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Title: Discrete-Event Simulation of Payload Variance Effects on Truck Bunching
Organization: BHP - The University of Queensland
Duration: 2013 to 2015
Business Challenges
Data collected from payload management systems at some surface mining operations show significant variance. Heavily loaded trucks travel slower up ramps than lightly loaded trucks. Faster trucks are slowed by the presence of slower trucks, resulting in "Bunching" and production losses. Increasing the maintenance and operation cost is one of the important problems caused by payload variance. Payload variance can also put unexpected pressure on downstream processes such as crushing. Moreover, bunched trucks make critical changes for dispatching and controlling traffic systems in surface mines.
Suggested Solution
This project has been completed to develop an algorithm and software for estimating the effect of truck bunching on productivity, fuel consumption, gas emissions, cycle time, and associated cost. In this project, a Discrete-Event Simulation Algorithm was developed to predict truck bunching in large open-pit mines; a user-friendly software was developed based on the completed algorithm; presented real site datasets validated model and software; bunching software can be used to complete the results of other software such as Talpac, and the completed algorithm can be useful to find the effect of bunching on haul truck fuel consumption, gas emissions, cycle time and associated cost.
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