Haul Truck Payload Modelling Using Strut Pressures

• Author / Creator

  Henze, Joshua C

• Haul trucks are commonly used by surface mines to transport ore and waste material out of the mine. They account for a significant portion of the total equipment fleet and the maintenance budget. Their payloads are an important consideration when trying to improve truck reliability. Unbalanced payloads cause increased rack, pitch and roll events, resulting in increased failures and lost production.
  
  Excavator operators have a restricted visibility of the truck body during loading and limited aids to assist in balancing these loads. In order to provide a more accurate view of payload distribution, payload modelling software was developed based on previous work by Chamanara & Joseph [1]. Key goals were to increase the efficiency of the algorithms and identify future research required in order to facilitate real time use. Haul truck strut pressures were used to estimate and display the location and shape of the payload within the body of the truck. Two algorithms were used to determine shape and location respectively. Various methods were considered for each algorithm and evaluated based on processing speed and accuracy.
  
  To verify the software, data was gathered from an operating Caterpillar 785C and lab tests using a scale model of a Caterpillar 797B. This data was used to estimate payload distribution through the software model. Comparing the generated results with actual distributions, it was determined that this software could be suitable for use on material that has a relatively uniform distribution. It is expected that its accuracy will degrade for materials that clump and do not flow freely. Based on the evaluation of the software, it was found to be useful for field implementation but required further research and development before it could be implemented for real time use. Required areas of further research and development were identified with solutions suggested to address them.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Payload Distribution
  • Haul Truck
  • 3D Modelling

• Graduation date

  Fall 2015

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3GF0N734

• 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.