Road Network Design Problems with

Spatial Harvest Scheduling

Evelyn W. Richards
Forest Engineering
Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management
University of New Brunswick

Road Network Design Problems with

Spatial Harvest Scheduling

Adjacency Constraints

Road Network Planning

What is the real definition?

Modelled adjacency conditions: a mis-match
Results from a Stand-Centred Model
Importance
Integer models that can work
Integrating Access and Harvest Planning

Spatial Datasets: where are they?

Summary

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Adjacency

What is the real definition?

How have we modeled it?

A mis-match?

Does this matter?

Exact Solutions
Stand Centred Model
Examples and Results

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Adjacency Definition
Given an existing clearcut and a
definition of the maximum
clearcut size M = 50.
1)Adjacent areas not to be
harvested until area is
regenerated
2)If harvesting in an adjacent
area would increase the size of
the clearcut beyond M, then it
is forbidden.
1) or 2) ?

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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There is a significant difference

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Harvest now

Harvest during green-up period

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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What has been modeled?

Closer to regulation

Trickier to model

1 Pre-blocked prior to
modeling.

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2 Not pre-blocked: the model

groups stands dynamically.
3 Not pre-blocked: openings
can grow to maximum size
over several periods.

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We developed a Stand Centred Model that

gets near-optimal solutions

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Does Adjacency Matter?

Percentage Reduction in Objective Function: NPR
Forest

1 period

2 period

3 period

Eldorado

0.31%

3.25%

7.00%

nbcl9_01

3.40%

5.12%

7.83%

nbcl9_01b

0.77%

3.12%

6.60%

nbcl9_01c

0.88%

3.08%

6.99%

nbcl9_01d

1.14%

3.73%

7.68%

This is the percentage reduction in AAC when there are greenup

constraints.
______________________________________________________________
Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Harvest & Road Choices

Given a set of stands or blocks, and a potential network of road segments that access all
stands:
Choose the best set of harvest and road construction projects

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Harvest and Road Planning

Integrated Model
Maximize Net Revenue - Road Construction Costs Transportation Costs
Subject to:
1.
Average ending age >= 75
2.
Non-Declining Yield (Maximum increment 10%)
3.
Adjacency Constraints
4.
All timber transported to exit node
5.
Road Network Connectivity

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Linked Models
1. Maximize Net Revenue
Subject to
Average ending age >= 75
Non-Declining Yield (Maximum increment 10%)
Adjacency Constraints

2. Minimize Road Costs + Transportation Costs

Subject to
Harvest Solution Found in 1.
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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Results: Benefits of Integrated Model

Road Construction Cost
(Discounted $'000)

1,200

19.38%

1,000
800
600
400

8.36%

200
5x5
Linked Models

10x10
Integrated

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Comparing Solutions

Linked Process

Integrated Model

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Impact of Greenup on Roads

Minimize NPV (Transport + Build)
Subject to: Volume >= Minimum
10x10

Minimize NPV (Transport + Build)

Subject to: Volume >= Minimum
6x6
2,500,000

500,000

2,000,000

400,000
300,000

1,500,000

200,000

1,000,000

100,000

500,000

# Greenup Periods

# Greenup Periods

Clearly, longer green-up increases road costs when volume is fixed

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Impact of Greenup on Roads

Road Construction Cost

140,000
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
1

Planning Period
0

Road costs increase and roads are built earlier

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Spatial Datasets: Do we have any?

Crown License 5, NB
131029 polygons
Mean area: 0.4699
Maximum: 133.6287
Minimum: 0.0000
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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Spatial Datasets
Photo Interpretation
Tile Matching
Slivers and Fragments from
buffering
...

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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The Result?
... no polite way to
express it

This "stand" has 29 adjacent stands!

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Aggregation heuristics

Match important features

Merge slivers
Search for wild shapes (shape index)
...
131029 polygons
Mean area = 0.4699

5881 Polygons Mean

area = 10.27

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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ifmlab.for.unb.ca/fmos

1. Existing "real" forests

2. Research Forests
3. Forest Generator
4. Forest Generator with roads

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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nb crown licence 5

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Forest Landscape Generator

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Forests and Roads

Simulates stands and potential road networks.

Users enter parameters for distributions
Creates data structures necessary for optimization models.

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Summary
Spatial acess and production models

Integer programming optimization brings clarity

yield interesting insights
are tractable
require better datasets

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Thanks!

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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Hierarchical FM Re-visited
Strategic

What outputs from

higher levels need to be
enforced at lower
levels?
Strategic Tactical

AAC?
Spatial AAC?
Exact Aspatial Schedule?

Tactical

Tactical/Operational

Annual

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Evelyn Richards, Forest Engineering, UNB
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