Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings

Early thinnings are laborious and costly. Thus forest companies are searching for cost and time efficient ways to carry out this task. The studyâs purpose was to determine the productivity of the EF28 accumulating energy wood harvesting head in harvesting small-diameter hornbeam ( L.) und...

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Main Authors: Erber, Gernot, Holzleitner, Franz, Kastner, Maximilian, Stampfer, Karl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Finnish Society of Forest Science 2016-01-01
Series:Silva Fennica
Online Access:https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/1428
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spelling doaj-ceb9f495a00647829d44839577e6b3c42020-11-25T03:25:11ZengFinnish Society of Forest ScienceSilva Fennica2242-40752016-01-0150110.14214/sf.1428Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinningsErber, GernotHolzleitner, FranzKastner, MaximilianStampfer, Karl Early thinnings are laborious and costly. Thus forest companies are searching for cost and time efficient ways to carry out this task. The studyâs purpose was to determine the productivity of the EF28 accumulating energy wood harvesting head in harvesting small-diameter hornbeam ( L.) undergrowth trees and evaluate the effect of its multi-tree handling (MTH) capacity on time consumption. The harvester was a wheeled, three-axle Komatsu 911. A time study of 7.1 hours on 19 plots, with a total area of 0.76 ha was conducted. On average, the harvested tree volume was 8 dm³ and the stand density was 2666 trees/ha. The productivity was modelled with MTH conduction, mean diameter at breast height and the number of trees handled per cycle as independent variables. On average, MTH took 27% longer per cycle, increased extracted volume per cycle by 33% and consequently increased productivity with 5.0%. In 71.9% of the cycles more than one tree was handled and if so, dimensions were smaller than in single-tree handling (5.8 cm vs. 12.0 cm). Maximum felling diameter of 23 cm was about 15% smaller than in softwood (according to the manufacturerâs specifications) and the driver didnât exploit the EF28âs theoretical potential in terms of trees handled per cycle. It can be concluded that the head could significantly improve productivity in small-diameter wood procurement.Carpinus betulushttps://www.silvafennica.fi/article/1428
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Erber, Gernot
Holzleitner, Franz
Kastner, Maximilian
Stampfer, Karl
spellingShingle Erber, Gernot
Holzleitner, Franz
Kastner, Maximilian
Stampfer, Karl
Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
Silva Fennica
author_facet Erber, Gernot
Holzleitner, Franz
Kastner, Maximilian
Stampfer, Karl
author_sort Erber, Gernot
title Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
title_short Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
title_full Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
title_fullStr Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
title_full_unstemmed Effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
title_sort effect of multi-tree handling and tree-size on harvester performance in small-diameter hardwood thinnings
publisher Finnish Society of Forest Science
series Silva Fennica
issn 2242-4075
publishDate 2016-01-01
description Early thinnings are laborious and costly. Thus forest companies are searching for cost and time efficient ways to carry out this task. The studyâs purpose was to determine the productivity of the EF28 accumulating energy wood harvesting head in harvesting small-diameter hornbeam ( L.) undergrowth trees and evaluate the effect of its multi-tree handling (MTH) capacity on time consumption. The harvester was a wheeled, three-axle Komatsu 911. A time study of 7.1 hours on 19 plots, with a total area of 0.76 ha was conducted. On average, the harvested tree volume was 8 dm³ and the stand density was 2666 trees/ha. The productivity was modelled with MTH conduction, mean diameter at breast height and the number of trees handled per cycle as independent variables. On average, MTH took 27% longer per cycle, increased extracted volume per cycle by 33% and consequently increased productivity with 5.0%. In 71.9% of the cycles more than one tree was handled and if so, dimensions were smaller than in single-tree handling (5.8 cm vs. 12.0 cm). Maximum felling diameter of 23 cm was about 15% smaller than in softwood (according to the manufacturerâs specifications) and the driver didnât exploit the EF28âs theoretical potential in terms of trees handled per cycle. It can be concluded that the head could significantly improve productivity in small-diameter wood procurement.Carpinus betulus
url https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/1428
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