96964 - Environmental Impact of Agricultural and Forest Mechanizations

Learning outcomes

At end of the course, the student will acquire the necessary knowledge on the operation and utilization of agricultural and forestry machinery. In particular, the student will be able to establish agro-forestry mechanization plans, choose machines and their combinations in relation to technological, cultural, structural, environmental and economic constraints.

Course contents

Module 1: Agricultural mechanization (60 h)

Elements of applied mechanics:

• machines
• mechanisms
• friction
• lubrication
• machine efficiency
• gears
• gear ratio
  

Hydraulic systems:

• machines
• components (tanks, pumps, valves, actuators)
• open and closed loop hydraulic circuits

Tractor:

• classification
• diesel engine
• transmissions
• three-point hitch
• hitch hooks
• PTO
• tractor stability
• traction and innovations

Digital agriculture:

• Sensors
• Signals
• Basic knowledge of Matlab programming language for:
• - analysis of the temperature of a weather station
  - web scraping of data from an online database to extract the evolution of agricultural machinery
  - analysis of tractor telemetry in order to extract the operating performance of agricultural machinery

Soil tillage:

• conventional tillage systems
• minimun tillage
• sod seeding

Forage harvesters and different harvester methods:

• machines for forage cutting
• conditioning
• harvesting

Harvesting machines for cereals:

• combines
• corn harvesters.

Sowing machines:

• mechanics
• pneumatic drills

Field visits: field visits in the didactic centre of Cadriano, field test of the different machines described in the module 1.

Seminars attended by engineers of agricultural machine manufacturers.

Module 2: Agricultural and Forestry Mechanization (20 h)

Introduction to forestry mechanization:

• Mechanization aims
• Factors affecting the development of forestry mechanization

Forestry mechanization, productivity, work system organization:

• Work systems
• Decision-making factors
• Mechanization levels
• Sustainable mechanisation models

Forestry mechanized operations:

• Felling, cutting, lopping, barking

Forestry tractor:

• Skidder
• Forwarder

Forest Operations Equipment:

• Equipment for felling and processing: chainsaw; debarking machine
• Timber handling equipment: skidding winch, forestry trailer, forestry crane, knuckleboom loaders

• Multifunction forestry machines: Feller; Feller buncher; Feller skidder; Processor; Harvester

Equipment for transporting suspended timber:

• Wire rope
• Standing skyline cable system

Other equipment Hedge mowers:

• Timber chipper and shredder
• Short Rotation Forestry harvesters

Elements of ergonomics and safety in machinery forestry use:

• Risks associated with use of machinery and equipment in the forestry work
• Risk assessment, and adaptation of machinery to legal requirements, Legislative Decree no. 81/2008

Readings/Bibliography

Suggested course materials:

• Lecture notes uploaded in virtuale.unibo.it.
• Biondi P., Meccanica agraria. Le macchine agricole. UTET, 1999
• Renius, K. T. Fundamentals of Tractor Design. Springer.
  Spinelli R. - Meccanizzazione forestale intermedia; Ed. Edagricole, Bologna
  
• Hippoliti G., Appunti di Meccanizzazione Forestale, Studio Editoriale Fiorentino, 1997.
• AA.VV. Uso di macchine complementari per la gestione dei boschi e della filiera legno, New Business Media, 2021.
• Matlab OnRamp courses: 
• - https://tinyurl.com/yc5vrcyx
• - https://tinyurl.com/3vcydsp5
• - https://tinyurl.com/37he7d5a

Discretionary course materials:

• Engineering Principles of Agricultural Machines, 2nd ed. St. Joseph, Michigan: ASABE, Copyright American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
• A. VV. Filiera Bosco-Legno-Energia, Elementi di Sicurezza sul Lavoro: Cippatrici, Gru a Cavo e Harvester, Servizio Sanitario della Toscana, 2014 (downloadable from http://www.regione.toscana.it/-/filiera-bosco-legno-energia-elementi-di-sicurezza-sul-lavoro-cippatrici-gru-a-cavo-e-harvester)

Teaching methods

Lectures in class, in soil mechanics laboratory and in computer laboratory.

Assessment methods

The final assessment will consist of two parts:

Group project
Students, organized in groups of up to three people, must identify a dataset of their choice and submit, at least 3 working days before the exam date:

• the dataset used;

• a Matlab code developed as a Live Script, properly commented, executable on computers other than the one used for development, and including interpretative comments on the graphs produced in the Live Script.

If students have difficulty identifying a suitable dataset, they are encouraged to contact the instructor for a preliminary discussion.
The project will be discussed during the oral exam.
The maximum score that can be awarded for the project is 20 points.
Detailed guidelines for preparing the project are available on virtuale.unibo.it.

Individual written exam

The exam will consist of two questions on topics related to the agro-forestry field, each worth up to 6 points.

Students wishing to take the examination in English are allowed.

Teaching tools

Instruments and lab material.

Office hours

See the website of Michele Mattetti

See the website of Bruno Franceschetti