Simulation of Truck-Shovel Operations Using Simio

Abstract

This research work was mainly directed towards the selection of optimal fleet for a cement quarry using 3D simulation models with Simio, which is the most convincing and understandable tool for quarry managers and staff. Quarry, haul roads and their specifications were taken from Google Earth while fleet capacities, and cycle time of operations was assumed matching with realistic data of a cement quarry. The objective of this study was to provide feed for two crushers of 300 tph capacities with minimum number of trucks and shovels. Student (academic) version of Simio software was used. Scenarios of quarry were created by exporting quarry data of Cherat Cement Ltd., from Google Earth in Simio. Total seven scenarios were checked by changing number and capacities of trucks and shovels. The model yields different results for various situations. The best results were selected. The model presented can also be used for deciding best location of shovels on different faces depending upon the chemical composition of materials available at faces for making ideal feed for kilns. The management could rightly decide by using the simulation models for complex processes at mining/quarry operations and could easily generate report and visual presentations.

Keywords

• Optimization
• simulation
• cement quarry
• Simio.