P. Maślak et al.

Mjerenja tenzometarskim trakama i MKE analiza elemenata šasije rudarskih strojeva za površinski kop

ISSN 1330-3651 (Print), ISSN 1848-6339 (Online)

UDC/UDK 620.178.4:622.232.8-231.3]:519.6

STRAIN GAUGES MEASUREMENTS AND FEM ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTS OF CHASSIS OF

OPEN CAST MINING MACHINES

Paweł Maślak, Tadeusz Smolnicki, Damian Pietrusiak

Original scientific paper

In the paper are shown selective elements of chassis of open cast mining machines: control steering track and caterpillar tracks of open cast mining
machines. Loads on each element are defined in accordance with current standard requirements norms. After setting boundary conditions, stress analysis
was done. Results of analysis are shown in the table. Indication of the most endangered places was based on the results of analysis. Strain gauges
measurements were also performed in 9 measuring points: 6 points on track's supports, 2 on caterpillar’s support and one on steering control. The
measurements were taken by multichannel recorder during the driving of the conveyor. The measurements were taken for many settings of the body and
the chassis with different angles of steering set. After examination of the measurement results some figures were obtained that show turning of caterpillar
sets, increasing and decreasing steering force and track force on caterpillar during driving and turning.

Keywords: open cast mining machines, track chassis, strain gauges measurements

Mjerenja tenzometarskim trakama i MKE analiza elemenata šasije rudarskih strojeva za površinski kop

Izvorni znanstveni članak

U članku su prikazani odabrani elementi šasije rudarskih strojeva za površinski kop: upravljački trakt i gusjenice rudarskih strojeva za površinski kop.
Opterećenja na svakom elementu su određena u skladu s postojećim normama. Nakon postavljanja graničnih uvjeta, provedena je analiza naprezanja.
Rezultati analize su prikazani u tablici. Indikacija najugroženijih mjesta je bazirana na rezultatima analize. Mjerenja tenzometarskom trakom su također
provedena na 9 mjernih točaka: 6 točaka na nosačima staze, 2 na potpornjima gusjenice i jedna na uređaju za upravljanje. Mjerenja su obavljena
multikanalnim registratorom tijekom pokretanja konvejera. Mjerenja su provedena u različitim položajima karoserije i šasije pod različitim uglovima
sklopa za upravljanje. Nakon pregleda rezultata mjerenja dobiveni su podaci koji pokazuju skretanje gusjeničnih sklopova, povećanje i smanjenje snage
upravljanja i vučne snage na gusjenici tijekom vožnje i okretanja.

Ključne riječi: rudarski strojevi za površinski kop, šasija staze, mjerenja tenzometarskim trakama

1 Introduction connected into sets of 2 or 4, of which some are steered.

The scheme of chassis that is the aim of the research is
The aim of the research was to identify the loads on shown in Fig. 2 [3, 4].
multicaterpillar track chassis and calculate the strength of
elements of chassis. The measurements were taken on
open cast mine machine: mobile transfer conveyor, shown
in Fig. 1. The biggest problem in such kind of machines is
to properly diagnose the state of machine and remove
from usage before any dangerous, for people and
machine, accident takes place [1, 2].
The aim of the research, the mobile transfer conveyor
A2RsB 12500 was designed in early 70' last century, on
the basis of TGL Standards [8]. There were many
indefinite problems, which are still unknown. Nowadays
we cannot answer the question how long the machine will
work without any failure, therefore the assessment of
actual technical condition needs to be done.

Figure 2 Scheme of chassis of open cast machine

Multicaterpillar track chassis consists of 6 caterpillar

tracks which are connected by axis and the steering
drawbar. The scheme of the chassis is shown in Fig. 3.
Two caterpillar tracks are connected into one set, where
there are 3 sets. Two of the sets are fixed and do not have
the possibility to turn, one set is steered by driveshaft and
has a possibility to change the relational angle between
Figure 1 Open cast mine machine the portal of the machine and the main axis of the set.
Tracks are powered by electric motor, one caterpillar
2 Multicaterpillar track chassis track by one motor.

The chassis of open cast machines like mobile

transfer conveyor consists of up to 12 caterpillar tracks

Tehnički vjesnik 20, 4(2013), 655-658 655

Strain gauges measurements and FEM analysis of elements of chassis of open cast mining machines P. Maślak et al.

3 Boundary conditions

Nowadays standards state that the friction is held at

the value of 0,6. It is the maximum value that is taken
from the update standards [7]. Several cases of loads and
boundary conditions are used for strain calculations.
According to the standards, loads cases do not include all
of the possibilities of real loads [3, 5]. In the presented
paper the most popular cases of used boundary conditions
are shown. In Fig. 3 the boundary conditions used for
calculations of caterpillar track are shown [6, 7, 8]. The
caterpillar track is loaded on each arm or on drive-wheel
and tension-wheel. The caterpillar track is fixed on its Figure 4 Results of numerical stress calculation
of caterpillar track (Pa), load set 1
axis bushing. The forces F1 and F2 are generated by the
reaction with the ground, the force Q is the result of the
interaction with the ground during the turning, force Fb
comes from the reaction of electric motor.

Figure 5 Results of numerical stress calculation

of caterpillar track (Pa), load set 1

Figure 3 Scheme of load on caterpillar track

The most appropriate for the calculations of steering

drawbar case of boundary conditions is to fix one end of
the steering drawbar and apply force at the other end in
the horizontal direction, that is perpendicular to the main
axis of the drawbar and the vertical force applied to the
place, where the ball joint is situated.

4 Numerical measurements Figure 6 Results of numerical stress calculation

of caterpillar track (Pa), load set 2

Numerical analysis was done using the Finite

Element Methods. Calculations were done for 5 different
schemes of loads on caterpillar track and for 2 different
schemes of load on driveshaft according to the standards.
Some of the results of calculations of caterpillar track are
shown in Figs. 4 to 7 and the calculations of driveshaft are
shown in Figs. 8 to 10. In Figs. 11 and 12 are shown the
results of nonlinear calculations. The maximum value of
stress calculations is lower than in the linear calculations
and the field of maximum value is smaller.

Figure 7 Results of numerical stress calculation

of caterpillar track (Pa), load set 2

656 Technical Gazette 20, 4(2013), 655-658

P. Maślak et al. Mjerenja tenzometarskim trakama i MKE analiza elemenata šasije rudarskih strojeva za površinski kop

Figure 12 Results of numerical stress calculation

of driveshaft (Pa), nonlinear type of material

Figure 8 Results of numerical stress calculation 5 Strain gauges measurements

of driveshaft (Pa), load set 1
Strain gauges measurements were performed in 9
measuring points. There are 6 points on caterpillar tracks
where the traction forces were measured. Strain gauges
were located on the supports of caterpillar’s track, where
the motion is fitted. The other 2 strain gauges were
located on each truss and the last one was located on the
drawbar. The measurements were taken during the drive
in different directions: forward and backward, with
different positions of the center of gravity, with different
positions of the load carrying structure and the chassis.
The measurements were taken during machine turning to
the right and to the left, driving forward and backward
with and without the overburden. During the
Figure 9 Results of numerical stress calculation measurements over 30 sets were recorded.
of driveshaft (Pa), load set 2 The data acquisition was conducted by multichannel
recorder. All of the signals were recorded parallel with
each strain gauge.

6 Results of strain gauges measurements

Results of the measurements show that the real

traction force is not linear, but very stochastic. Traction
force was gained during driving forward and backward.
Traction force for forward drive is shown in Fig. 13. The
average value is at the level of minus 50 kN with
amplitude at the level of 70 kN.

Figure 10 Results of numerical stress calculation

of driveshaft (Pa), load set 3

Figure 13 Traction force of steering caterpillar track set –right and left
caterpillar - forward drive
Figure 11 Results of numerical stress calculation
of driveshaft (Pa), nonlinear type of material The results of measuring the steering force are shown
in Fig. 14. The most important thing in this measurement
is to show how the force changes its value during turning
the steering caterpillar track set. Steering force changes
from 0 kN to over 600 kN during turning.

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Strain gauges measurements and FEM analysis of elements of chassis of open cast mining machines P. Maślak et al.

[7] Standard PN-G-47000-2:2005 Górnictwo odkrywkowe -

Koparki wielonaczyniowe i zwałowarki - Część 2:
Podstawy obliczeniowe, (In Polish).
[8] DIN 22261-2 – Bagger Absetzer und Zusatzgeräte in
Braunkohlentagebauen.

Author’s addresses

Paweł Maślak, Ph.D. candidate, M.Sc. Eng.

Figure 14 Steering force in trusses – forward drive, turning right from 0º
Wrocław University of Technology
to 13º
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Measured steering force is over 3 times higher than E-mail: [email protected]
the force calculated by using analytical method. The
calculated steering force is at the level of 170 kN. The Tadeusz Smolnicki, Professor, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Wrocław University of Technology
calculated force depends on static variables and is not Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
related to the change of the angle of the steering set. Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Measurements show that the force changes its value E-mail: [email protected]
during the steering and driving the entire machine.
Damian Pietrusiak, Ph.D. candidate, M.Sc. Eng.
Wrocław University of Technology
7 Conclusion Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
E-mail: [email protected]
There are many indefinite problems with the loads on
the chassis of open cast mining machines. Existing
equations do not take into consideration any stochastic
loads. The measurements show that the traction force
changes very rapidly and has a very high value of
amplitude. Currently there is lack of guidelines to receive
the appropriate boundary conditions and operational
loads. It is necessary to conduct more research on open
cast mining machines to define more properly the loads
acting on multicaterpillar track chassis. The
measurements should be taken in different conditions:
during the winter and the summer, when the ground is
frozen, wet and muddy or dry and sandy. Research should
be done in different positions of the entire machine and
with or without transporting the overburden.

8 References

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