Productivity Analysis of Timber Skidding Operation with Farm Tractor

Year 2018, , 26 - 32, 12.06.2018

Sercan Gülci , Halit Halit Büyüksakallı İnanç Taş , Abdullah Emin Akay

https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.428397

Cited By: 6

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.        

Keywords

Forest transportation, farm tractor skidding, productivity, time study

References

• Acar, H.H. 1997. An investigation on the extraction from compartment by tractors at the mountainous region. Turk J Agric For, (21): 299-306. Abeli, W.S. 1992. Optimal road spacing for manual skidding sulkies. Journal of Tropical Forest Science, 6:8-15.
• Akay, A.E., Sessions, J. 2004. Identifying the factors influencing the cost of mechanized harvesting equipment. Journal of Science and Engineering, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, 7(2): 65-72.
• Akay, A.E. 2005. Using farm tractors in small-scale forest harvesting operations, Journal of Applied Sciences Research. 1(2): 196-199.
• Borz, S. A., Ignea, G., Popa, B., Spârchez, G., Iordache, E. 2015. Estimating time consumption and productivity of roundwood skidding in group shelterwood system–a case study in a broadleaved mixed stand located in reduced accessibility conditions. Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering: Journal for Theory and Application of Forestry Engineering, 36(1): 137-146.
• Gilanipoor, N., Najafi, A., Heshmat Alvaezin, S.M. 2012. Productivity and cost of farm tractor skidding. J For Sci, 58(1): 21-26.
• Gülci N., Gülci S., Akay A.E. 2017a. Productivity analysis of skidding operations with farm tractor on skid roads: the case of Osmaniye Forest Enterprise Chief, Turkey. 50th International Symposium on Forestry Mechanization Innovating the Competitive Edge: From Research to Impact in the Forest Value Chain, Brasov, Romania, 25th -29th September 2017.
• Gülci, N., Akay, AE, Erdaş, O, Acar, H. 2017b. Productivity Analysis of Chute System integrated with Portable Winch and Synthetic Rope for Uphill Logging Operation. European Journal of Forest Engineering, 3(2): 72-77.
• Jour G.M., Majnounian, B. 2008. Productivity and cost of wheeled skidder in Hyrcanian Forest. International Journal of Natural and Engineering Sciences, 2: 99-103.
• Mousavi R. Naghdi R. 2014. Comparison of productivity and cost of timber extraction by farm tractor, skidding vs. forwarding in Northern Iran. HortFlora Research Spectrum, 3(3): 201-210.
• Ovaskainen, H., Uusitalo, J., Väätäinen, K. 2004. Characteristics and significance of a harvester operator’s working technique in thinnings. Int J For Eng, 15: 67–77.
• Öztürk T., Akay A.E. 2007. Modifying farm tractors for forest harvesting operations. International Symposium Bottlenecks, Solutions, and Priorities in the Context of Functions of Forest Resources. 17-19 October. İstanbul, Turkey.
• Öztürk T. 2010. Productivity of new Holland farm tractor at beech stands on mountainous areas in black sea region. Forestry Ideas, 16(1): 52-57.
• Proto, A.R., Macrì, G., Visser, R., Russo, D., Zimbalatti, G. 2018. Comparison of Timber Extraction Productivity between Winch and Grapple Skidding: A Case Study in Southern Italian Forests. Forests, 9(2): 61-72.
• Spinelli, R., Baldini, S. 1992. Productivity and cost analysis of logging arch used with farm tractor in Mediterranean forest skidding operations, Invest. Agrar., Sist. Recur. For. 1(2): 211-221.
• Spinelli, R., Magagnotti, N. 2011. The effects of introducing modern technology on the financial, labour and energy performance of forest operations in the Italian Alps. Forest Policy and Economics, 13(7): 520-524.
• Stanki´c, I., Poršinsky, T., Tomašiˇc, Ž., Tonkoviˇc, I., Frntiˇc, M. 2012. Productivity models for operational planning of timber forwarding in Croatia. Croat. J. For. Eng. 33: 61–78.
• Szewczyk, G., Sowa, J.M., Grzebieniowski, W., Kormanek , M., Kulak, D., Stańczykiewicz, A. 2014. Sequencing of harvester work during standard cuttings and in areas with windbreaks. Silva Fennica, 48(4): 1159-1175.
• Zimbalatti, G., Proto, A.R. 2009. Prospects of Forest Utilizations in the South of Italy. In Proceedings of the IUFRO (Unit 3.06.00) Workshop on Forestry Utilization in Mediterranean Countries, 17–19 June, Reggio Calabria, Italy.