Current Research
These project form part of the Forest Operations Project at Stellenbosch University, jointly funded by York Timbers, Mondi and Sappi.
SU First Thursday Presentation Videos
SU First Thursday Presentation Videos
Stellenbosch University Forestry hosts a webinar series on the first Thursday of each month covering a wide variety of topics related to forest operations and other forestry issues. The archive recordings of these presentations are presented here.
SU-FOR First Thursday - Unlocking CANBUS data to understand fuel burn and carbon emissions
Since 2019 he is a PhD student, his PhD project is focusing on the eco-efficiency of salvage logging and wood transportation logistics in complex scenarios and the rule of primary and secondary
road network.
Alberto Cadei has authored and co-authored 7 papers (3 are indexed in Scopus/WoS); he co-supervised 7 degree thesis related to Forest Operations in non-ordinary conditions and the use of long-term monitoring. Additionally, he is the Technical Director of CONAIBO (National Association of Logging Contractors).
Alberto is part of a collaborative EU project - Carbon smart forestry under climate change (CARE4C) combines high level expertise and state of the art research in the context of carbon management in forests with advanced career building qualification by teaching, training, and involving ESR's. In a changing climate, we see the challenge that forestry needs to contribute to a low carbon-emitting society. Whilst forests sequester carbon, they simultaneously release carbon during forest operations. CARE4C aims at substantially expanding knowledge about carbon sink by forest growth and carbon source by forest operations in order to enable carbon smart forestry under climate change. He will be presenting the concepts and some work he has done regarding his PhD project.[+] Show More
![SU-FOR First Thursday - "Mapping the SA Forestry Supply Chain" - Jennimi Laubscher [3/2/2022]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XL9CiVvDK_o/mqdefault.jpg)
Progress report on current research – 2019
This document contains summaries of three student projects (two Masters and one intern) recently completed or in progress under the supervision of Prof. Pierre Ackerman and Simon Ackerman. These project form part of the Forest Operations Project at Stellenbosch University, jointly funded by York Timbers, Mondi and Sappi.
Project 1: Multi-product forwarder based softwood timber extraction: Time consumption and productivity analysis of two forwarder models over multiple products and extraction distances
Kayla Gagliardi
Project 2: Unlocking the potential of harvester on board computer data in the South African Forestry value chain
Marius Terblanche
Project 3: Ergonomic risks assessment of manual and moto-manual pruning methods of Pinus patula stands in KZN Midlands in South Africa
Zimbili Sibiya
Technical papers
Multi-product forwarder based softwood timber extraction: Time consumption and productivity analysis of two forwarder models over multiple products and extraction distance
This study continues to build upon the database of average time consumption and productivity models of forwarder machines in mechanised CTL operations in South African pine sawtimber plantations. The aim of this study was to calculate the time consumption,...
A comparison of two methods of data collection for modelling productivity of harvesters: manual time study and follow-up study using on-board-computer stem records
This study explored the relationship between the productivity produced using two methods of data collection: Time Study - manual Time Study following the Standards for Time Studies for the South African Forest Industry and Stem File - using the machine archive data in...
Skills development of mechanised softwood sawtimber cut-to-length harvester operators on the Highveld of South Africa
In this study, a South African pine saw-timber mechanised cut-to-length harvesting operation was analysed with the main objective of describing and modelling productivity development learning curves of beginner operators in both clear-felling and thinning operations....
Diesel consumption and the carbon balance in South African pine clear-felling CTL operations: a preliminary case study
This study aims to determine the carbon balance of South African plantations by assessing the emissions associated with mechanised CTL harvesting and comparing these to the carbon stored in the logs harvested. The objectives are as follows: Estimate diesel and...
Cost-productivity analysis of South African pine sawtimber mechanised cut-to-length harvesting
A time study of a mechanised cut-to-length system was conducted in Pinus elliottii sawtimber plantations in the Southern Cape forestry region of South Africa. A harvester and a forwarder were studied with the objectives of finding average productivity across the work...
Effect of slope on productivity and cost of Eucalyptus pulpwood harvesting using purpose-built and excavator-based machines
This study sets out to see if the slope can affect mechanized cut-to-length harvester operations’ productivity and harvesting cost. To test this assumption, two different harvesters were applied to the study: an excavator-based machine (EBM) (Volvo EC210BF) and a...
Operation review of brushcutter nylon wear for two different nylon diameters from two different manufacturers
The study was commissioned to test the durability, productivity and fuel consumption of different nylons used on brush cutters. Two nylons were identified, paired (by diameter) and tested in one trial (per nylon diameter) fitted randomly to two brush cutters. The...