Multi-Criteria System’s Design Methodology for Selecting Open Pits Dump Trucks

Abstract

The sustainable development and operation of mining enterprises as major sources of economic growth in many countries is determined by a balance of economic, environmental, and social objectives and the resources required to achieve these objectives. Transportation is one of the main equipment at open pits. It accounts for up to 70% of open pit operating expenses. Various parameters of transportation means should be coordinated both with the parameters of the open pit and meet the conditions of its operation. The authors have developed a universal system of criteria for selecting a dump truck model for open pit conditions. The novelty of the proposed system lies in the complex consideration of all known factors to date and criteria of dump truck selection and the allocation of four groups of criteria: technical, technological, environmental, economic, and organizational. The groups of criteria and specific criteria in each group were ranked by the degree of importance using the multi-criteria decision-making method FUCOM (Full Consistency Method). The methodology of creating criteria systems in conditions of influence on the choice of alternatives of a set of interrelated factors is presented. The peculiarity of the methodology is the evaluation of different sets of criteria by several groups of experts with different competencies. The obtained criterion ranks are recommended to be used by managers of mining enterprises to choose a dump truck model. The presented methodology is suitable for the development of new systems of criteria, considering significant changes in operating conditions or the emergence of factors not considered in this study. Evaluation of all models of dump trucks on the market using the developed system of criteria is envisaged by the authors in a future study.