J. For. Sci., 2017, 63(7):324-330 | DOI: 10.17221/10/2017-JFS

Time consumption and productivity of a forwarder operating on a slope in a cut-to-length harvest system in a Pinus radiata D. Don pine plantationOriginal Paper

Martin STRANDGARD*,1, Rick MITCHELL2, Mauricio ACUNA3
1 Forest Industries Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Richmond, Australia
2 Forest Industries Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Albany, Australia
3 Forest Industries Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hobart, Australia

Time consumption and productivity of a Valmet 890.3 8 wheel forwarder were evaluated on an Australian radiata pine clearfell site with a slope of 21 to 45% (12 to 24°). Cycle time was significantly related to extraction distance. Productivity was significantly related to extraction distance and load volume. Slope did not have a significant effect on cycle time or productivity. Productivity was considerably greater than that for many published studies, which was likely to have been the result of many factors at the study site affecting load sizes and cycle times, including the large load capacity of the studied forwarder, larger mean log volumes, larger log volumes per loading stop, fewer log assortments, potentially larger forwarder grapple volume capacity, log lengths suited to efficient loading and higher travel speeds.

Keywords: steep slope; cycle time; elemental time; extraction distance; load volume

Published: July 31, 2017  Show citation

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STRANDGARD M, MITCHELL R, ACUNA M. Time consumption and productivity of a forwarder operating on a slope in a cut-to-length harvest system in a Pinus radiata D. Don pine plantation. J. For. Sci.. 2017;63(7):324-330. doi: 10.17221/10/2017-JFS.
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