Improvement of the sustainability of agro-forestry processes and plants and of work organization and safety.

The main concern of the research is the mechanization of the agro-forestry sector with a specific attention to organizational, operational and environmental functional aspects.
A targeted technical research is also conducted in the livestock field.
We study the methods of use and interaction of operators with machines used in agro-forestry processes, as well as models for the analysis of specific issues. In the case of operator-machine interaction, in-depth analysis of the physical risks (noise and vibrations) and of load handling, as well as studies on the perception of risk, are carried out.

The research is also concretized to the implementation of models applied both to agro-forestry chains (as in the case of the modelling of the transport of biomasses and residues), and for the forecast of consumption (oil and fuel) in self-propelled agricultural machines in cereal farms. Specific models are also being developed in the mechanized milking sector, for the prediction of the best sizing of milking plants.

To allow a harmonized dissemination of the technologies and systems used in livestock farms, a 256-page textbook is being written in collaboration with Italian and foreign colleagues.

• Physical risks in green-maintenance and olive growing sectors
• Study of a model for the transport of agricultural and forestry products and by-products
• Analysis of the manual loading risk in forestry workers.

• Calvo A., Preti C., Cutini M., Deboli R. 2019. Vibration on the backs of mistblower operators: is it only a (dis)comfort question? Bios. Eng. in press
• Calvo Angela, Romano Elio, Preti Christian, Schillaci Giampaolo, Deboli Roberto. 2018. Upper limb disorders and hand-arm vibration risks with hand-held olive beaters. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 65:36-45. DOI: 10.1016/j.ergon.2018.01.018
• Manzone Marco, Calvo Angela. 2018. Trailer overturning during wood transportation: An experimental investigation of effects of trailer joint point and frame structure. Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering. 39(1):97-108. ISSN: 18455719
• Sanna Francesca, Deboli Roberto, Calvo Angela. 2018. Variability of tomato in protected environment in response to meteorological parameters. Plant, Soil and Environment. 64(6):247-254. DOI: 10.17221/772/2017-PSE
• Manzone Marco, Calvo Angela. 2017. Woodchip transportation: Climatic and congestion influence on productivity, energy and CO2 emission of agricultural and industrial convoys. Renewable Energy. 108: 250-259. DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2017.02.074.

Institute of Forest Engineering, BOKU University, Wien (Austria)
Department of Work Science, Business Economics and Environmental Psychology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden)