Download September 20th, 2012 World Mining Congress Montreal, Quebec

September 20th, 2012
World Mining Congress
Montreal, Quebec
August 11th-15th, 2013
Abstract Submission
Occupational Health and Safety
TITLE:
“Redesigning the Wheel: An Innovative Design that Enhances the Safety of Heavy Mining Vehicle
Wheel Assemblies”
ABSTRACT:
To ensure the efficient operation of ever-expanding mining worldwide, heavy mining vehicles are called
upon to carry increasingly larger loads at faster speeds, through harsh operating conditions. As a result, massive
Off-The-Road (OTR) tires and multi-piece wheels, consisting of a rim base, lock ring, bead seat (BS) band, and
front and back flanges, are typically employed. Operating at high inflation pressures, the tires are designed with
robust sidewalls and large bead thicknesses. This necessitates the use of multi-piece wheels to facilitate the
mounting of the tires. In contrast to traditional passenger vehicle wheels, multi-piece wheel designs have
additional inherent potential hazards, that could result in devastating consequences should failure occur.
Research indicates wheel components may dislodge and become dangerous projectiles, often resulting in
serious injuries and fatalities. With failures observed in industries worldwide, incident reports show corrosion
and fatigue of the locking ring region of the wheel as well as improper installation of locking rings are common
causes of failure. This study proposes an innovative wheel design, a threaded-connection between wheel
components, to remove the locking ring, to enhance the engagement among the rim components, resulting in
mitigating safety risks and ultimately reducing multi-piece wheel related injuries. This study endeavors to solve
the safety issue of multi-piece wheels from the design point of view; a rare method in open literature.
Using advanced virtual simulation techniques, the finite element (FE) method was used to assess the
mechanical performance of a conventional multi-piece wheel design and the proposed thread-connection
design. Firstly, the numerical model of a five-piece mining wheel and tire assembly with a conventional locking
ring design was developed. Validation of the tire model was achieved using tire engineering data, experimental
static tests, and quasi-static tests conducted at Northern Ontario mine sites. The simulated in-plane and out-ofplane motion of the numerical tire was within 15% of experimental observations. The steel wheel model was
validated through laboratory testing of the rim base, and the simulated strains and deflections correlated
satisfactorily with experimental results. Following this rigorous validation approach, BS band pull-out
simulations were conducted on the validated model. For comparison purposes, the proposed threadedconnection design was next incorporated into the validated FE model and the BS band pull-out test was
repeated. It was observed that a maximum force of approximately 4,500kN was required to pull out the BS
band from the rim base for the conventional locking ring design. This compares to approximately 9,500kN for
the proposed design, demonstrating a more robust engagement of wheel components. The proposed design
shows significant improvement over traditional designs to improve the safety of vehicle operation and
maintenance.
September 20th, 2012
Presenters: Weldon Li, Aleksander Tonkovich, Sante Dicecco, and William Altenhof
Contact:
Dr William Altenhof, P.Eng.
University of Windsor
Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
N9B 3P4
(519) 253–3000 ext. 2619
[email protected]
Author Biographical Notes:
Zhanbiao (Weldon) Li received his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Windsor in
2003. He worked in the automotive industry for six years with experience focused on finite element (FE)
computer modeling and analysis of automotive structures, including linear/nonlinear structural deformation,
stress, and strain analysis. Since September 2009, he has been a full time Ph. D. student at the University of
Windsor, conducting research on the safety of multi-piece wheel rims for the mining industry.
Aleksander Tonkovich completed his B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Windsor in 2009,
with a focus on automotive applications. He is currently pursuing an M.A.Sc at the University of Windsor as part
of a research team whose focus is improving the safety of mining vehicle multi-piece wheel and rim designs. His
work experience includes vehicle instrumentation and data acquisition, and durability testing using road test
simulation as a Product Development Engineer for Chrysler Canada Inc.
Sante DiCecco received his B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering with the Engineering Materials option from the
University of Windsor in 2011. His research interests are within the area of materials deformation and
characterization of material mechanical behaviour under quasi-static, fatigue, and impact loading conditions. He
is currently, conducting research quantifying the mechanical behaviour of metallic and polymeric materials used
in the mining industry.
William Altenhof is a Professor at the University of Windsor in the Department of Mechanical,
Automotive, and Materials Engineering. His research interests are focused in crashworthiness and large
deformation of materials under quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions. He received his PhD in Mechanical
Engineering from the University of Windsor in 1999.
Richard Banting is an electrical-mechanical specialist working with a team of professional safety consultants at
Workplace Safety North (WSN). He provides workplace safety training and resource support for the mining
industry, in the areas of electrical and mechanical issues. He received a diploma in Control Systems Technology
in 1975 from Mohawk College. He has participated in joint health and safety committees at numerous locations,
supported government led apprenticeship programs and sat on energy and safety advisory committees.