Simulation of harvester productivity in selective and boom-corridor thinning of young forests

Abstract

Forest management practices may change in the future, due to increases in the extraction of forest fuel in first thinnings. Simulation models can be used to aid in developing new harvesting systems. We used such an approach to assess the productivity of innovative systems in various thinnings of young stands with wide ranges of mean breast height diameter (1.5–15.6 cm), stems per hectare (1000–19,100), and mean height (2.3–14.6 m).

The results show that selective multiple-tree-handling increases productivity by 20–46% compared to single-tree-handling. If the trees are cut in boom-corridors (10×1 or 2 m strips between strip roads), productivity increases up to 41%, compared to selective multiple-tree-handling. Moreover, if the trees are felled using area-based felling systems, productivity increases by 33–199%, compared to selective multiple-tree-handling. For any given harvesting intensity, productivity increased the most in the densest stands with small trees.

The results were used to derive time consumption functions. Comparisons with time study results suggest that our simulation model successfully mimicked productivity in real-life forest operations, hence the model and derived functions should be useful for cost calculations and evaluating forest management scenarios in diverse stands.     

Continuous felling of small diameter trees in boom-corridors with a prototype felling head

Abstract

Simulations of the continuous felling of trees in boom-corridors have suggested that it may be possible to increase harvester productivity by a factor of 2.4 when thinning young dense stands. A prototype boom-tip mounted felling head for harvesting in this fashion was therefore built and tested in the field. Using the new head, stands with a density of 10,000 trees ha^?1 and a mean diameter at breast height (dbh) of 7 cm were felled at a speed of 0.4 m s^?1, with an efficiency of 3.5 s tree^?1. The felling speed was limited by the speed of movement of the harvester crane's boom. However, additional tests suggested that the new head could be operated at felling speeds of up to 1.3 m s^?1 when cutting trees with dbh values of up to 8 cm. The simulation that prompted this study focused on multiple felling with the crane in continuous motion at speeds of 1 m s^?1; the results obtained in this work suggest that the new felling head is capable of sustaining these speeds and so further technical development of the design (e.g. to incorporate accumulating functionality) is warranted.     

Comparison of two harvesting systems for the production of forest biomass from the thinning of Picea abies plantations

Abstract

This study compares two principally different harvesting systems used for the thinning of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] plantations in the Alps. The first system was whole-tree harvesting (WTH), producing only whole-tree chips for energy purposes. This system minimizes the production costs by simplifying the harvesting process. The other system was cut-to-length (CTL) mechanical harvesting with an excavator-based harvester. This system maximizes value recovery by producing both short sawlogs and quality fuel chips. Trials were conducted on two similar sites in the Dolomites, in northern Italy, and demonstrated that the CTL system resulted in slightly higher harvesting costs, and also higher revenue. The price differences between the different products determine which system offers the best economic results. If the delivered price of sawlogs does not exceed [euro]25 t^?1, WTH and CTL harvesting offer very similar economic performances, and become profitable only if the delivered price of raw chip wood exceeds [euro]40 t^?1. If the delivered price of sawlogs increases to [euro]50 t^?1, the mechanized CTL system always becomes preferable, and it will turn some profits when the price of raw biomass exceeds [euro]35 t^?1. The CTL system is less sensitive to long extraction and transport distances than the WTH system.     

Simulation Study of a Single-grip Harvester in Thinning from Below and Thinning from Above

Abstract

The time consumption and productivity of a single-grip harvester were studied, using a simulation model, when thinning from below and above in eight randomly selected stands. The model estimated the time required for each work element, given machine and tree positions, and tree size. A 2×5 factorial design was used with factors thinning type [from below (T_b) and above (T_a)] and tree size. Trees were subjectively selected for harvest according to thinning type. Total basal area removal was 30% plot^?1. Approximately 50% more trees were harvested in T_b than in T_a Time consumption tree^?1 was higher for T_a than T_b. Time consumption for machine and boom movements decreased with increasing number of harvested trees, and time for felling and processing of trees increased with harvested mean stem volume. Harvester productivity was 36% higher for T_a, since the increase in harvested mean stem volume was higher than the increase in time consumption tree^?1.     

Effect of thinning on growth of Acer velutinum Boiss. in northern forests of Iran

It has become necessary to develop stands of fast growing endemic species in the Caspian forests because of their reduction in area and the domestic demand of timber processing industries in Iran. Acer velutinum, an en- demic species in Iran, is often planted in monocultures or in a mixture with other endemic species. Our study was con- ducted on A. velutinum planted in Berenjestanak （control plots） and Chaibagh （thinned plots） in northern Iran in 1991. A randomized sampling method with circular sampling plots of 100 m2 was used to measure diameter and height of trees. The results show that the diameter of trees in thinned stands was 19.98 cm and in the control stands 13.84 cm, while the mean heights were 18.33 and 17.46 m, respectively. The mean basal area in thinned stands was 30.74 m2 and in the control 15.70 m2 per ha. The results of Student＇s t tests indicate that there are significant differences at a probability level of 99.9% between the two variously treated stands in diameter （d）, height （h）, basal area, volume growth and the stabil- ity coefficient. We conclude that tending operations with suitable intensity in different time periods are recommended to obtain stable stands.     

Effects of five tree-selection strategies when thinning spruce (Picea abies) stands: a case study in a field trail in southern Sweden

The aim of this study was to show the effects of five tree-selection strategies when thinning on quality and growth properties of Norway spruce stands, and their potential for improving quality in the stands. The five strategies were thinning to retain high-quality (HQ) and low-quality (LQ) trees, thinning from above (A) and below (B) and thinning to obtain an even distribution of residual trees (S). The study was conducted in two planted stands close to rotation age, located in southern Sweden, which had been thinned twice since the establishment of the thinning experiment. In the two quality-based treatments trees were selected for harvest on the basis of the following growth and quality traits: tree class, vitality, dbh, height, straightness, branch diameter and quality defects. The quality traits were found to be largely independent of tree size, thus the selection strategies based solely on dbh (A and B) did not improve quality within the stands. Thinning targeting HQ traits promoted the retention and growth of HQ trees, and improved overall quality of the stands compared to the other treatments. HQ thinning increased the share of straight trees by 15%, on average. Significant proportions of stem crooks and quality defects detected before the first thinning were invisible 21 years after it. All thinned stands had higher proportions of naturally pruned trees than unthinned stands. The selection method had no influence on periodic annual increment after thinning.     

Impact of number of stems per stool on mechanical harvesting of a Eucalyptus globulus coppiced plantation in south-west Western Australia

Coppice regeneration of eucalypt plantations is increasingly being used in Australia to reduce re-establishment costs. However, little is known about the impact of early coppice reduction regimes on harvester performance during clearfelling. The trial compared the productivity, time consumption, cost and fuel use of a single-grip harvester (Hyundai 210LC-9 base and SP 591LX harvesting head) clearfelling a 10.5-year-old, second-rotation coppiced Eucalyptus globulus stand in south-west Western Australia for chip logs. Coppice stems had been reduced to one stem or two stems per stool or left untreated. Time and piece counts were used to determine harvester productivity. Harvester cycle and elemental times and the number of logs and harvester head passes per stem were obtained from video recordings. Harvester fuel use was determined by refilling the fuel tank to the same point each day. Stem size was the major factor influencing harvester productivity (20.8 m3 per productive machine hour without delays [PMH₀], 11.8 m³ PMH₀^?1 and 8.6 m³ PMH₀^?1 in the single-stem (mean stem volume [MSV] 0.21 m³), two-stem (MSV 0.09 m³) and untreated trial areas (MSV 0.06 m³), respectively. Estimated harvester cost (AU$ m^–3) was considerably greater for the two-stem and untreated trial areas, which reflected the lower harvester productivity in these areas. Processing time represented over 60% of the total cycle time for all trial areas. Coppice characteristics resulted in significantly different moving/positioning times between trial areas. However, this difference had no impact on cycle times. Number of logs per stem was a significant variable in cycle and processing time regressions for all trial areas and felling time for the single-stem trial area. Number of harvester head passes was a significant variable in cycle and processing time regressions for the single-stem trial area and processing times for the two-stem trial area, although its effect was less than that of the number of logs per stem. Fuel consumption (L PMH₀^?1) was relatively constant between the trial areas, hence harvester energy intensity (L m^?3) reflected the harvester productivity in each trial area.     

Effects of thinning on plant species diversity and composition of understory herbs in a larch plantation

The effects of thinning on plant species diversity and composition of understory herbs in a larch plantation were investigated. The relationships between plant species diversity and composition of understory herbs and light conditions were established. Twenty-five 1 m × 1 m plots and fifteen 13 m × 1 m transects were set up in unthinned and thinned stands, respectively. All the transects in the thinned stands were set across the thinned rows and unthinned rows, and each of them was divided into nine 1 m × 1 m sub-plots. The herb diversity and light conditions were observed in each plot and sub-plot. The results show that there was a significant difference in herb diversity between the thinned and unthinned stands. All biodiversity indices except for evenness index in the thinned stand were higher than those of the unthinned stand, i.e., the herb diversity increased after thinning. According to the changes in herb densities and whether one species could be found in a stand or not before and after thinning, all herb species were classed into three types: positive, neutral and negative species, which referred to a species newly appeared and having an obviously increased density after thinning, with no obvious changes in its appearance and density after thinning, and disappeared and having an obviously decreased density after thinning, respectively. Many new species were found in the thinned stand like Corydalis pallida, Prenanthes tatarinowii, Vicia unijuga and Sonchus brachyotus etc. However, most species found in both the thinned and unthinned stands were negative species. In all nine subplots, only 11 and 10 species were found in spring and in autumn respectively, accounting for 17.74% and 15.15% of all the species in the thinned stand, respectively. All biodiversity indices were the highest in the center sub-plots and most of them tended to reduce from middle to side sub-plots. There was a close correlation between most of the three types of species and light conditions which was similar to each other in the thinned and unthinned stands. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2006, 25(10): 1201–1207 [译自: 生态学杂志]     

Natural thinning and structural patterns of intermediate cutting intensity in a Cunninghamia lanceolata stand

In the intermediate cutting intensity experiment of a Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation for 20 years, the changing pattern of natural thinning in these stands, with different intermediate cutting intensities, was studied. The relationship between the number of trees removed by natural thinning and stand density and site conditions was explained. The mathematical equation M = K ₁·K ₂ of natural thinning lines of C. lanceolata stand density management maps was tested and the relationship of diameter, height and canopy structure of stands with different intermediate cutting intensities are proposed. Our study of natural thinning in these stands indicates that the starting and peak periods of natural thinning in the check and slightly thinned plots were both early. The amount of thinned wood was large and the course of thinning proceeded continuously. The three levels of thinning: the slight thinning period, the intensive thinning period and the continued thinning period could be divided on the basis of the amount of thinned wood. Natural thinning would be a very long process without artificial interference. The starting and peak periods of thinning in the middle and strong intermediate felling are both late and present intermittence. Their thinning stages were not clearly evident. Through our studies, we also discovered that stand density and site conditions had important effects on the number of dead and dying trees, but that density was more important than site conditions. By way of tests, the relative error of the mathematical equation of natural thinning lines of C. lanceolata stand density management maps was 3.91% and the precision was relatively high. The practical test results of the stands, given different intermediate cutting intensities and different site indices, show that the relative error of the check plots was 5.23%, while the relative errors of the other tested items were all < 5%, well within the allowable experimental error. The mathematical equation was comparatively practical. The study demonstrated the distribution laws of diameter and height classes of the stand at different intermediate cutting intensities. From this study we also obtained the growth differences and changing dynamics of the height to the first branch, canopy length and relative canopy height of the stand at different intermediate cutting intensities and various related patterns with an increase of stand age and proposed a mathematical model relating stand age and the single-tree periodic volume increment. __________ Translated from Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2006, 42(1): 55–62 [[译自: 林业科学]     

Effect of forest thinning on soil net nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in a Cryptomeria japonica plantation in Taiwan

We investigated the effect of forest thinning on soil nitrogen mineralization, nitrification and transformation in a Cryptomeria japonica plantation at high elevation to provide basic data for forest management. We chose four study plots for control, light, medium and heavy thinning treatment, and three sub-plots for buried bag studies at similar elevations in each treatment plot to measure the net N mineralization and nitrification rates in situ. The contents of soil inorganic N(ammonium and nitrate) were similar between treatments, but all varied with season, reaching maxima in September 2003 and 2004. The seasonal maximum net Nmin rates after four treatments were 0.182, 0.246, 0.303 and 0.560 mg·kg-1·d-1 in 2003, and 0.242,0.258,0.411 and 0.671 mg·kg-1·d-1in 2004, respectively. These estimates are approximate with the lower annual rates of N mineralization for this region. Forest thinning can enhance net N mineralization and microbial biomass carbon. The percentage of annual rates of Nmin for different levels of forest thinning compared with the control plot were 13.4%, 59.8% and 154.2% in 2003, and 0.1%, 58.8% and 157.7% in 2004 for light, medium, and heavy thinning, respectively. These differences were related to soil moisture, temperature, precipitation, and soil and vegetation types. Well-planned multi-site comparisons, both located within Taiwan and the East-Asia region, could greatly improve our knowledge of regional patterns in nitrogen cycling.     

Results of a thinning study in a black stain (Leptographium wageneri)‐infested Jeffrey/ponderosa pine forest in northern California

Black stain root disease (BSRD) caused by Leptographium wageneri var. ponderosum (Verticicladiella wageneri) is a destructive disease in many Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) and ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa) forests of the western United States. Overcrowding is a pervasive problem in these forests, unless alleviated by thinning. In an overcrowded BSRD‐infested second‐growth Jeffrey/ponderosa pine forest in northern California, a large study (16.2 hr; 40 acres) was designed to determine the impact of thinning to four levels—6.9 m²/ha (30 ft²/acre), 13.8 m²/ha (60 ft²/acre), and 20.7 m²/ha (90 ft²/acre) of basal area and a control with no thinning—on the incidence of BSRD‐caused mortality. Ten years after this experiment was initiated, results indicate that thinning to any of these levels lowered the incidence of BSRD‐caused mortality as compared with BSRD‐caused mortality in unthinned control plots.     

Effect of stand density and humus removal on regeneration of Pinus densiflora seedlings in a mixed conifer and broad-leaved forest

We studied the impact of stand density and forest floor humus removal on regeneration of Pinus densiflora in a mixed conifer and broad-leaved forest on the Daimonji-Yama Mountain,Kyoto,Japan.Three levels of stand density were set,i.e.,a clear-cut site,a heavily thinned site and a lightly thinned site.In each density treatment,comparisons were carried out between humus removal (A 0 -free)and humus intact(A 0 -intact)subplots.We counted the emergence of sown pine seeds and measured survival and growth of pine seedlings over the next four years.In addition,light conditions and the recovery of understory were monitored.Results show that thinning intensity and humus removal promoted the establishment and growth of seedlings.One exception,however,was that seedling growth was minimal in the heavily thinned A 0 -intact subplots.This was due to a strong response of understory vegetation growth on the treatment combination,which hindered the pine seedling growth.Furthermore,we found that the canopy openness measured at 1.3-m height remained at least 35%for the heavily thinned site in 2008.The results suggest that the removal of the A 0 layer after heavy thinning is the most effective and labor-saving operation for P.densiflora regeneration.     

Wind profiles in a coastal forest of Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) with different thinning intensities

Simultaneous measurements of windspeed were made outside and inside a pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) coastal forest with different thinning intensities. Synchronously, optical stratification porosity (OSP), which is defined as vertical distribution of the proportion of sky hemisphere not obscured by tree elements inside a forest stand, was estimated using hemispherical silhouettes in each treatment area. Based on the observations, the frequency distribution of velocity, turbulence intensity, wind profile, and the corresponding relationships of these respective parameters with the vertical forest structure (OSP) were examined and compared among the treatment areas. A normal distribution of wind velocity was observed at the lower zone of the forest stand in all treatment areas. The turbulence intensity, the highest value of which was found near the canopy, changed greatly with height, wind velocity, and treatment, and decreased with windspeed and increased with the thinning intensity. It was found that the exponential relationship between windspeed and height could be used to describe the wind profiles within the canopy of the coastal forest. The results demonstrate that the attenuation coefficient of the wind profile corresponds to the grade of thinning intensities. The wind patterns in a coastal forest with different thinning intensities are related to the vertical forest structure, particularly, wind profiles within the canopy are closely correlated with the distribution of OSP. The results indicate that wind profiles can be estimated simply based on the measurement of OSP with a very high coefficient of determination. Reciprocally, the estimation of OSP can also be obtained from the measurement of wind profile. Portions of this paper were presented at the 111st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Forestry Society. Appreciation is due to Professor Masashi Yamamoto, Mr. Kenji Sakioka, Mr. Takahiro Yoshida, Mr. Hirotaka Yamazaki, Mr. Yasunori Hasegawa and the members of the Sabo Division of the Faculty of Agriculture of Niigata University for their help in collecting the field data and in constructing the observation towers.     

Non-structural carbohydrate levels of three co-occurring understory plants and their responses to forest thinning by gap creation in a dense pine plantation

We investigated non-structural carbohydrates(NSC) levels and components(starch,glucose,fructose and sucrose) in the leaves of three typical co-occurring forestfloor plants,moss Eurhynchium savatieri(ES),fern Parathelypteris nipponica(PN) and forb Aruncus sylvester(AS) in a 30-year-old Chinese pine(Pinus tabulaeformis)plantation forest on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.We also explored their responses to three gap creation treatments(control and two gap creations of 80 and 110 m2) based on NSC levels.PN had the highest leaf NSC level of the three plants,with AS second and ES lowest.Starch was the predominant component of NSC and the contents of glucose were higher than those of fructose or sucrose for all three species.The NSC level of ES in intermediate gaps was significantly higher than at control sites.PN also had higher NSC levels in both small and intermediate gaps than in control sites.But the differences between treatments were not obvious for AS.Our results suggest that ES and PN benefit from gap formation while the two species have different NSC response sensitivities to gap size,but the leaf NSC level of AS is less sensitive to the disturbance.     

Estimation of genetic gain and diversity under various genetic thinning scenarios in a breeding seed orchard of Quercus acutissima

Genetic gain and diversity were estimated based on three simulated thinning scenarios at various thinning intensities in a breeding seed orchard of Quercus acutissima. The seed orchard was composed of 32 families with 744 individual trees with volume at age 15. The three thinning scenarios were individual thinning (IT) which thinning was based on the individual performance, family thinning (FT) with the removal of inferior families regardless of individual performance, and family + within family thinning (FWF) with family first and then individual from inferior families. The genetic gain was estimated based on stem volume. Expected genetic gain (volume at age 15) under IT was higher than FT and FWF at all thinning intensities. The FWF provided higher genetic gain than FT but lower than IT. The FT gave the lowest genetic gain compared to the other thinning scenarios at all thinning intensities. The loss of gene diversity (GD), estimated by coancestry and family size, was higher under FWF and lower under FT at moderate thinning intensities. The study showed that genetic gain estimation and GD loss were inversely coupled. The IT gave highest genetic gain but lowest GD at the highest thinning intensity.     

Growth and thinning effects during a rotation period of hybrid aspen in southern Sweden

Hybrid aspen is an interesting tree species for wood production in northern Europe. In this study we examined growth dynamics over the whole rotation period. Height and diameter development, as well as annual growth of stem volume and stem biomass, were repeatedly recorded in 14 planted and 2 root sucker stands, aged up to 26 years, in southern Sweden. A main aim was to study the productivity level for hybrid aspen forestry with an expected rotation period of about 25 years. The study verified earlier prognoses, showing a mean annual increment (MAI) of 19.5 m³ of stem wood ha^?1 yr^?1 after 25 years. This corresponds to a dry weight of stem biomass of 7.2 tons dry matter (DM) ha^?1 yr^?1. Maximum MAI was still not reached after 25 years, although the growth curve was flattening out. If branch biomass is included, MAI is estimated to about 9 tons DM ha^?1 yr^?1 and further improvements in growth is expected by using the best genotypically selected clones available. Results from three different thinning regimens showed that thinning intensity provided significantly larger diameter growth, while no significant yield effects were seen among the thinning regimens.     

A productivity model for first thinning of Pinus patula using a tractor and double-drum winch in South Africa

The productivity of skidding tractors in intermediate harvesting operations has not been determined in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The objective of this study was to develop a productivity model using a farm tractor in first thinning operations in Pinus patula compartments. A work study design was used to assess the performance of a skidding agricultural tractor. From 350 samples, important data variables collected were elemental times for each work cycle, extraction distance, slope and load volume. Stepwise and subsets regression analyses were conducted prior to multiple linear regression analysis. Analysis of variance was used to compare mean productivity estimates of the different models developed. Results showed that the best model was estimated by an interaction of distance × slope (ds), distance × load volume (dv) and slope × load volume (sv) as follows: ln(?₂) = 1.33–0.00154ds + 0.00174dv + 0.161sv. The mean estimate for this model was 5.036 m³ m h^?1. The developed models predicted similar results to estimation results of the observed model, although there were statistically significant (P < 0.001) differences among mean estimates (3.6–5.5 m³ m h^?1). All of the three models yielded R²_adj. = 38%; SE = 0.458% at P < 0.001. It can be speculated that the remaining variation not explained by the models may be associated with long extraction distances, delays and the effect of slope as a main variable in the model. While the developed models mirrored reasonably well with the observed estimates of skidding productivity, these models should not be stretched to conditions dissimilar to those of their generation. Future research focus should be made on (1) effects of weather conditions and vehicular characteristics on skidding productivity and (2) the effect of winching lines on skidding productivity.     

Effects of commercial thinning,log position in the stem,and cutting width on the surface quality of cants produced by a chipper-canter

Fifteen stems of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) of 3 commercial thinned plots (control, moderate, and intensive thinning) and 15 stems of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P), both coming from the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region – Canada, were cross-cut into three 2.4?m length sections: bottom, middle, and top logs. Logs were processed with a chipper-canter at three cutting widths (12.7, 19.1, and 25.4?mm), producing chips and a three-faced cant. The middle section of the cant was used to evaluate surface quality across the grain on each face. Roughness and waviness parameters and depth of torn grain were recorded. Knot characteristics were assessed in the three cant faces. Poorer surface quality was found in the lower part compared to the upper part of the cant for both species. At larger cutting widths, jack pine logs coming from a natural stand showed lower surface quality compared to logs from thinned stands. Black spruce waviness increased with the cutting width and stem height. These results were attributed to the increase of forces and vibration when cutting at larger cutting widths, which was worsened by the presence of bigger, more numerous knots at the control plot and in the top logs. Black spruce had deeper torn grain compared to jack pine. Their differences in knot characteristics resulted in a maximum torn grain depth favored by the presence of more knots rather than by bigger knot size. Other knot characteristics, such as the position of the knots in the cant face, the insertion angle of the branch and the distribution of the knots around the log, should be studied to better understand the relationship between torn grain formation and knottiness.     

木质阻尼复合结构中填充多孔材料的隔声性能分析

【目的】利用吸声材料的吸声降噪机制、隔声材料的隔声降噪机制和阻尼材料的阻尼降噪机制,将3种降噪材料以一定形式复合,获得一种兼具吸声、隔声和阻尼性能的新型木质阻尼复合隔声材料,以改善木质材料隔声性能,拓宽木质材料和阻尼材料的应用范围。【方法】先将中密度纤维板(MDF)与橡胶材料在压板温度100 ℃、单位压力3 MPa、加压时间10 min、涂胶量64 g ·m^-2 的工艺条件下进行复合,再利用白乳胶将获得的木质阻尼复合材料与吸声材料粘接,采用小混响室-消声箱法测试复合结构隔声性能,探讨中密度纤维板(MDF)厚度、多孔材料厚度、填充方式、多孔材料种类和阻尼结构等因素对隔声性能的影响。【结果】木质阻尼复合结构中填充聚酯纤维、玻璃纤维和三聚氰胺吸声棉3种不同多孔吸声材料时,在整个频率段,3条隔声性能曲线趋于一致,区别不明显,从减轻复合结构质量及环保角度出发,选择三聚氰胺吸声棉作为填充多孔材料。多孔材料填充方式(BB:利用白乳胶将多孔材料直接粘贴在上下表板上,不含空气层;UU:多孔材料与上下表板不粘接,通过一定厚度空气层分离;BU:多孔材料一侧粘贴在上表板上,另一侧与下表板通过空气层分隔)对复合结构隔声性能具有较大影响,其中BU结构的隔声性能较优。吸声材料与空气层相配合,在不增加复合结构厚度和质量的前提下,可有效提高复合结构的隔声性能,当吸声材料填满空腔时,反而不利于复合结构隔声性能的提高。多孔材料与空气层阻抗不匹配,会增加声波传播途径,声能被损耗。在最佳填充结构的基础上,随着多孔材料厚度从5 mm增加到15 mm,复合结构的隔声性能增加。在低频,共振频率处的隔声性能增加;在临界频率处,多孔材料厚度增加,抑制复合材料的吻合效应,吻合谷变浅,隔声性能增加。MDF厚度增加,复合结构的面密度和刚度增大,可增加复合结构中低频的隔声性能。阻尼结构设计对复合结构隔声性能具有很大影响,自由阻尼结构的耗散能量较小,特别是低频减振效果较差;约束阻尼结构受到振动时,约束层的伸长远远小于黏弹性阻尼层,约束层会阻碍阻尼层的伸长运动;当阻尼层受到压缩时,约束层又会阻碍阻尼层的压缩变形。在阻尼层内除产生拉压变形外,还会产生剪切变形,从而起到比自由阻尼处理更大的耗散振动能作用,阻尼降噪能力更强,可更有效抑制复合结构的共振频率及吻合效应。【结论】表板厚度为6 mm,约束阻尼结构,多孔材料的填充形式为BU结构,填充10 mm三聚氰胺吸声棉和 5 mm 空气层,复合结构的隔声性能较优。     

Subsurface discharge and suspended sediment yield interactions in a valley head of a small forested watershed

Sediment hield caused by hydraulic agents is believed to be one of the most important geomorphic processes in headwaters. Observations of shallow groundwater levels and suspended sediment yield were used to develop relationships between subsurface discharge and sediment movement in a valley head of a small forested watershed in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Drainage capacity of the soil was closely correlated with subsurface soil movement in the valley head. An increase in subsurface discharge associated with an increase in the drainage capacity of the soil depended heavily on the discharge of fine-grained particles originating from the soil. Clogging created by the fine-grained particles in the soil caused a decrease in subsurface discharge associated with the decline in the drainage capacity. In addition, neither the drainage capacity of the soil nor subsurface discharge changed because of the sediment unavailability within the subsurface flow system. Accordingly, as shown by the changes in the drainage capacity of the sedimentary soil, subsurface discharge and suspended sediment yield from the valley head showed strong interactions.