Optimizing timber transportation planning for timber harvesting using bees algorithm in Malaysia

Area of Science:

• Forestry Science
• Operations Research
• Environmental Management

Background:

• Timber transportation planning in undulating terrain faces challenges in selecting cost-effective and environmentally conscious extraction techniques.
• Malaysia's timber industry requires efficient methods for harvesting in complex topographies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize timber transportation planning (TTP) for cost reduction and environmental impact mitigation in Malaysian forests.
• To evaluate and compare the efficiency of different timber extraction machines using an optimization algorithm.

Main Methods:

• A Bees Algorithm (BA) was employed to determine optimal timber extraction, forest road, and landing site locations.
• The study utilized a 10m x 10m grid cell system with fixed and variable cost attributes.
• Two extraction machines, log fisher and crawler tractor, were analyzed for their suitability and cost-effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The log fisher was identified as the preferable extraction technique, handling 1351 timbers at a total cost of RM 86,551.73.
• The crawler tractor extracted fewer timbers (206) with a route cost of RM 10,453.03 over 9860m, compared to the log fisher's 2630m route.
• The BA model successfully estimated extraction costs and identified the most suitable extraction method.

Conclusions:

• The log fisher is a more efficient and cost-effective extraction method for the studied Malaysian timber harvesting area compared to the crawler tractor.
• The Bees Algorithm provides a viable approach for optimizing timber extraction planning in challenging terrains.
• Further research comparing the Bees Algorithm with other optimization techniques is recommended for enhanced results.