• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine productivity and cost of tree-length harvesting using cable yarding system in a larch (Larix leptolepis) clear-cutting stand located in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. We used tree-length harvesting method using cable yarding system with a tower yarder HAM300. The productivity was $17.6m^3/hr$ for felling, $12.4m^3/hr$ for delimbing, $4.2m^3/hr$ for yarding, and $8.1m^3/hr$ for processing. The total cost of the harvesting system was $48,381won/m^3$, which was majorly composed of yarding operation cost, at $40,169won/m^3$ (79.3%), while felling had the lowest cost at $1,154won/m^3$ (4.1%). Major factors affecting felling and processing productivity was tree volume and the number and thickness of branches for delimbing productivity. In addition, we suggest that training and education for machine operators were critical to improve yarding productivity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.4
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• pp.574-581
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• 2019

The present study analyzed the productivity and cost of winching operations for evaluating the efficiency of a tractor-attached winch in a Pinus densiflora thinning site located in the Yangyang County of Gangwon-do. The mean yarding distance and mean timber volume were 29 m and 0.15 ㎥, respectively. In the 95 cycles of yarding operations, the uphill and downhill yarding operations constituted 51% and 49%, respectively, of the total yarding operations. The productivity of the uphill yarding operation was 2.28 ㎥/h, and the productivity of the downhill yarding operation was 1.89 ㎥/h. The findings of this study revealedthat productivity would increase by 0.5 ㎥/h when the rate of utilization of the machine is increased to 80% by reducing the operational delay time. The cost of the downhill yarding operation was 44,116 KRW/㎥, whereas that of the uphill yarding operation was 53,369 KRW/㎥. The difference in cost resulted from the difference in the number of yarding stems (stems/cycle). Furthermore, the results of the multiple linear regression equation developed for predicting the yarding operation times showed that productivity was significantly affected by working conditions such as yarding distance (m), the number of stems per cycle (stems/cycle), and the terrain slope (%) in the uphill and downhill yarding operations. Further research is required for developing an accurate prediction model equation according to a yarding direction.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.6
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• pp.641-649
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• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the productivity and the operational costs of the Chuncheon Tower-yarder, a skyline yarding system used in Korea. Detailed time study data were collected from 4 thinning sites in Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) stands; one site for uphill yarding and three sites for downhill yarding. This study derived regression models to estimate the average cycle time (sec.) for uphill and downhill yarding. The average yarding cost was $12,844won/m^3$ for uphill yarding, while downhill yarding cost was $13,221won/m^3$. The average yarding time was 239 sec/cycle for uphill yarding, while downhill average yarding time was 274 sec/cycle. We found that uphill yarding productivity was higher when the operation system was examined under the same work conditions (i.e. standardized comparison) except yarding directions for both uphill yarding and downhill yarding.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.3
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• pp.266-277
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• 2018

This study was conducted in clear cutting stands. For the whole-tree yarding operation, a tower-yarder based on excavator with a radio-controlled double clamp carriage was applied to analyze yarding productivity and cost. The productivity and cost of yarding operation was $6.2m^3/SMH$(machine utilization rate, 80.4%) and $13,705won/m^3$, respectively. Although the maximum yarding distance was longer than the previous studies, the setting up time of the tower-yarder was decreased as used straw line. The application of the radio-controlled double clamp carriage improved productivity and reduced costs. Based on the fuel log and growing stock($137.0m^3/ha$), the minimum production($m^3$) and area(ha) were $558.3m^3$ and 4.1 ha for Pinus rigida stands and $433.7m^3$ and 3.2 ha for Quercus mongolica stands, respectively. Based on the this study, it will be possible to select an efficient yarding machine by accumulation of data on minimum production and area for many machines in various harvesting sites.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.4
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• pp.625-632
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• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze the yarding productivity and cost of the man-power operation by plastic chute, the yarding operation by yarder attached in tractor (Chuncheon Tower-yarder) and yarding operation by Tower-yarder (RME-300T) in forest tending operation. As result of average yarding timber volume was 0.67 $m^3$, 3.8 $m^3$ and 7.3 $m^3$ per day and man, respectively. And, when an yarding timber volume was 60 $m^3$/ha, the total yarding time including setting up and dismantling time of the plastic chute and yarding line was 20 days and 2 hours, 7 days and 1 hours and 21 minutes, 3 days and 4 hours and 27 minutes, respectively. The operation costs were 104,448 won/$m^3$, 29,968 won/$m^3$ and 23,032 won/$m^3$, respectively. And, when yarding timber volume was 60 $m^3$/ha, the total operation cost including setting up and dismantling time of the plastic chute and yarding line was 7,429,173 won/ha, 2,431,573 won/ha and 1,610,672 won/ha, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.3
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• pp.300-309
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• 2017

The productivity, cost, and optimal forest road network density for tree-length yarding with K301-4 and HAM300 tower yarders were analyzed. The results showed that productivity decreased as the yarding distance increased. The productivity of the K301-4 was greater than that of the HAM300 as the maximum yarding distance was longer than 34 m. This difference increased as the load volume increased. As the K301-4 yarder had a higher purchase price and it took more time to set up compared to the HAM300, the HAM300 was cost effective. Therefore, in oder to introduce tower yarders to reduce operational cost, it is effective to increase the load volume during operations and to utilize the road network repeatedly for a long period.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.1
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• pp.87-97
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• 2014

This study was conducted to provide field-based harvesting study information which can be used to select an optimal cable system for certain work conditions on steep grounds (> $20^{\circ}$ ground slope) in Korea. To accomplish this study objectives, we evaluated three cable yarding systems (RME-300T tower-yarder, Chuncheon tower-yarder, FARMI tractor winch) working in typical work conditions for their yarding productivity and operational efficiency. Those yarders are commonly used for removing logs or trees on steep grounds in Korea. Under the same work conditions (average DBH of tree to be cut, 20 cm; yarding distance, 60 m; lateral yarding distance, 10 m; and machine utilization rate, 70%), the average productivities were $33.04m^3$/day, $38.47m^3$/day, and $14.17m^3$/day for RME-300T, Chuncheon tower-yarder, and FARMI, respectively. Our standardized cost comparison study also showed that the yarding cost was highest at $37,835won/m^3$ with FARMI, followed by RME-300T at $25,105won/m^3$ for the same work conditions. We found the lowest yarding cost with the Chuncheon tower-yarder at $20,520won/m^3$ which was resulted primarily from high yarding productivity at the yarding distance (60 m). Our analysis suggested that a small machine such as FARMI could be a low-cost yarding machine option for a cable yarding job with a short yarding distance (40 m or less). The Chuncheon tower-yarder is well suited for a mid-range yarding distance job in Korea, ranged between 40 to 140 m. If yarding distance were longer than 140 m, the RME-300T tower yarder appears to be most cost-effective.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2016

Logging equipment and method have a major influence on harvesting productivity and cost. This study investigated the productivity and operational costs of tree-length cable yarding system using HAM300, a domestically developed tower yarder. We tested HAM300 for thinning operation in Pinus densiflora stands at Gangreung, Gangwon-do on April, 2014. To assess the productivity we conducted time study for each stage of the operation. When the average time/cycle was examined for each stage of the operation, the longest was for yarding (241 sec), followed by delimbing (237 sec), felling (153 sec), and processing (103 sec). Furthermore, productivity for felling was $8.6m^3/hr$, followed by delimbing ($5.1m^3/hr$), yarding ($3.5m^3/hr$), and processing ($8.1m^3/hr$). The total cost for the tree-length logging system was $58,446won/m^3$, of which the majority was incurred by the yarding cost at $46,217won/m^3$ (79.3%), whereas the lowest cost was for felling at $2,359won/m^3$ (4.1%). We suggest that it is necessary to foster specialized operators and provide training in operating the tower yarder thereby implementing efficient harvesting system resulting from low-cost yarding.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.107-112
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• 2014

The productivity and cost of clear cutting operations were examined to broaden our knowledge on the harvesting system in a Larix leptolepis stand of Korea. The harvesting system was divided into tree operations which were chainsaw (STIHL MS440) felling, tower yarder (Koller301-4) yarding and harvester (WOODY H50) processing. The average cycle time of felling, yarding and processing were 98 s/cycle, 245 s/cycle and 150 s/cycle. The total stump-to-pile operational productivity was 43.07 $m^3/hr$. The highest production activity was the felling 17.93 $m^3/hr$, followed by the productivity of processing 15.62 $m^3/hr$ and then by the productivity of yarding 9.52 $m^3/hr$. In addition the total stump-to-pile operational cost was 24,086 $won/m^3$. The highest cost activity was the yarding 14,557 $won/m^3$ (60.4% of the total cost), followed by the costs of processing 8,461 $won/m^3$ (35.2%) and then by the costs of felling 1,068 $won/m^3$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.2
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• pp.221-229
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• 2015

The purpose of study was to broaden our knowledge on the productivity and cost of thinning operations which has become increasingly practiced in Korea. The thinning operations were conducted in a 40-year old larch (Larix leptolepis) stand, including chainsaw felling and processing at the stump, followed by yarding tree-length logs using a Koller K301-4 tower yarder. The logs were further processed and sorted into 1.8 m and 3.6 m log piles at the landing. We used a standard time study method to evaluate key variables that affect the productivity of thinning operations. The total stump-to-pile operational cost was $41,707won/m^3$. The highest cost activity was the yarding phase which cost $20,083won/m^3$ (48.2% of the total cost), followed by the costs of processing treelength materials into marketable log lengths ($12,143won/m^3$; 29.1%), and then by the costs of sorting/piling the processed logs ($5,039won/m^3$; 12.1%). It was interesting to see that felling and processing trees at the stump had low costs at $1,315won/m^3$ (3.2%) and $3,127won/m^3$ (7.5%), respectively. We used the detailed time study data to develop regression equations which were to predict yarding productivity. Our analysis showed that harvesting system cost was highly sensitive to the number of logs, yarding distance and lateral distance per turn, respectively.