Haul road condition impact on tire life of mining dump truck

Purpose. Off-road tires (OTR) for mining and earthmoving applications which are specially developed for extreme mine site conditions can take 1020% of transportation costs. Up to 15% of OTR content is natural rubber produced from a rubber tree known as hevea brasiliensis. A significant number of OTR fail before the target life built in by tire manufacturers. This has certain negative impacts on the environment and wildlife due to deforestation effect. Thus, the purpose of the work is to increase the durability or, in the terminology of the operators, the mileage of the OTR. Methodology. The current study represents analyses of new modern digital technology for monitoring the mining haul road condition within a site study on Bogatyr Komir coal mine in North Kazakhstan. The influence of operating conditions was controlled, i.e. road quality, temperature conditions, tire pressure, and other parameters on tire life. Findings. The results show the effectiveness of digital technologies and the possibility of extending the life of tires by following the recommendations of the system in a timely manner. As a result of the analysis of temperature regimes and pressure in tires, especially in summer conditions, recommendations for rational operating conditions were determined, which makes it possible to increase the durability of tires. Originality. Modern operational digital methodology for monitoring open pit mines road condition defines ton kilometer per hour (TKPH) indicator per every trip, which provides on-time information for road design and maintenance. Practical value. Growing worldwide demand is driving the development of the mining industry. In the future, more and more fields with a low content of produced raw materials will be put into operation. The development of deposits with a low content of a useful product means that more rock mass must be moved in order for these developments to be profitable. Transportation costs in low-grade mines can be as high as 70% of mining costs due to more haul trucks and longer roads that need to be commissioned. Thus, an increase in the durability of OTR can give a great economic effect not only in the conditions of the Bogatyr Komir quarry under consideration but also in other mining and processing plants.