. The results of culverts and bridges assessment showed that the road segment only had one culvert. According to the results cross-slope has the highest consistency with standard values. 25. 19% of the road length was without any sign of surfacing problems. Among surfacing problems rutting has the highest abundance and cut slope had more stability problems than fill slope. The results of this research can be used in maintenance operation for studied road and also as a model to study and collect required inventory data.