LEVELS OF INDUCED PRESSURE AND COMPACTION AS CAUSED BY FOREST HARVESTING OPERATIONS

Paula Cristina   Caruana Martins; Moacir   de Souza Dias Junior; Josemar   da Silva Carvalho; Arystides   Resende Silva; Sebastião   Machado Fonseca

LEVELS OF INDUCED PRESSURE AND COMPACTION AS CAUSED BY FOREST HARVESTING OPERATIONS

Autores

Paula Cristina Caruana Martins

Moacir de Souza Dias Junior

Josemar da Silva Carvalho

Arystides Resende Silva

Sebastião Machado Fonseca

Editor

Universidade Federal de Lavras

Descripción

This study aimed to determine levels of pressure and compaction induced by forest harvesting operations in a Red Latosol (LV) under planted eucalyptus. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from layers 0-3 and 15-18 cm and then used in a uniaxial compression test. Sampling was done before and after harvesting operations. Equipment being evaluated included: harvester, feller buncher, forwarder, self-loading adapted tractor, standard truck, wide-tire truck and grapple saw. Average pressures induced by the grapple saw were 320 kPa and 272 kPa, causing compaction in 80% and 20% of samples respectively from layers 0-3 cm and 15-18 cm, which indicates substantial degradation of soil structure in areas where timber is processed. In layer 0-3 cm, average pressures induced by the harvester and by the feller buncher were 240 kPa and 263 kPa respectively, while in layer 15-18 cm pressures were 234 kPa and 239 kPa respectively. The feller buncher caused higher soil compaction than the harvester in layer 0-3 cm, yet in layer 15-18 cm they had similar behavior. All timber forwarding equipment led to soil compaction. The wide-tire truck was the forwarding implement promoting the highest rate of compaction, in both residue conditions. Traffic intensity 7 promoted the highest rate of soil compaction.