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By L. Zhou, D. Bahrami

Mine ventilation is one of the most important aspects of mining operations in underground mines. It is critical to maintain and deliver required fresh air to the active areas to reduce the risk of overexposure to hazardous contaminants or explosive atmospheres. An unexpected or unknown event such as roof collapse, unexpected mine door closure/opening, a fire/explosion, or fan malfunction could adversely alter the airflow distribution within the mine ventilation network that could lead to a hazardous underground environment. Knowing the occurrence and location of such an incident is of critical importance. In this study, the authors developed a novel methodology to assist mine operators in quickly identifying the location of any abnormal airflow change within the network using the airflow changes at monitored airways. The concept is based on a direct derivative method developed by the authors. This paper provides the details of the developed method as well as numerical verification examples. The application of this method can benefit mine operators and safety personnel in making better decisions during a mine emergency response operation to mitigate hazardous conditions arising from an unexpected airflow disturbance

Mar 2, 2022

By Milson de Andrade Júnior

A central termoelétrica número 1 (CTE#1) da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional possui duas caldeiras em operação denominadas 8 e 9 com capacidade total de produção de vapor de 200 Toneladas por hora. Estas caldeiras fornecem vapor para os turbo geradores e turbo sopradores da CTE#1, além de vapor de processo para a Usina Presidente Vargas (UPV). As caldeiras entraram em operação em 1982/83 e seus sistemas de controle e instrumentação eram totalmente pneumáticos. Ao longo do tempo foi surgindo dificuldades para reposição e manutenção dos componentes pneumáticos, motivo pelo qual se iniciaram os estudos para substituição deste sistema. Em 2009 teve início um projeto para substituição do controle pneumático por um controle microprocessado feito por PLC redundante trabalhando com um supervisório scada e para substituição das malhas de instrumentação pneumática por instrumentação em rede fieldbus. A substituição completa dos componentes pneumáticos foi concluída em 2012. O novo sistema implantado trouxe diversas melhorias na performance, confiabilidade, segurança operacional e ergonomia. Este trabalho apresenta as causas que motivaram o projeto em questão, a metodologia utilizada para a sua implantação e os resultados alcançados com a aplicação de tecnologia moderna para controle e instrumentação de caldeiras.

Jul 31, 2018

By Haysler Apolinário Amoroso Lima

O desempenho de uma Aciaria depende da estabilidade dos equipamentos industriais. A conservação do refratário do convertedor garante produtividade, evitando paradas para reparo e campanhas antecipadas. A proteção do revestimento como um todo garante uma maior eficiência do sopro combinado, obtendo ganhos de qualidade e redução de ressopro. O presente trabalho refere-se à busca de soluções de engenharia para aumentar o desempenho do refratário dos convertedores e conservação do sopro combinado pelas ventaneiras. Através do estudo dos mecanismos de desgaste dos refratários, optou-se pelo ajuste dos escorificantes, melhoria das práticas de reparo com escória, mudança do projeto dos tijolos e ajuste da vazão das ventaneiras. Com as melhorias implantadas, houve redução do consumo de massa de projeção e aumento em 100% da vida útil das ventaneiras.

Jul 30, 2018

By Moritz Schleeh, Christian Moormann

Temporary working platforms are generally required in order to ensure that heavy construction machinery such as drilling and trench wall units, pile drivers, vehicle and crawler cranes can be set up safely at the site of operation. Considering all possible operating and loading conditions, especially on ground of low shear strength and stiffness, the design and construction of temporary mobile working platforms needs to be considered more as a serious engineering task than as a second order structure of minor relevance. Working platforms reinforced with one or several geosynthetic layers have proven to be especially effective with regard to stability, serviceability and durability but their design requests even more sophisticated approaches. Existing design models are often based on simplified assumptions and do not consider the complex interaction between construction machinery, working platform and subgrade. Non-monotonic loading as well as elastoplastic and time-variant deformation of cohesive subsoil can adversely affect the base layer system and the serviceability and stability of the construction machinery operating on it. In this context, there is a need for improvement of design approaches and their optimisation considering that there are no generally accepted design approaches or technical codes of practice available for the design of temporary working platforms. The present paper deals with the multifaceted and non-trivial interaction effects of working platforms investigated by model tests, field measurements and numerical simulations to develop a design approach that ensures a safe installation and operation of heavy plants on unstable ground.

May 1, 2022

By RavikiranVaidya, Vishal Dhamecha

Low Strain Pile Integrity Testing has been used in India since 1990’s and several have tried to demonstrate the utility and benefits of this method. However, use of this technology was limited till 1998 as not enough data maybe was not available to justify its use and application on major infrastructure and real estate projects. The first author has done significant work in this method resulting in its use in practically all sectors of the industry that use concrete bored pile foundations as a supporting element. The paper explains various signal enhancers or modifiers involved in processing of low strain test data and its implication on the final output. It also describes how the method can lead to abuse or can provide poor interpretation if incorrectly used. The current effort is to demonstrate that data collection and evaluation becomes complex with changes in soil stratum and pile profile. The paper highlights the present testing practices and provides a guideline for classification of pile integrity into few simple categories in Indian context rather than writing complex interpretations.

Sep 1, 2022

By Ingrid Engeset, Solve Hov, Arnfinn Endal, Per-Anders Mortensen, Priscilla Paniagua, Bjørn Kristian Fiskvik Bache

During the last decades, it has become common practice in the Nordic countries to use dry deep mixing in soft clays with lime and cement in for example deep excavation pits in soft clay, or as a reinforcement of the passive zone within sheet pile walls. The shear strength of stabilised soils is affected by the stress conditions during curing and shearing. However, this is normally not taken into consideration. As the strength of the stabilised clay is stress dependent, excavation of the overlying soil will lead to a reduction of the confining stresses in the underlying stabilised soils which means that the shear strength will also be reduced. Under embankments on the other hand, the effect is reversed as the shear strength will be increased. In this study, laboratory tests have been performed on stabilised soils cured and tested under different stress conditions to quantify the stress effects in a Norwegian sensitive clay. In addition, direct simple shear tests on samples from in situ columns have been made with varying normal stresses. Results are presented showing an increase of shear strength of the stabilised soil with increased curing stresses, and an even higher increase with increased confining stress during shearing. The results are compared to field measurements along with a discussion of practical application of the findings.

May 1, 2022

By Sunil S. Basarkar, Vinothkumar S

Ground Improvement Techniques serves to improve various engineering properties for supporting various foundations. These may be undertaken either by conventional or advanced methods. The Controlled Modulus Column (CMC), also known as Rigid Inclusion is a soil improvement technique to reduce the total and differential settlement by using semi-rigid soil reinforcement columns. The CMC technique can be executed by displacement or non-displacement methods. It does not aim to bypass the compressive layer or to install a pile that will directly support the entire load from the structure. Principle of the technique is to introduce a load transfer platform between the head of the column and structure and transform a uniform load into soil. Initially, the structural load transmitted into the soil generate the settlement greater than CMC piles. When the settlement between the soil and column became equal at neutral point, maximum structural load shall be balanced by the positive friction and tip resistance to stabilize the foundation without exceeding the allowable settlement limit. This paper describes the behaviour of soil reinforcement with CMC column and their installation process with reference to a project at the Dry Bulk Terminal Port, San Pedro- Abidjan (Western Africa). Methodology of CMC, requirements of Ground Improvement, arrangements and outcome of this method are presented in this paper.

Sep 1, 2022

By Thai Nguyen Ph. D

Dynamic Load Test (DLT) on driven piles has been performed routinely all over the world. In several recent projects, even 100% testing has become a norm where every single pile is dynamically load tested. In these cases, most piles are of uniform sections, making the field analysis (CASE method) straight forward. The CASE method, which has been used for the last 50 years, however, is only applicable to uniform piles to monitor pile driving stresses as well as pile capacities. Signal matching analysis can handle different configurations. However, the analysis used to require user inputs (i.e., non-automatic). Manual signal matching analysis, which can solve non-uniform solutions, traditionally takes hour(s) to complete for one blow. As such, the real-time pile driving stresses and resistances had traditionally been relying upon the CASE method, using typical range of CASE damping (JC). Until 2021, due to the lack of a rigorous instant signal matching analysis for non-uniform piles, no tool was available to help engineers evaluate non-uniform piles in real-time. An inexperienced field engineer may overlook this shortcoming when evaluating peak driving stresses. Furthermore, ultimate bearing resistances for non-uniform piles may require further evaluation to account for the non-uniformity of piles if relying on the CASE method. This paper highlights recent advances in instant Signal Matching Analysis on non-uniform piles, allowing field engineers to monitor stresses and resistances of non-uniform piles during driving.

Oct 1, 2022

By Pratter P., Boley C.

Polymers are well established in geotechnical applications, for example in ground improvement, where the polymers act as a binder that, when cured, holds the grains together by adhesive and cohesive forces. The subject of this research work is an innovative composite of polymers and gravel, which differs from conventional grouting materials due to its adjustable material properties. With these specific properties, the semi-rigid material can be optimally adapted to the local ground conditions and the individual framework conditions of a construction project. For the characterization of the composite material, stateof- the-art methods, such as image processing by segmentation, are presented. Segmentation is suitable for quality assurance and monitoring of laboratory samples and soil samples directly from ground improvement on the construction site. The load-bearing capacity of the innovative material can even be increased to the order of magnitude of concrete. For this reason, the soil mechanical laboratory tests in this research had to be modified and even expanded by rock mechanical laboratory tests. Based on the experimental investigations, the importance of this innovative material for practical application is demonstrated by a calculation example from construction practice, which shows that even difficult ground conditions can be handled with it.

May 1, 2022

By Emanuele Osto

In late 2013, the installation of the world's first application of a break-through technology for rail hardening was started at Baogang Iron & Steel (Group) Co. Ltd. in Inner Mongolia, China, one of world's leading rail producers. The "Injector Dualphase Rail Hardening" (idRHa+) system was developed by Primetals Technologies and Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A. (RINA-CSM) a Technical Center headquartered in Rome, Italy. Baogang was a key partner, providing its large expertise of premiumrail producer, including its experience with existing offline technologies. With a design based on thermal, mechanical and metallurgical models, idRHa+ can apply customized cooling protocols, so to obtain the desired microstructure and hardness distribution across the rail head, with a high degree of accurateness and operation flexibility. idRHa+ can be installed in inline or offline configurations. During 2014, the system was successfully commissioned at rail mill #2 in the city of Baotou, Inner Mongolia, and entered the regular commercial production. This paper gives an overview of the key concepts behind idRHa+'s design, the progression of its commissioning and testing till the ramp-up to consistent industrial operation. Derived from idRHa+ research and experience, other water-cooling technologies are available for different applications such as: quenching & tempering of medium-large sections, control of distorsion of merchant bars, quenching of stainless grades for improving the resistance to corrosion.

Aug 16, 2017

By Carlos Vinícius Domingos de Carvalho

As perdas geradas nos processos de uma Aciaria contribuem de forma significativa para a perda metálica do processo. Eventualmente, mesmo com uma operação correta, do ponto de vista de características do produto, pode ocorrer comprometimento do ponto de vista econômico, e uma forma de redução direta dos custos e aumento de performance é a redução das perdas geradas no processo. Desta forma, tornou-se importante realizar um estudo para reduzir as perdas metálicas na Aciaria. Foi utilizado a metodologia Seis Sigma, sendo estratificadas as perdas por processo na Aciaria, onde as maiores perdas na rota dos processos de Lingotamentos Contínuos foram: perda no Distribuidor (24,7%), corte de sequência (17,5 %), retorno de corrida por baixa temperatura do aço na panela (16,3 %); perda por obstrução da válvula da panela (8,8 %). A perda metálica foi reduzida em 50,8%. Além da redução expressiva das perdas, houve uma grande contribuição em relação à compreensão dos modos de falhas para apropriação correta das perdas, tornando as informações mais seguras e facilitando o tratamento de possíveis falhas no processo.

Oct 30, 2017

By Antonio Fabiano de Oliveira

Estudos de laminação com revestimento de cromo e influência nas propriedades foram realizados com o objetivo de aumentar a produtividade dos cilindros. Para tal, foram utilizados cilindros cromados para laminação de chapas de cobre, com amostragem da técnica de réplica epoxy. A compreensão da correlação entre microestrutura e propriedades do material é objeto de grande interesse e, ao mesmo tempo, necessário para aplicação prática na laminação a frio, combinando revestimento e produtividade. O objetivo da pesquisa atual é comparar as propriedades tribológicas do cobre antes e depois da laminação, no cilindro de trabalho e chapa, com e sem revestimento de cromo.

Oct 30, 2017

By Christian Overhagen

In bar and wire rod mills, rolling procedures featuring three- and four-roll technologies are state-of-the-art to produce high-quality long products. While a rolling model for the three-roll process including an equivalent pass method was already presented by the author, pass design methods are dealt with in the current work. The geometry of the rolled product and roll grooves are described mathematically using functional contours, allowing geometric-numerical methods to be used for manipulation and deformation simulation of the rolled product. For a given pass, the output section is constructed using these methods. Roll force, torque and rolling power are calculated using the mathematical rolling model presented before. Interstand tensions are discussed as influencing parameters on the force, torque and power demands, as well as on the section shape. A mathematical model for the influence of interstand tensions on lateral spread is incorporated in the model. To complete the pass design model, elastic mill stand feedback is considered in terms of a fixed elastic modulus for each rolling stand, the elastic feedback and therefore cross-sectional variation due to elastic mill spring being calculated iteratively from the roll force by application of the Gagemeter equation. The interaction of section height and width faults due to elastic mill spring and spread variations is analyzed in detail and the consequences for the roll pass design are shown.

Oct 1, 2019

By N. Aarthi, G. R. Dodagoudar

The improvement of soft clay deposits using stone columns is a well-established ground improvement technique in the western world. This technique has been well documented and has proper design codes for precise execution in the field. The sand compaction pile (SCP) method is a contemporary technique to stone columns and has limited literature related to the strength characteristics of the loose to medium dense sand deposits treated with SCP. The available studies on the SCPs installed in cohesionless deposits focused on the improvement by indirectly assessing the SPT-N values pre- and post-installation of the SCPs. The widespread implementation of the SCP technique in recent years has increased the need for a more direct evaluation of the improvement. Earlier studies in this regard have revealed that the available design solutions are based on the type of installation equipment, their working efficiency, and accumulated field data. However, it is found that there are no generic design codes for the direct estimation of the ultimate bearing capacity of the SCP improved cohesionless deposits. To meet the design requirement for the SCP treated ground, a series of experimental and numerical investigations are performed in the present study to arrive at a direct framework in the form of design charts based on the pressure-settlement response of the treated ground. The developed design charts give the ultimate bearing capacity (UBC) of the treated sand deposit for the known initial relative density (RD) of the deposit, spacing and diameter of the SCPs, size of the footing, and for the specified target unit weight required for the intended application. It is concluded that the design charts will be of preliminary use to the design engineers to directly evaluate the UBC of the SCP improved loose to medium dense cohesionless deposits as part of the SCP method of ground improvement. It is expected to have more field-scale experiments and in-depth analysis before implementing these charts for actual field execution.

Nov 1, 2022

By F. Calizaya, M. G. Nelson

This paper presents a summary of basic requirements for the design, installation and operation of booster fans in coal mines, especially in deep and/or extensive mines. It includes a brief description of the major steps that should be followed to ensure that these units are used in coal mines safely and efficiently. The guidelines were prepared based on the standards and regulations adopted by two prominent coal mining countries, the best practices developed by the mining industry, and the applicable standards used in the United States for the fail-safe operation of main fans.

Jan 1, 2015

By J Rutter, S Dunham

Technological advances in sensor and material handling technology has enabled a step change in mine operations performance. Sensors capable of monitoring the grade of broken rock mass can be mounted on shovels, truck loading units or conveyors allowing highly precise ore/waste decisions to be made on small parcels of rock, increasing selectivity. This increased selectivity has the potential to remove sub-economic material from the product stream prior to incurring ore treatment costs. Bulk ore sorting is capable of intervening at <10t “pods” on Run Of Mine conveyors, or alternatively at per bucket loading (5-100t) or truck scale (30-350t) parcels of ore. This Grade Engineering technique being developed by CRCORE (Rutter, 2017) can improve mill feed grade, remove deleterious materials and ensure that the high capital intensity ore treatment facility is presented with the best ore feed strategy. While this technology can improve mine economics, estimating the performance of a bulk ore sorting system is challenging. Traditional resource estimation practices such as Ordinary Kriging and Inverse distance weighting (IDW) are based on weighted averages, a process that smooths the grade profile, reducing modelled variance and dispersion. Its purpose is to generate a globally unbiased result but is less suited to generating a model of adequate granularity to enable confidence in local grade heterogeneity. This is an essential component for bulk ore sorting success. Estimating ore sorting performance requires knowledge of the grade-tonnage curve at the scale of the sensor diversion unit (SDU). Evaluation based on an estimator that smooths the SDU distribution will not correctly predict ore/waste separation or economic performance. Alternatives to traditional linear geostatistics have been tested on a variety of mineralisation styles. Additionally, a number of heterogeneity metrics have been developed to assist with evaluation and assessment. The difference between estimation for grade (metal) and modelling for traditional mining block models, versus methods used for predicting heterogeneity and variability are explored.

Nov 10, 2020

By C Jenkins, J Jasper, Y Suryaputradinata, S Lozyk, M J. Hartmann

The primary objective of mining companies is to function as a profitable business by delivering products that fit customer requirements in a safe and sustainable manner. Optimum resource utilisation is a critical focus area to achieve this objective, and the long-term sustainable business performance of a mining company is determined by the extent to which this is achieved. Technology improvements and/or new technology development could improve resource utilisation. However, adding new projects to a Brownfield operation carries risk. Overall project schedules, tie-in schedules and safety risks normally receive adequate attention, but the introduction and integration of new technology to a Brownfield site also carries the significant risk of failure to achieve design performance (quality or throughput). This risk must be addressed via rigorous design phase risk assessments and piloting. Post commissioning, the effective metallurgical integration of any new technology/circuit/process plant into an existing process plant calls for critical assessment, through circuit performance testing, and optimisation to ensure alignment with design criteria. In addition, this approach provides clear focus areas for further optimisation of the new plant and additional opportunity for overall plant optimisation. Roy Hill recently navigated this process successfully, and this paper provides feedback on the journey that led to improved resource utilisation.

Nov 8, 2021

By Leena Suopajärvi, Karin Käär, Marcin Szumny, Jari Joutsenvaara, Md Ariful Islam, Helmut Mischo, Georg Meissner, Ossi Kotavaara, Catalina Vrabie

This study outlines implemented tactics and results for community empowerment through participation in questionnaire surveys, educational programs, and discussion on sustainable sourcing from new critical raw materials (CRMs) projects. Utilising questionnaire surveys, including the Public Participation Geographic Information System (PPGIS), the research gathered public opinions from Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Zambia, receiving 1,068 responses. These responses addressed various social, economic, and environmental issues related to CRM projects. Feedback from educational courses with participants from over 25 nations and public events provided additional insights. The collected data and feedback offer crucial input for advancing sustainable and responsible CRM sourcing strategies in these regions.

Feb 1, 2025

By Evan J. Owen, Virginia T. McLemore

of high specific gravity, resistant minerals that form from mechanical concentration by waves, currents, and winds in marginal-marine environments. These sediments are enriched in critical minerals such as titanium, zirconium, and REE. Cretaceous beach-placer sandstones are found in the Colorado Plateau of northwestern New Mexico. Originally discovered by airborne radiometric surveys for uranium in the 1950s, these beach-placer sandstones are being re-examined with modern methods as potential sources for critical minerals. Selected beach-placer sandstones have been sampled, mapped with ground radiometric surveys, and analyzed with whole-rock and trace element geochemical methods. Mineralogy is being determined with optical methods, XRD, and EMPA. Zircon, rutile, ilmenite, and monazite are the primary heavy minerals of interest found in the studied deposits. Initial results show that the sandstones contain up to 1.4% total REE, 29.4% TiO2, and an estimated 4.9% ZrO2. Chondrite-normalized REE diagrams show distinct light REE and minor heavy REE enrichment, as well as pronounced negative Eu anomalies for each deposit.

Feb 1, 2024

By Phil Dakin, Rajiv Chandramohan, John Lo Grande, Greg Lane

Crushing and grinding circuit availability is a critical design factor defining the installed equipment selection and the process buffers required to maintain throughput during maintenance. The comminution circuit typically accounts for a process plant’s largest capital expenditure and energy use. Effective process and equipment selection and layout optimization are crucial steps when combining the objectives of cost-effective design and high circuit availability in operation. This paper outlines fit-for-purpose design principles for optimizing process flow, eliminating standby equipment and reducing buffer residence time whilst improving maintainability and operability.

Feb 1, 2025