Splitting of large logs with an excavator-based cone splitter. Issue 2 (3rd May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Erber, Gernot; Stampfer, Karl
• Is Part Of: International journal of forest engineering. Volume 31:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 146
• Page End: 155
• Publication Date: 2020-05-03
• Subjects: Forestry -- natural drying -- fuel wood -- biomass quality; Forestry engineering -- Periodicals; Génie forestier -- Périodiques; Forestry engineering; Periodicals; 634.905
• DOI: 10.1080/14942119.2020.1705089
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1913-2220

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Splitting of logs can be required for reasons of reducing their size to chipper infeed limits or to facilitate the drying performance of the material. Little is known about the factors determining the productivity of logwood splitting systems. This study investigated the factors determining the productivity of an excavator-mounted cone splitter during the splitting of large volume logs and serves as a starting point for a deeper investigation of splitting operations. In total, 111 logs with a volume of 1.56 ± 0.84 m 3 were split into 7.1 ± 3.1 parts on average. Productivity was 24.0 ± 17.3 m 3 PMH15 −1 and costs for splitting were 7.47 ± 4.15 € m −3 . Log defects decreased splitting productivity by 31.8%. Actual splitting (59.2%) was the most time-consuming work element, followed by manipulation. Equally precise models for estimating time consumption, a detailed, work element/sub-element based and a global, cycle-level time consumption model, were developed. Variation of productivity across different volumes was low and scenario analysis revealed that reducing the number of parts per log was a feasible measure to increase productivity. By halving the number of parts per log, costs decreased by 30% to 40% for logs of 0.5 m 3 to 3 m 3 volume.