1 ACARP Roadway Development Operator Workshops March 2009 Modelling of Gateroad Development Ernest Baafi – UOW Geoff Gray – SMS Ian Porter – UOW Osvaldo Rojas - SMS University of Wollongong

The Development Challenge Longwall mining is a cost effective means of extracting coal …..provided roadway development can keep pace… ACARP initiated a project to assist improving the roadway development process. 2

Modelling The Process ACARP recognised the need for modelling tools The concept of using dynamic simulation technology was proposed UOW and SMS worked with industry experts Modelling tools and Models developed. 3

Simulation Technology Methodology has numerous alias’s Monte Carlo Simulation Discrete Event Simulation Computer Simulation Simulation Modelling Dynamic Simulation 4

Simulation Technology But not this… 5 British Army WWI Horse Simulator

Simulation Technology In our context: Models operate over time Dynamic interactions between components Allow for randomness/variability in operations Provide animated displays ……provide WHAT IF analysis capability. 6

Scope Of Modelling Focus On Gate Road Development 2 heading development Modelling will cover operations from face to boot 7

Modelling System For Roadway Development Dynamic modelling system Allows Roadway Development options to be explored Predicts: Achievable development rates (days/1000m) Bottlenecks (including unrecorded delays) eg Miner waits on shuttle car Shuttle car waits on miner Boot end delays Traffic delays (car interactions) 8

Development Process 9

RoadSIM – toolkit + models 10

Model – Users 11

Model Setup Data Required To Set Up The Model Configuration (roadway dimensions) Miner cycle times Support times Shuttle Car Performance Operational Availability Planned Unplanned (randomly imposed on the model) 12

Running The Model Each Setup is replicated many times Each replication of the model has the same setup – but different possible unplanned events. Animation to confirm operations Reporting available in Excel for assessment.

Animated Display 14

Animated Display 15

Model Output Estimates of : Time to complete a Pillar Scheduled operating time per 1000m First coal to first coal time Exposure rates Metres/Running Hour Utilisation of time. 16

Miner Utilisation Definitions Output – Utilisation Definitions Utilisation …. 17 Calculated from random interactions in the model

Output – Exposure Rates 18

Case Study Mine Mine was selected to test models ability to reproduce past performance Mine 1: 2 Heading Operation 1 Bolter-Miner 1 Shuttle car 19

20 Case Study Mine – Historical Performance Mine 1 Stats Pillar Cycle Time (First coal to first coal)11days Exposure Rate (m/op. hour)1.8m/op. hr Exposure Rate (m/rep. run hour)4m/rep. run hr Delay Categories (% of Simulation Time) Mine Process Planned0.3 Mine Process Unplanned0.1 Outbye Services Unplanned16.2 Panel Engineering Planned3.6 Panel Engineering Unplanned3.9 Panel Process Planned16.3 Panel Process Unplanned3.1 Sequence Move Planned15.5 Unscheduled Planned14.4 Unrecorded Delay2.0

21 Case Study Mine – Model vs Historical

22 Case Study Mine – Model vs Historical

23 Case Study Mine – Model vs Historical

24 Case Study Mine – Model Exposure Rate

Exploring Options Simulation model can be used to explore alternative options These can include: Pillar length Shuttle car size Discharge rates Support times Others … 25

Exploring Options Impact of Support time 26

Exploring Options Impact of Shuttle Car Discharge Times 27

In Summary… ACARP project has resulted in a modelling tool for Australian industry RoadSIM is aimed at assisting in evaluating roadway development options Provides a What If tool to assist with process improvement. 28

Thanks for your attention …Questions ?? University of Wollongong