Assessing the effects of site factors on the productivity of a feller buncher: a time and motion analysis

Abstract

We evaluated, for the first time in Turkey, the productivity of a feller buncher during clear-cut operations of two Brutian pine stands located in Canakkale, northwestern Turkey with different diameter classes and terrain conditions. In the first stand with 24.6cm average DBH, the feller buncher cut full trees and moved them to roadside. In the second stand with 34.3cm average DBH, the feller buncher cut trees in two stages due to their larger diameters and the relatively steep and rough terrain conditions of the site. The effects of specific stand features, DBH and tree height measurements were assessed through statistical analysis in relation to productivity. The results indicate that the average productivity for the first stand was about 118m(3)h(-1), while it was about 80m(3)h(-1) in the second stand. Even though tree diameter and volume were higher in the second stand, productivity decreased by 32.3% due to extra time spent on the two-stage cutting operation. The results revealed that harvesting operations should be planned carefully and the right equipment selected by accounting for different tree sizes, terrain conditions and machine specifications in order to better understand their effects on production.