Modern Quarrying Q4 2020

Caterpillar’s quarry trucks aid quarry managers in their management of haul roads and in increasing truck life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Good haul road maintenance in a quarry operation is hugely important because a truck’s suspension system can only do so much to deal with poorly maintained roads

that are constructed with well graded sub-base material for lower rolling resistance are the hallmarks of a qual- ity quarry haul road,” says Sauter. On most South African quarries, he says, two-way traffic must be accommodated. Three-truck width is preferred for travel on straight haul road sections, day or night. This rises to at least four-truck width when applied to corners and bends. Such distance allows safe and con- stant speed passing of loaded and unloaded trucks with optimum opera- tor visibility, including the avoidance of blind spots in bends and at the top of the grade. “A correct haul road width is vital. In reality, there will be areas where the ideal truck widths are not achievable. In these instances, truck speeds have to be slowed down and speed limit signs be introduced and thoroughly policed,” explains Sauter, adding that safety berms measuring at least one half of the wheel height of the largest trucks in the fleet are usually a must for

A good quarry haul road design means that trucks can travel in safe conditions at the most fuel-efficient level and rated speeds with the target payload, day or night and in all weather conditions

Good haul maintenance can reduce premature failures and vastly improve the tyre cost per hour, thus maximising the percentage of tyres removed fully worn

A badly maintained, bump and pothole heavy haul road can dramatically reduce component life, thus escalating repair bills

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QUARTER 4 - 2020 MODERN QUARRYING