Analytical Framework for Road Network Development Considering the Environmental Load in Drylands

Abstract

Developing countries with arid climate and covering large areas of land, such as Mongolia, contain few paved roads for interregional transportation, and vehicles travel directly on sandy terrain. Therefore, the ruts that are carved by running wheels have an adverse effect on the surrounding vegetation. This research involved the construction of a mathematical planning model to identify the optimal sections that would need to be developed to improve the convenience of transportation and reduce the environmental load simultaneously. An approach such as this would concentrate the traffic demand on the improved sections to enable vehicles to travel at higher speeds.