Productivity Analysis of Timber Skidding Operation with Farm Tractor

Abstract

Farm tractors equipped with necessary attachments have been widely used in skidding of forest products in Turkey. There are number of different types and sizes of farm tractors that are employed in forest operations. For appropriate logging plans and better machine selections in mechanized forest operations, it is important to analyze the efficiency of farm tractors during skidding operations. In this study, it was aimed to analyze the productivity of timber skidding operation with farm tractor. Time study was used to estimate productivity and then the effects of specified factors (volume, number of piece) on productivity were investigated by using statistical analysis. Logging operation took place in a black pine stand located in the province of Köyceğiz in Muğla. Time data of work stages during uphill skidding operation were collected for two skidding trails with different slope classes (20% and 30%) while average skidding distance was kept constant. It was found that the average productivity for two slope classes were 5.72 m3/hr and 4.30 m3/hr, respectively. The results indicated that the productivity increased as the volume of skidded logs per turn increased for both slope classes. On the other hand, increasing number of pieces transported in each turn caused reduction in productivity of the tractor skidding operation. The most time consuming work stage was skidding followed by move-out unloaded and choker setting stages.