| Abstract [eng] |
Military mobility is one of the most important factors ensuring the effective movement of military forces and the successful conduct of operations. Large rivers, such as the Nemunas, can become significant natural obstacles that restrict the movement of equipment and units. Given the limited number of bridges and the risk of their destruction or damage, the need to identify alternative river crossing sites for military equipment becomes increasingly important. The object of this study is the suitability of sections of the Nemunas River and their approaches for the crossing of military equipment. The aim of the study is to develop a GIS-based multi-criteria assessment system capable of identifying the most suitable river crossing sites for military equipment. The literature review examines U.S. military doctrines, engineering intelligence documents, methodological publications on bridge and ferry deployment, and scientific research related to river crossing operations, hydrological modeling, and the application of geographic information systems. The literature analysis enabled the identification of the most important assessment criteria used in planning river crossing operations: river depth, current velocity, bank accessibility, terrain slope, soil properties, and transportation infrastructure. The methodology section describes the spatial data sources used, the principles of hydrological and terrain data processing, and the criteria selection methodology. HEC-RAS hydraulic modeling was employed to assess hydrological parameters, while spatial analysis was conducted in a GIS environment using multi-criteria assessment methods. The significance of the criteria was determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which enables the evaluation of the relative importance of different criteria and their influence on the final results. The developed assessment model operates automatically and can be applied to other rivers in Lithuania. During the study, assessment models were developed for river hydrological characteristics, bank accessibility, and the movement capabilities of military equipment. After integrating all criteria into a unified GIS analysis framework, the most potentially suitable crossing locations along the Nemunas River were identified, and suitability maps were produced. Expert evaluation demonstrated that the methodology is suitable as a foundational model for selecting river crossing locations for military equipment. In the future, it could be further refined to accommodate the requirements of different types of military equipment, ferry systems, and operational scenarios. |
