Underground » Maintenance
The primary aim of this project was to investigate the relationship between, drive slip, wrap angle and drum friction co efficient and how this relationship is affected by the shear characteristics of the materials involved.
This project was undertaken because the traditional formula used to describe drive friction analysis, was seen as inadequate, in that it could not accommodate for, lagging shear characteristics, belting viscoelastic shear characteristics, boundary interface mechanics and elastic recovery rates.
The practical expression of these problems is seen in the onset of drive slip and the delamination and excessive belt wear.
The report details laboratory analysis of a number of types of belting and lagging. It also case studies actual conveyor problems that relate to drive dynamics. In one instance it was found that the strain delay time was found to be longer than the travel time between drive drum and snub pulleys. This meant that the stress profile induced by the drive drum does not have time to relax and normalise before it is added to as it travels around the snub pulley. This has the potential to cause excessive shear stress at the carcass/cover interface, and the inevitable breakdown of the belting.
This research work develops new concepts, and is in it's formative phase with more work required, if we are to fully understand and design the belt/lagging interface.