Autonomous driving might increase safety and profitability of trucks in many applications. The mining industry, with its enclosed and controlled areas, is ideal for early implementation of autonomous solutions. The possibility of increased productivity, profitability and safety for the mining industry and the mining area as a ground for development could, through collaboration, result in many benefits for both mining companies and truck manufactures. Scania must investigate how these autonomous vehicles should be constructed. The project goal is thereby to develop a chassis layout concept for an autonomous truck. The concept should improve profitability and safety for transportation of materials within the mining industry while minimizing the introduction of new components to Scania. The chosen approach is based on the Ulrich & Eppinger method for product development including generation and selection of concepts. Product requirements were specified from identified customer needs. The generated concepts were evaluated against these requirements and comparisons were performed with weighted matrices. Some benefits of the final chassis layout concept are a higher load carrying capacity, more robust component placement and higher ground clearance. The vehicle concept would also be able to operate in underground mines with low roof clearance which could open new market segments for Scania. However, the concept requires development to gain higher performance on load carrying components in the chassis front. The suggested concept shows that Scania could build and deliver autonomous mining vehicles with optimized chassis layouts based on Scania’s existing components within a near future. / Autonom körning kan öka säkerheten och lönsamheten för lastbilar i många applikationer. Gruvindustin, med dess avgränsade och kontrollerade områden, är ideal för tidig implementation av autonoma lösningar. Möjligheten till ökad produktivitet, lönsamhet och säkerhet med gruvindustrin och gruvområderna som plats för utveckling kan, genom samarbete, resultera i många fördelar för både gruvföretagen och lastbilstillverkarna. Scania måste därmed undersöka hur dessa autonoma fordon bör konstrueras. Projektmålet är därmed att ta fram ett koncept på en chassilayout för en autonom lastbil. Konceptet bör öka lönsamheten och säkerheten för transport av material inom gruvindustrin medan introduktionen av, för Scania, nya komponenter minimeras. Det valda angreppssättet är baserat på Ulrich & Eppingers metod för produktutveckling inkluderande generering och urval av koncept. Produktkraven specificerades utifrån de identifierade kundkraven. De framtagna koncepten utvärderades mot dessa krav och jämförelser genomfördes med viktade matriser. Några fördelar hos det slutgiltiga chassilayoutskonceptet är högre lastkapacitet, mer robust komponentplacering och högre markfri gång. Fordonskonceptet har även möjlighet att köra i underjordiska gruvor med låg takhöjd vilket kan öppna upp nya marknadssegment för Scania. Dock kräver konceptet utveckling för att nå högre prestanda hos lastbärande komponenter i främre chassi. Det föreslagna konceptet visar att Scania skulle kunna bygga och leverera autonoma gruvbilar med optimerad chassilayout baserat på Scanias existerande komponenter inom en snar framtid.

The automation of the tramming or load, haul and dump (LHD) procedure, performed by a LHD vehicle, holds the potential to improve productivity, efficiency and safety in the mining environment. Productivity is mainly increased by longer working hours; efficiency is improved by repetitive, faultless and predictable work; and safety is improved by removing the human operator from the harsh environment. However, before the automation of the process can be addressed, a thorough understanding of the process and its duty in the overall mining method is required. Therefore, the current applicable mining methods and their areas of potential automation are given. Since the automation of the LHD vehicle is at the core of this project, its implementation in the tramming process is also justified. Also, the current underground navigation methods are given and their shortcomings are named. It is concluded that infrastructure-free navigation is the only viable solution in the ever-changing mining environment. With that in mind, the feasibility of various navigation sensors is discussed and conclusions are drawn. Both kinematic and dynamic modelling of LHD vehicles are introduced. Various forms of kinematic models are given and their underlying modelling assumptions are named. The most prominent assumptions concern the vehicle’s half-length and the inclusion of a wheel-slip factor. Dynamic modelling techniques, with a strong emphasis on tyre modelling, are also stated. In order to evaluate the modelling techniques, field tests are performed on the articulated vehicles, namely the Wright 365 LHD and the Bell 1706C loader. The test on the Wright 365 LHD gives a good impression of the harsh ergonomics under which the operator has to work. A more thorough test is performed on the Bell 1706C articulated loader. The test results are then compared to simulation results obtained from the kinematic models. Also, the above-named assumptions are tested, evaluated and discussed. A dynamic model is also simulated and discussed. Lastly, two localization and control methods are given and evaluated. The first method is an open-loop nonlinear optimal control strategy with periodic position resetting and the second method is a pathtracking controller. AFRIKAANS : Automatisering van die laai-, vervoer- en dompel- (LVD) prosedure het die potensiaal om die produktiwiteit, effektiwiteit en veiligheid van die mynbedryf te verbeter. Produktiwiteit word hoofsaaklik deur langer werksure verhoog, effektiwiteit word deur herhalende, foutlose en voorspelbare werk verbeter en veiligheid word verbeter omdat menslike operateurs uit die gevaarlike ondergrondse omgewing verwyder word. Voordat aandag aan die automatisering van die prosedure geskenk kan word, moet die prosedure en die algemene mynbedrywighede rakende die prosedure deeglik bestudeer en verstaan word. As gevolg hiervan word die huidige, toepaslike mynboumetodes hier gedokumenteer. Die implementering van ʼn gekoppelde LVD-voertuig in die LVD-prosesword ook geregverdig. Verder word die huidige metodes van ondergrondse navigasie genoem en hulle tekortkominge aangedui. Die gevolgtrekking dat infrastruktuur-vrye navigasie die enigste lewensvatbare navigasiemetode in die immer veranderende ondergrondsemynbouomgewing is, word ook gemaak. In die lig daarvan word ʼn verskeidenheid sensors genoem en bespreek. Kinematiese en dinamiese modellering van ʼn LVD-voertuig word bekendgestel. Verskeie kinematiese modelle en hulle onderliggende aannames word genoem. Die mees prominente aannames is die lengte van die gekoppelde voertuig se hoofdele en die insluiting van ʼn wielglipfaktor. Die tegnieke van dinamiese modellering, met die klem op bandmodellering, word ook gegee. Praktyktoetse op gekoppelde voertuie is ook gedoen om die verskillende modelle te evalueer. Die toets op die Wright 365-LVD bied goeie insig in die strawwe ergonomiese toestande waaronder die operateurs moet werk. ʼn Deeglike toets is op ʼn BELL 1706C- gekoppelde laaier, wat kinematies identies aan ʼn LVD-voertuig is, uitgevoer. Die bevindinge van die toets word met bogenoemde modelsimulasies vergelyk en gevolgtrekkings word gemaak. Laastens word lokalisiering en beheer van ʼn LVDvoertuig behandel. Twee beheermetodes, opelus- nie-lineêre optimale beheer met periodieke herstel en padvolgingbeheer word geëvalueer en bespreek. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted