Investigation of the Track Formation Process and Its Stability During the Op-Eration of Forest Machines and Skidding Systems on the Slopes of the Thawed Soil

Abstract

A significant part of mature and over-mature commercial forests of the Russian Federation are concentrated in the Far Eastern Federal District. Most of the forests of the Far East are characterized by a relief that is inconvenient for the operation of traditional machine systems for logging operations (steep and very steep slopes). In addition, a significant part of the forests of the Far East grows on permafrost. It is known that the forests on the slopes are among the most vulnerable from the ecological point of view, the same can be said about the forests on the permafrost. As a result, the permafrost forests growing on the slopes can be attributed to one of the most vulnerable forest ecosystems. In this regard, the requirements for the environmental efficiency of forest machines and skidding systems when harvesting wood in the forests of the permafrost zone growing on the slopes are one of the most stringent. This circumstance is very important, for example, for the development of logging in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). It is well known about the negative impact of forest machine propellers on the soils of cutting areas; this issue has been studied and is being studied by a large number of scientists. The negative impact on soils, first of all, consists in overconsolidation and the formation of a track, which in the future is the center of water and wind erosion. Solving the problem of ecological compatibility of modern forest machines and skidding systems with soils of permafrost cutting areas growing on the slopes will increase the effective development of the allowable cut in forests on permafrost. The most optimal way to increase the environmental compatibility of machines and forest ecosystem is to substantiate the optimal machine parameters and performance indicators for specific conditions