In 1988, the forest engineering research institute of canada initiated a series of studies to evaluate the effect of state-of-the-art drills on the techniques and costs of constructing low-volume forest roads in coastal british columbia. The fact that rubber-tired units are more mobile than conventional pneumatic tank drills has changed many aspects of constructing coastal logging roads. Total ownership and operating costs for the rock drills studied varied from $127 to $182 per hour (in canadan dollars). Average productivity varied from 97 to 128 m drilled per shift, and cost per meter drilled rangedfrom $9.15 To $14.43. Rock drill utilization levels ranged from 31 to 46%. The relatively low utilization levels result from lengthy nonmechanical delays associated with the overall forest road construction process; planning, work procedures, and the organization of crews and equipment can influence these figures. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1291, Fifth international conference on low-volume roads, may 19-23, 1991, raleigh, north carolina, volume 2.
Abstract