Muleya, F (2014) Modelling wheeled construction plant performance in clay and sandy terrain: a terramechanics perspective. PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
Abstract
This research has investigated the effect of tyre rutting of wheeled construction plant performance traversing in wet and deformable terrain, specifically clay and sand. The purpose was to translate the wheel rutting into performance reduction measured in drawbar-pull. The ultimate goal was to translate the power loss into practical effects on cost, time and other economic variations on construction projects that are characterised by movement of wheeled plant on long haulage deformable roads. In order to achieve this aim, mathematical modelling was deployed based on Newton?s laws of motion, principles of energy conservation and numerical integration. The model is based on a single rigid wheel because construction plant tyres are inflated to high pressure in order to support heavy loads thereby translating the flexible tyres into rigid mode. The results from the mathematical model were verified using a three stage robust verification process which included computational analysis based on two existing semi-empirical methods and real experimental data. Laboratory experiments using Mobility SF- 3713 were also used to check the validity of the results. The results from the mathematical model verify that a flexible ... (continues)
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction plant; experiment; ground conditions; mathematical modelling; performance; road construction |
| Index terms: | construction plant, mobility, power loss, validity, mathematical modelling, road construction, modelling, sand, energy conservation, laboratory, movement, mathematical model, experiment, ground condition, variation, integration, construction project |
| Subjects: | energy systems, building materials, mathematical modelling, data collection methods, infrastructure and transport systems, geotechnical engineering, organizational analysis, construction equipment, contractual condition, civil engineering, analytical methods, health behaviours and lifestyles, evaluation and assessment methods, research management, production management |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Organizational Design, Contract Administration, Research Practice, Plant and Equipment, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here