Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5552/crojfe.2023.1725
Soil, Driving Speed and Driving Intensity Affect Fuel Consumption of Forwarders
Robert Prinz
orcid.org/0000-0002-1593-6974
; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Yliopistokatu 6 B 80100 Joensuu FINLAND
Blas Mola-Yudego
orcid.org/0000-0003-0286-0170
; University of Eastern Finland School of Forest Sciences P.O. Box 111 FI-80101 Joensuu FINLAND
Jari Ala-Ilomäki
; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Latokartanonkaari 9 00790 Helsinki FINLAND
Kari Väätäinen
; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Yliopistokatu 6 B 80100 Joensuu FINLAND
Harri Lindeman
; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Korkeakoulunkatu 7 33720 Tampere FINLAND
Bruce Talbot
orcid.org/0000-0003-1935-5429
; Stellenbosch University Department of Forest and Wood Science Paul Sauer Building, Bosman Street 7600 Stellenbosch, Western Cape SOUTH AFRICA
Johanna Routa
; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Yliopistokatu 6 B 80100 Joensuu FINLAND
Abstract
Fuel consumption is one of the key parameters in mechanised forest operations, particularly
on lower bearing capacity soils, as wheel chains or bogie tracks can have a strong effect on it.
This study aims to analyse the fuel consumption of several individual wheeled cut-to-length
forwarder set-ups with different types of bogie tracks on peatland using automatic recording
of data bus information. Two types of forwarders, 8-wheeled and 10-wheeled, and three types
of tracks were tested on peatland in Eastern Finland. A mixed-model approach is the basis to
study the fuel consumption as a function of the soil bearing capacity, the number of passes of
the machine on the same soil, the section (curve or straight) and other variables related to the
machine performance and set-up, for a total of N=27,928 fuel observations on three machines
in 33 plots (trail segments). The model results in an R2=0.78; the number of passes increases
the fuel consumption significantly, while the soil bearing capacity did not affect the fuel consumption.
There are, however, important differences between the machines performance, which
are addressed in the model. By contributing to the knowledge on the connection between operational
conditions and fuel consumption, the study can contribute to the aim towards a
sustainable forest operation through minimizing negative environmental impacts and providing
the necessary tools for further research efforts.
Keywords
fuel use, timber extraction, soft soil, tracks, data bus information, sustainable forest operations
Hrčak ID:
290870
URI
Publication date:
13.1.2023.
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