Determining the condition of material for tension bar bucket wheel excavator operating under dynamic working conditions

Abstract

Since the bucket wheel excavator SRs 1200 had crashed with bucket wheel boom heavily damaged, there was an opportunity to analyze the real structure that was in operation for past 40 years. As there are 4 more SRs 1200 bucket wheel excavators in RB Kolubara, obtained results can be of great benefit for 4 running bucket wheel excavators, as well as the revitalization of the damaged one. The following results were acquired: State of bucket wheel excavator's tension bar fatigue, operating under dynamic working conditions. This was managed by the determination of chemical mechanical properties, fracture mechanics and permanent dynamic strength parameters (Weller curve). Based on acquired results, an evaluation for remaining life assessment of materials was determined, allowing predictions for further bucket wheel excavator exploitation performance.