Researcher of the month is Kari Väätäinen

1 September, 2010 - 13:06

 

Kari Väätäinen is currently working at Antti Asikainen's forest technology research group at Metla. He is a researcher in Less is more project, which belongs to the research program EffTech (Intelligent, resource-efficient production technologies) of the Forestcluster Ltd.  
 
In 2000, Kari graduated from University of Eastern Finland. His main subject was forest technology. Now, he is researcher at Metla in Joensuu.
 
Less is more project focuses intelligent and quality-oriented wood procurement under narrow circumstances. Less is more develops and tests
    • New energy and cost effective ICT-methods supporting wood supply
    • Technology for peatland harvesting and bearing capacity classification utilizing terramechanics
    • Possibilities of intelligent and communicating forest machines for harvesting on sensitive sites
    • Methods for wood quality control in the wood procurement chain
Kari concentrates on finding efficient timber harvesting methods by using wood harvesting simulation model as a study method. The aim of this research is to find cost efficient harvesting solutions for different type of logging conditions in areas, where the amount of soft lands is substantial. Simulation has proved to be a good research method for studying wood harvesting operations, and it allows to utilize study resources efficiently. He is utilizing precise logging condition data (for example the size and structure of growing stock, the length of transport distance etc.), productivity functions and failure time distributions of forest machines in the simulations to find out best logging methods.
 
One important dimension of the study is carrying capacity of peat land. Some stands marked for cutting are accessible the year round and some only during winter time. Accessibility of stands will improve once forest machines are equipped with band tracks for soft soils and extra tires. This simulation model is designed to clarify cost efficient logging methods and to help decision making. Final results (Metla Working Paper) from this research will be available at the end of this year.
The best thing in working at such a large project is get know all other experts in this research area. The benefits for Kari to work in this kind of EffTech program is co-operation and interaction with the industry experts.
 
When not working, Kari spends time, for example, participating adventure games and exercising different sports.