Modeling the volume of a heap of logging residue drag formed by a forest rake

To collect or rake logging residues during timber harvesting or targeted removal of unwanted trees and shrubs, the technological process provides for a corresponding technological operation, which must be performed by specialized technical means under their common name «forest rakes». The relevance of the study is determined by the lack of modern scientific works evaluating such a key moment of achieving optimal productivity of forest rakes as identifying the volume of the logging residue pile formed by them. The purpose of the study is to develop a mathematical model for the formation of the volume of the logging residue pile in order to increase the efficiency of their raking by forest rakes. The object of the study was a forest rake with a broken profile of teeth of constant surface cross-section and the presence of safety devices, fixed to the front (mainly) or rear hitch of a Belarus-82.1 tractor. It has been revealed that the design parameters of forest rakes with a broken tooth profile (namely: the width and height of the rake, the lengths and angles of inclination of the upper and lower parts of the tooth), the parameters of logging residues raked by forest rakes (the largest size along the length or span of branches, the angle of internal friction, the sizes of the rollers of raked biomass on both sides of the forest rake) have a direct effect on the interaction of the forest rake with logging residues, forming the volume of the drag heap. It has been shown that the efficiency of raking logging residues by forest rakes largely depends on the productivity of their work, which depends on a set of influencing factors associated with the state of the removed (raked) and remaining (on the cleared territory) vegetation, the type of soil and terrain, the degree of pollution of the said territory. In order to increase the efficiency of raking forest rakes of logging residues, the authors of the study, based on the results of this work, proposed to identify the optimal values of their performance based on multifactor optimization of the design parameters of the forest rakes adopted in the study.

1. Dickens D., Morris L., Clabo D., Ogden L. Pine Straw Raking and Growth of Southern Pine: Review and Recommendations. Forests, 2020, vol. 11, art. no. 799. DOI: 10.3390/f11080799.

2. Elliot W., Rhee H. Impacts of Forest Biomass Operations on Forest Hydrologic and Soil Erosion Processes. Trees, Forests and People, 2022, vol. 7, art. no. 100186. DOI: 100186.10.1016/j.tfp.2021.100186.

3. Fernandez-Lacruz R., Edlund M., Bergström D., Lindroos O. Productivity and profitability of harvesting overgrown roadside verges – a Swedish case study. International Journal of Forest Engineering, 2020, vol. 32, рр. 1-10. DOI: 10.1080/14942119.2020.1822664.

4. Fokin S., Shportko O., Druchinin D. On shredding of wood raw materials with knives of different designs. BIO Web of Conferences, 2024, vol. 145, art. no. 03012. DOI: 10.1051/bioconf/202414503012.

5. Garren A., Bolding M., Barrett S., Aust W.M., Coates T.A. Characteristics of forest biomass harvesting operations and markets in Virginia. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2022, vol. 163, art. no. 106501. DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2022.106501.

6. Kunickaya O., Zyryanov M., Medvedev S., Mokhriev A., Spiridonova A., Perfiliev P., Teppoev A. Efficient Technologies for Harvesting and Reutilizing Logging Residues in Russia: A Sustainable Forestry Approach. Mathematical Modelling of Engineering Problems, 2024, vol. 11, рр. 745-753. DOI: 10.18280/mmep.110319.

7. Kühmaier M., Grünberg J. The Relevance of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Timber Harvesting from the Perspective of Different Stakeholders. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 2025, vol. 44, рр. 1-21. DOI: 10.1080/10549811.2025.2513229.

8. Laitila J., Väätäinen K. Productivity of harvesting and clearing of brushwood alongside forest roads. Silva Fennica, 2020, vol. 54, iss. 5, art. no. 21. DOI: 10.14214/sf.10379.

9. Laitila J., Väätäinen K. Productivity and cost of harvesting overgrowth brushwood from roadsides and field edges. International Journal of Forest Engineering, 2021, vol. 32, iss. 2, pp. 140–154. DOI: 10.1080/14942119.2021.1903790.

10. Louis L.T., Daigneault A., Kizha A.R. Constraints and opportunities in harvesting woody biomass: perspectives of foresters and loggers in the Northeastern United States. International Journal of Forest Engineering, 2024, vol. 35, рр. 1–16. DOI: 10.1080/14942119.2023.2299158.

11. Louis L.T., Kizha A.R., Daigneault A., Han H.-S., Weiskittel A. Factors Affecting Operational Cost and Productivity of Ground-Based Timber Harvesting Machines: a Meta-analysis. Current Forestry Reports, 2022, vol. 8, pp. 38–54. DOI: 10.1007/s40725-021-00156-5.

12. Maganov I.A., Tikhonov E.A., Petrusha S.V., Trushevsky P.V., Morkovin V.A., Kunickaya O.A. Study of the energy balance of forest terminals operating on biofuel energy sources. Forestry Engineering Journal, 2024, vol. 14, iss. 3, рр. 5-22. DOI: 10.34220/issn.2222-7962/2024.3/1. (In Russ.)

13. Mcgookin C., Charchi N., Mendonça A., Beretta S., Ellis N. Green waste, an untapped energy source? Reviewing the prospect of green waste as a biomass energy source. Cleaner Waste Systems, 2025, vol. 11, art. no. 100273. DOI: 10.1016/j.clwas.2025.100273.

14. Morais G.F. de, Santos J.d.S.G., Han D., Filho L.O.R., Xavier M.G.B., Schimidt L., de Souza H.D., de Castro F.T., de Souza-Esquerdo V.F., Albiero D. Agricultural Machinery Adequacy for Handling the Mombaça Grass Biomass in Agroforestry Systems. Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, art. no. 1416. DOI: 10.3390/agriculture13071416.

15. Nilsson D., Grönlund Ö. Productivity and cost of harvesting roadside brushwood and small trees in Sweden: a simulation study. International Journal of Forest Engineering, 2024, vol. 35, iss. 1, pр. 1-14. DOI: 10.1080/14942119.2024.2336686.

16. Platonov A.A. Forest rakes: purpose, scope, classification. Forestry Bulletin, 2023, vol. 27, iss. 6, pp. 139-150. DOI: 10.18698/2542-1468-2023-6-139-150. (In Russ.)

17. Ryabukhin P.B., Kunitskaya O.A., Grigorieva O.I. Justification of technological processes and machine systems for logging operations. IVUZ. Forestry journal, 2023, vol. 2 (392), рр. 88-105. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2023-2-88-105. (In Russ.)

18. Trushevsky P.V., Dolzhikov I.S., Grigoriev I.V., Grigorieva O.I., Revyako S.I., Baranov A.N. Determination of the available stock of logging residues in the felling area after clear-cutting using Scandinavian technology. Resources and Technology, 2024, vol. 21, iss. 3, рр. 57-74. DOI: 10.15393/j2.art.2024.7863. (In Russ.)

19. Yoshimura T., Suzuki Y., Sato N. Application of System Dynamics Simulation to Assess System Productivity of Forest Harvesting Systems: A Case Study from Japan. Forests, 2025, vol. 16, iss. 5, art. no. 734. DOI: 10.3390/f16050734.