3.1. Load-sizes
At present it is impossible to obtain the full load-bearing
capacity of a lorry even with bales, and with light bulk matter
the obtainable load is less than one-third of the load-bearing
capacity of a lorry. In Finland useful load of a lorry can be up to
40 tonne. Common load volume of a peat lorry is about 120–
150 m3 which is about 107 MWh of peat.
VTT investigated load-sizes by inquiring transportation
entrepreneurs and by comparing the results with the theoretical
calculations. The amounts of reed canary grass, loadable
into a lorry, were calculated on the basis of the results
(Table 1). Obtaining of these load-sizes requires that loading
succeeds optimally, and that the density of bales is good.
Load-size and transport distance have an effect on transportation
costs (Fig. 2). By using Orkel-local-baler (chop-bales
in Fig. 2) it has been possible to obtain largest load-sizes, but the
total economy of the chain is not very high because the baling
costs increase the total costs. If the full load-bearing capacity of
a lorry (30–40 tonne, 35 tonne in Fig. 2) would be obtained, the
transportation costs would be reduced significantly compared