Simulation of Automated Dump Trucks for Large Scale Surface Mining Operations

Large-scale surface mining operations are increasingly employing large-capacity equipment for achieving economic bulk production. Syncrude and Suncor have recently acquired the CAT 797 (380-t rated) for oil sands haulage. The ownership and operating costs associated with these equipment are high, and thus, concrete efforts must be made to achieve reasonable returns on investors’ capital. In order to ensure high operating efficiency, research and technology have focused on automation and robotization applications in truck haulage. Automation and robotization of mining trucks present fundamental challenges in terms of off-highway truck dynamics. In this paper, the authors contribute to the body of knowledge by developing a robotization and stability control (RASC) model for operating dump trucks. The RASC model is developed using the Laplace and transfer functions. A FORTRAN-based simulation program, TRUX, has also been developed to facilitate the simulation and analysis of truck dynamics in the RASC model. The results show that the transfer functions of the front wheel, yaw rate and roll angle performed with respect to steering wheel angle yielded a good indication of automation. Simulated results compared well with test data with a significant peak ratio deviation in the first 5 seconds. Perturbations were observed in 5-20 sec range after which the system achieved stability.