Abstract
Background: Work studies are fundamental for the development and assessment of timber harvesting systems aimed at rationalising and improving forest management activities. Methods: This study evaluated the operational performance of a mechanised whole-tree harvesting system in 32-year-old Pinus taeda L. stands producing multiple timber products. A time and motion study at the cycle element level was conducted to evaluate the operational performance of each component of the harvesting system. Equations were developed to estimate the productivity of tree extraction activity with a wheeled skidder and log loading with a mechanical loader. Results: Tree felling with an excavator-based harvester had the highest mean productivity (135 m3 per productive machine hour), followed by tree extraction with a wheeled skidder (117 m3 per productive machine hour), while manually processing larger logs with a chainsaw had the lowest productivity (25.7 m3 per productive machine hour). Operator, extraction distance and mean log volume had a significant effect on the performance of different activities and were included in productivity models. Conclusions: Operational performance of equipment was variable and dependent on the effect of the operator, extraction distance and log volume. Thus, the use of models to estimate productivity considering such factors, coupled with reduced delays to increase utilisation of equipment, will contribute to the better management and planning of forest harvesting operations under the evaluated conditions.
Highlights
The management of planted pine forests is a consolidated activity in Brazil, both by vertically integrated companies and independent producers
When the objective of forest production is diversification of timber products, the planted forests in Brazil are usually managed on longer rotations, which requires the need for thinning, before the final cutting of the stand occurs
Harvesting operations We evaluated a mechanised “whole tree” harvesting system configured to produce different demands of log assortments for different destinations
Summary
The management of planted pine forests is a consolidated activity in Brazil, both by vertically integrated companies and independent producers. When the objective of forest production is diversification of timber products, the planted forests in Brazil are usually managed on longer rotations (i.e. around 30 years), which requires the need for thinning, before the final cutting of the stand occurs Such a prescription affects the performance dynamics of forest operations, with several differences compared to those observed in short rotation planted forests. One of the key factors driving this is better access and mobility for machinery traffic due to the relatively small number of trees per unit area remaining at the final cutting Because these trees have larger dimensions and volumes, this results in lower specific time consumption and higher productivity of harvesting equipment (Ghaffariyan et al 2012; Strandgard et al 2013; Walsh & Strandgard 2014). Work studies are fundamental for the development and assessment of timber harvesting systems aimed at rationalising and improving forest management activities
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