Resistive Force Analysis for Design of Rubber Tire Loader Buckets

Abstract Rubber tire loaders are key loading equipment for surface and underground mines and can load up to 35 t of material in a pass. Efficient initial penetration into the pile improves the overall efficiency of the loading operation. For efficient design for good initial penetration, we need to predict accurately the resistive forces encountered by these buckets during initial penetration. This paper examines the resistive forces on the bucket as a function of rake angle, height above the digging floor, speed, and tractive effort during initial penetration. A 1/16th scaled representative model of an 18 t (19.8 ton) capacity load haul dump is used for experimentation to understand the effects of rake angle, height above the floor, speed, and tractive effort. The results show that resistive forces are not associated with rake angle or height above the floor but significantly associated with speed, tractive effort, combined effects of speed and tractive effort, and combined effects of speed and rake angle. Future research should focus on conducting similar experiments on different materials and different buckets to better understand the ground engagement for mining and construction equipment. These insights are important to understand the full range of forces during bucket and equipment design.