Testing of revolutionary
roundwood haulage rig in Sweden
Claes Löfroth & Gunnar Svenson
Testing of a revolutionary roundwood haulage rig is now under way. The rig is 30 m in length, and has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 90 tonnes. On two round trips, the volume of roundwood that this rig can haul is equivalent to that carried by three conventional haulage rigs. This reduces costs and CO2 emissions, and also contributes towards enhanced road safety.
After several years of planning and development work, testing of the first ETT (One more pile) roundwood haulage rig started operating in January 2009. Testing will continue over a three-year period.
According to our study figures, both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions should be reduced by 20–25%.
The rigid truck was manufactured by Volvo Trucks, and the trailer units by Parator. The latest technology and grades of Swedish steel have been used in the construction of the rig to keep the unladen weight as low as possible.
Skogforsk is analysing costs, production, fuel consumption, and environmental impact. The Swedish Roads Administration is monitoring road safety, road wear, and the load on bridges, and will also be assessing the reaction from the general public to longer and heavier haulage rigs on the roads.