AHP-Based Assessment of Strengthening Interventions for Asphalt-Paved Forest Roads Supporting Timber Transport Efficiency

Asphalt-paved “Category A” forest roads serve as important infrastructure for forest management and timber logistics. Their pavement condition draws a direct correlation to transportation efficiency, vehicle operating costs, travel time, safety, and the unimpeded continuation of forest operations. These roads also support firefighting access to fire-prone areas and facilitate mountain tourism. However, pavement maintenance methods have mainly been evaluated in conventional road networks, while limited attention has been given to asphalt-paved forest roads. The aim of this study is to establish a multi-criteria framework for the selection and prioritization of optimal strengthening interventions on forest roads. The proposed methodology is based on a twofold application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), combining engineering and economic appraisal. The examined alternatives include HMA overlay, hot rolled asphalt, stone matrix asphalt, recycling without overlay, overlay with fiber reinforcement, and Glasgrid with overlay. Engineering criteria include ease and rate of application, versatility, effectiveness, durability, and environmental impact. Economic criteria include construction cost, maintenance management cost, operational-stage cost, timber transport benefits, and broader forest-management benefits. Pairwise comparisons are used to calculate priorities for criteria and alternatives. The framework produces separate engineering and economic rankings, followed by a combined ranking of strengthening alternatives. The combined AHP score for forest roads supports interventions that improve pavement performance, increase durability under timber-truck traffic, reduce future maintenance costs, and ensure reliable wood transportation to concentration and processing facilities. Maintenance planning for asphalt-paved Category A forest roads should be addressed as a multi-criteria decision-making problem. The proposed AHP-based framework provides a transparent decision-support tool for forest services, engineers, and road operators. Future research should apply the framework to real forest road sections using field pavement-condition data, local costs, timber traffic intensity, and accessibility indicators.