Effects of Cyclical Load Conditions on Wear Rate and Wear Scar in a Modified ASTM G65 Abrasion Test

• Author / Creator

  Curley, Mark A

• Wear is an incredibly complicated phenomenon that can occur in many different forms, through a number of modes, facilitated by a variety of mechanisms. Surface mining operations are particularly afflicted by abrasive wear; principally during the excavation process. Shovel geometry has been analyzed and resolved to determine the intensity of abrasive forces acting at the dipper teeth; the predominant site of abrasive wear attack. Raw field data was scaled down to appropriate laboratory magnitudes in order to facilitate laboratory wear testing. Accurate prediction and classification of wear in a lab setting is crucial to industry, as it provides a quick and rather inexpensive means to better assess wear attack. A current standardized test often employed by industry is the ASTM G65 Dry Sand/Rubber Wheel Abrasion Test. This test utilizes a rounded quartz grain abrasive, a constant normal load and a predetermined lineal abrasion distance. In order to better reflect practical mining conditions, this standardized test was modified to allow for adjustable load conditions combined with an abrasive media representative of an oil sands mining operation. An apparatus was designed to incorporate a load varying instrument and electrical devices to record the power draw and ultimately calculate the energy used during the abrasion process. The application of a load varying instrument was successful in mimicking electric shovel digging patterns. Cyclical loading better predicted shovel tooth life in an oil sands operation than its constant load counterpart. Inspection of the wear scars suggests constant and repeated loading conditions generate wear with different levels of severity; cyclical conditions being more damaging.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Abrasion
  • Cyclical
  • Mining

• Graduation date

  Spring 2016

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3RX93Q6Z

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.