Mining Haul Roads

Theory and Practice

Mining haul roads are a critical component of surface mining infrastructure and the performance of these roads has a direct impact on operational efficiency, costs and safety. A significant proportion of a mine’s cost is associated with material haulage and well-designed and managed roads contribute directly to reductions in cycle times, fuel burn, tyre costs and overall cost per tonne hauled and critically, underpin a safe transport system.

The first comprehensive treatise on mining haul road design, construction, operation and management, Mining Haul Roads – Theory and Practice presents an authoritative compendium of worldwide experience and state-of-the-art practices developed and applied over the last 25 years by the three authors, over three continents and many of the world’s leading surface mining operations. In this book, the authors:

• Introduce the four design components of an integrated design methodology for mining haul roads – geometric (including drainage), structural, functional and maintenance management
• Illustrate how mine planning constraints inform road design requirements
• Develop the analytical framework for each of the design components from their theoretical basis, and using typical mine-site applications, illustrate how site-specific design guidelines are developed, together with their practical implementation
• Summarise the key road safety and geometric design considerations specific to mining haul roads
• Specify the mechanistic structural design approach unique to ultra-heavy wheel loading associated with OTR mine trucks
• Describe the selection, application and management of the road wearing course material, together with its rehabilitation, including the use of palliatives
• Develop road and operating cost models for estimating total road-user costs, based on road rolling resistance measurement and modelling techniques
• Illustrate the approach of costing a mining road construction project based on the design methodologies previously introduced
• List and describe future trends in mine haulage system development, how mining haul road design will evolve to meet these new system challenges and how the increasing availability of data is used to manage road performance and ultimately provide 24x7 trafficability.

Mining Haul Roads – Theory and Practice is a complete practical reference for mining operations, contractors and mine planners alike, as well as civil engineering practitioners and consulting engineers. It will also be invaluable in other fields of transportation infrastructure provision and for those seeking to learn and apply the state-of-the-art in mining haul roads.

“This book is the most definitive treatise on mining haul roads ever written […] There has never been a text that addresses the many facets of mining haul roads on such a scope […]” From the Foreword by Jim Humphrey, Professional Engineer, Autonomous haulage systems developer and Distinguished Member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.