PRUNING OPERATION IN URBAN TREES USING TWO AERIAL WORK PLATFORMS

Oscar Manuel De Jesús Vera Cabral,Hugo Armando Barúa Acosta,Carla Krulikowski Rodrigues,Juan José Bonnin Acosta,Eduardo Da Silva Lopes

doi:10.5380/rf.v51i2.70228

Oscar Manuel De Jesús Vera Cabral, Hugo Armando Barúa Acosta + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5380/rf.v51i2.70228

Copy DOI

Abstract

The need to reduce accident risks and physical effort of workers in urban tree pruning operations promotes a search for technologies with less execution cost. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the operational performance of urban tree pruning with two aerial work platforms conducted in trees under public and private domain in Greater Asunción, Paraguay. The aerial work platforms evaluated were an articulated boom lift and truck mounted boom lift in three working envelopes levels. Work cycle times, operational efficiency, fuel consumption, and operating costs were determined through a time and motion study. Sampling consisted of 78 trees in which the mean values between the working envelope levels were compared by the Tukey test (α = 0.05). The longest consumed work cycle time was in pruning without machine base motion with a mean operational efficiency of 86.2 and 76.8% in the articulated boom lift and truck mounted boom lift, respectively. Fuel consumption increased with working envelope levels, and it was the highest in the truck mounted boom lift, from 7.33 to 9.33 L h -1 of diesel fuel, at USD 18.93 per hour. Therefore, the articulated boom lift and truck mounted boom lift evaluated in urban tree pruning presented different operating costs which increased with the highest range of motion level. The main reason for this was the engine operation intensification and energy expenditures required by the machines’ hydraulic system, especially in the truck mounted boom lift.

Highlights

Tree presence in the urban environment and its performed function are life quality indicators of the citizens (DOBBS et al, 2011; NATH et al, 2018)
The present study aims to evaluate the operational performance and costs of urban tree pruning using two aerial work platforms: (1) an articulated boom lift, and (2) a truck mounted boom lift, aiming to optimize resources, reduce occupational risks, and increase urban tree management efficiency
We noticed an increase in the time consumed with platform climb (PC) and platform descent (PD) elements according to the working envelope levels

Summary

Introduction

Tree presence in the urban environment and its performed function are life quality indicators of the citizens (DOBBS et al, 2011; NATH et al, 2018). When performed on large trees, urban pruning requires skilled labor for aerial work (ZILLMER et al, 2000). In these conditions, it is necessary to adopt complex climbing practices in reduced environments when carried out without aerial work machines, along with a consequent high physical effort in this operation (VOGT et al, 2015). It is necessary to adopt complex climbing practices in reduced environments when carried out without aerial work machines, along with a consequent high physical effort in this operation (VOGT et al, 2015) These aspects make urban tree pruning a highly specific, demanding, and expensive work. The risk of accidents and workers’ physical effort need to be reduced in pruning operations in order to preserve citizens integrity and buildings, as well as to reduce execution cost

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion