Safety Requirements for Mixed-Traffic Operation of Autonomous Haulage Systems in Surface Mining

Authors: David Ede M.Sc., Adam Pekarski M.Sc., Dr.-Ing. Moritz Ziegler, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Elisabeth Clausen, Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen Germany
DOI: 10.66356/IYDB8339

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This article presented ongoing research efforts at the Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT) at the RWTH Aachen University, Aachen/Germany, with the goal of enabling the safe integration of autonomous machinery in surface mining operations. It has been highlighted that there is a need for clear standardization of the integration of autonomous machines in mining operations. To this end a novel and structured safety concept for mixed traffic operations is currently being developed. Part of this safety concept is an integrated safety control system. This safety control system heavily relies on perception sensors to maintain a safe state of the Autonomous or Semi-Autonomous Machine (ASAM). Currently there exists no holistic understanding of the impact of the harsh environmental conditions in mining environments on the detection capability of perception systems as well as a standardized testing method to evaluate and validate them under these conditions. For this purpose, a static long-term test stand was built at the AMTs exploratory sandbox, the Nivelstein quartz sand open-pit mine of Nivelsteiner Sandwerke und Sandsteinbrüche GmbH, where perception sensors are examined year-round. This allows for evaluating sensor performance in a wide variety of environmental influences. Overall, these research topics will play an integral role in the safe and economic integration of autonomous machinery in modern mining operations.

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