This study was conducted to make a limited field test evaluation of experimental and standard tractor dozer blades in land reclamation service. All tests were conducted on area-mined spoil banks in southeast Kansas. Generally speaking, these banks were parallel and geometrically uniform, with crest to crest distances ranging from 90 to 120 ft. Although dozing distances in the final stages of land shaping often reach 200 ft and more, the weighted average horizontal relocation distance required to level and shape normal area-mined spoil banks of this type is usually less than 50 ft. The experimental blades tested and evaluated were designed to improve dirt handling efficiency in this short distance relocation range. Earthmoving tools and systems evaluated include (1) 40-ft angle blade with 40-degree fixed angle of blade attack mounted on a Cat D9H tractor with tow assist provided by a Cat D9G, (2) 24-ft Vee Plow with 40-degree fixed angle of blade attack mounted on a Cat D9G tractor with tow assist provided by a Cat D8 tractor, (3) 24-ft grading bar mounted on a Cat D8H tractor designed to smooth rough graded land following the land shaping process, (4) 48-ft angle blade with 46-degree fixed angle of blade attack mounted on side-by-side Cat D9H tractors in an offset position, (5) 60-ft variable angle blade (40 exp 0 to 75 exp 0 ) mounted on two Fiat-Allis 41B tractors, (6) Narrow (13 ft) deep U conventional type bulldozer blade mounted on a Cat D9H tractor, (7) Polymer injection to reduce soil-steel coefficient of friction in angle blade service. A total of 4,805,779 hp-hrs of tractor time was expended under the test program and 1.431 acres of spoil reshaped to gently rolling terrain conditions suitable for farming. Average cost on an overall basis was $671/acre for the earthmoving phase of the reclamation effort, which is approximately half normal industry costs for a comparable work effort using conventional bulldozers. (ERA citation 04:042247)
Application of High Volume Earthmoving Methods to the Reclamation of Area Mined Spoil Banks. Final Report
1978
114 pages
Report
No indication
English
Bulldozing Improvements for Mine Spoil Reclamation
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