Real-Time Haul Road Monitoring Device Launched

 

Award-winning Queensland based engineering Proof Engineers has launched their newly developed Road Condition Monitor, which allows for effective measurement and monitoring of haul road performance with accurate up-to-the-second data reporting.

The Proof Condition Monitor (RCM) is a leading edge tool featuring an in-built triaxial system to measure vibrations caused by road deterioration through a compact and easily installed 12V-powered device.

RCM can be used by civil engineers in road construction for measuring and reporting the robustness of a road.

It has also been used on civil roads to map out what roads are deteriorating faster than others for a pro-active approach to road maintenance.

The updated RCM features a more compact sophisticated design that is easily installed into haul trucks, water carts and light vehicles via the vehicle's On Board Diagnostics System, which allows it to provide more reliable up-to-the-second sampling than what was previously possible.

It provides accelerometer sampling of road and pit conditions, with data being converted using advanced algorithms to display a site's 'Road Score' and full-site mapping with an easy-to-use colour scale that accurately highlights areas of deterioration where maintenance is required, allowing for immediate on-site action.

As the vehicle travels across the site vibration data is processed, recorded and sent to mine site operators in real-time via an integrated 3G network.

Overall the new RCM provides increased reliability and versatility. The system is more customisable than ever before, with mine site operators able to adjust the focus of results to be collected from specific roads or vehicles.

A site operator can also customise the data weighing/processing system so it is processed in accordance to a site's specific road condition standards.

Proof Engineers' civil engineer Jordan Handel says the RCM ensures mine sites maintain optimum road conditions on an ongoing basis, ensuring haulage is carried out in a safe manner and cost effective manner.

"The newly advanced Proof Road Condition Monitor is cost effective, accurate and completely objective, delivering real-time quantitative data reflecting a site's road and pit conditions directly to mine site operators," Handel said.

"Mine haul roads are a major production element that have a direct influence on mine site operations, poorly maintained roads cost a site time and money in terms of production, resulting in a range of issues including increased rolling resistance, damaged machinery and dust generation - all of which accumulate into an unsafe operating environment.

"The improved technology of our new RCM allows for increased synchronisation and speed of data transfer between the device and our online data display platform, which better equips mine site operators to prevent issues by providing up-to-the-second assessment of a site's road and pit conditions.

"Having the real-time reports can allow mine sites to take pro-active approach to haul road maintenance, effectively lowering the cost per tonne hauled by extending tyre life, optimising secondary machinery use as well as reducing grading, operating costs and fuel consumption."

According to Handel, the RCM system is extremely compact and simple to implement, allowing for onsite monitoring to be managed by mine site operators with minimal training required.

"The device itself can fit in the palm of a hand, it is non-invasive and easily installed into haul trucks, watering carts of light vehicles via the On Board Diagnostic Systems," Handel said.

"Once the device is installed, data is calculated, filtered and displayed in a user friendly manner on our online platform via our 'Road Score' and colour coded site mapping, which uses an intuitive green, yellow, orange and red scale to indicate the extend of deterioration.

"The data displayed is customisable to a site's specific needs, for instance a site may want to focus on results collected from particular vehicles or roads, or even alter the weighing systems in accordance to different road condition standards."

The RCM can also assist sites with applying the best watering practices, as the system can identify the effectiveness of soil additives by monitoring improvement to the roads' running surface pre and post treatment.