Major: Artificial Intelligence Application, Mechanical and Mining Engineering, (2012-2015)
Thesis: Development of AI models to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Haul Trucks in Surface Mines
Ph.D. Research Project: Truck haulage is responsible for the majority of costs in a surface mining operation. Diesel fuel, which is costly and has a significant environmental footprint, is used as an energy source for trucks in surface mines. Reducing diesel fuel consumption would lead to a reduction in haulage cost and greenhouse gas emissions. Determining fuel consumption is complex and requires multiple parameters, including the mine fleet, truck, fuel, climate, and road conditions as input. Artificial Intelligence is used to simulate the complex relationships between the input parameters affecting truck fuel consumption. This technique also optimizes the input parameters to minimize fuel consumption without losing productivity or further capital expenditure for a specific surface mining operation.

The first stage of the analytical framework includes the development of an Artificial Neural Network model to establish the relationship between truck fuel consumption and payload, truck speed, and total resistance. This model is trained and tested using real data collected from large surface mines in Australia and the USA. As a result, a fitness function for the haul truck fuel consumption was successfully generated. This fitness function was then used in the second stage of the analytical framework to develop a deep learning algorithm based on a novel multi-objective Genetic Algorithm. This algorithm aims to estimate the optimum values of the three effective parameters to reduce diesel fuel consumption.

The following studies were also conducted to enhance the analysis of haul truck fuel consumption.

1. A comprehensive investigation of loading variance influence on fuel consumption and gas emissions in mine haulage operation was carried out.
2. A discrete-event model was developed to simulate the effect of payload variance on truck bunching, cycle time, and hauled mine materials.
3. The influence of rolling resistance on haul truck fuel consumption in surface mines was investigated.