Stockpile Modelling

How to use the Stockpile Modeling Feature

Using the Stockpile Modelling Feature

Introduction

The aim of the stockpile modelling functionality is to capture the movement of material going in and out of the stockpile and display that movement visually based on a user-defined design and sequence of movement.

The Stockpile Modelling functionality is broken down into 4 parts:

  • Design – The stockpile string and wireframe model is created using a base string and the defined design parameters.  A topography wireframe model can optionally be used to control or refine the design.

  • Evaluation – The evaluation process is used to cut the stockpile up into blocks. These blocks are used to sequence the order in which material is supplied to, or reclaimed from the stockpile and to visually model the process (blocks can be hidden if empty). These stockpile blocks allow for a more realistic and thus accurate modelling of stockpile material movement while scheduling as, rather than using an average stockpile grade at that point in time, grades are calculated on a stockpile block basis.

  • Sequencing – The sequencing process is used to define the entry point(s) to the stockpile(s) as well as the planned rebuild and reclaim sequences. The latter are generated either manually, automatically or by using dependency order guide strings.

  • Using a Stockpile Model with a Stockpile Destination – Stockpile Destinations can optionally make use of stockpile models - set in the Stockpile Destination Settings Model tab). If they are modelled, extra options are available, such as initial state per stockpile block and swell factor. When modelled, the visual representation of their material will be shown in the wireframe and the ‘Show Stockpile Blocks’ view will give information based on the individual blocks rather than the stockpile as a whole.

 

Stockpile Design

The general procedure for doing this is as follows:

  1. Draw or load the stockpile base string(s) into the Design window.

  2. Select a base string.

  3. In the Task Pane, Setup tab, click Stockpile Design .
     

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    If you are shown any Internet Explorer confirmation messages, elect to allow the command to complete – if ActiveX control creation is blocked on the local machine, you will need to lower your security settings to run the Stockpile Design script .

  4. In the Customization control bar, Dump/Stockpile Design Utility dialog, define the required Run, Output table, Design Parameters, Road Parameters and Settings, click Project.

  5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for each base string.

  6. Click Exit.
  7. In the Loaded Data control bar, unload the stockpile base strings object.
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Each stockpile model should be given a unique name and saved to a separate set of model files.

   

The following two images show the before and after view of two stockpile base strings of which only the left string has been modelled:

 

Stockpile base strings.

 

Stockpile design (left) and base string (right). The stockpile design consists of both a string and wireframe model.

 

Stockpile Evaluation

The general procedure for doing this is as follows:

  1. Draw or load the stockpile vertical cutting string(s) into the Design window.

  2. In the Design window, select only the cutting string(s).

  3. In the ISTSStudioOPTask Pane, Setup tab, click Stockpile Evaluation .

  4. In Stockpile Evaluation dialog, define the required Input Wireframe, Block ID, optional Additional Cutting Planes and Output Objects parameters, click OK.

  5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for each stockpile wireframe object.

  6. Click Exit.
  7. In the Loaded Data control bar, unload the stockpile design wireframe object(s).
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The output from the evaluation process is a set of stockpile evaluation block definition, wireframe and string files for each stockpile.

 

The following two images show the before and after views of evaluating the left stockpile using the displayed grid of vertical cutting strings:

 

Stockpile designs and vertical cut strings.

 

Stockpile blocks (left) and an unevaluated stockpile design (right). The evaluated stockpile blocks are represented by both outlines (strings) and wireframe blocks.

 

Stockpile Sequencing

Sequencing using Dependency Order Strings

The general procedure for doing this is as follows:

  1. In the Studio OP Task Pane, Setup tab, click Stockpile Sequencing .

  2. In Stockpile Sequencing dialog, select the required Stockpile Data (Definition, Wireframe and Outlines file names) parameters.

  3. Click Pick and then, in the Design window, select a lift entry block, then in the Pick Lift Entry dialog, click Finished.

  4. Load the dependency order strings file into the Design window.

  5. In the Build Sequence tab, click New.

  6. Click From String and then, in the Design window, select the required dependency order string.

  7. Check that dependencies (red arrows) are added, following the path defined by the selected string.

  8. Click Sequence, then click OK once all blocks have been sequenced.

  9. Click Animate , view the animation build sequence in the VR window, click Stop.

  10. Repeat steps 5 to 9 for the Reclaim Sequence tab.

  11. Click OK.
  12. Repeat steps 1 to 11 for each stockpile.
  13. In the Loaded Data control bar, unload the stockpile design wireframe object(s).

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  • The output from the evaluation process is a set of stockpile evaluation block definition, wireframe and string files for each stockpile. These files contain the following information:
    • Definition file:
      • Block ID
      • Volume
      • Tonnes
      • Density
      • Qualities
      • % Fill
      • Build Sequence
      • Reclaim sequence
    • Block wireframe files:

      • Block ID

      • Standard fields

    • Block outlines (strings):

      • Block ID

      • Standard fields

      • LIFT

  • Both intra-stockpile and inter-stockpile dependencies can be defined to control the sequencing.

 

 

The following images show the stockpile blocks (with an entry point shown as a green dump truck), a set of dependency order strings, stockpile build dependencies and lastly, stockpile reclaim dependencies:

 

Stockpile blocks showing the lift entry point for the left stockpile.

 

Dependency order strings (yellow) for the left stockpile. The direction of each string (the small circle symbol indicates the string start point) determines the dependency order of each intersected stockpile block. The above image contains two strings, one for the build and the other for the reclaim sequence order.

 

Sequenced stockpile blocks and build dependencies (red arrows).

 

Sequenced stockpile blocks and reclaim dependencies (red arrows).

 

  openbook.gif (910 bytes)  Related Topics

 

Define Process Flows
Destinations

Targets

Stockpile Destination - Model