Systematic Literature Review on Truss-Type Structures for Mobile Mining Bridges and Portable Conveyors: Evidence from Steel Truss Bridges, Structural Optimization, and Maintenance Management

Abstract

Open-pit mining increasingly substitutes truck-based haulage with continuous systems—such as mobile bridges and relocatable conveyors—to mitigate operational costs and environmental impacts. This PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic review (2010–2025) maps transferable evidence in structural analysis, optimization, and maintenance for truss-type mobile assets. Following a systematic search in Scopus and Web of Science, 94 studies were selected via MMAT quality appraisal and analyzed through cluster-based synthesis. Results reveal sustained publication growth since 2018, with a corpus dominated by finite element (FE) research on steel bridges and capacity assessment, supplemented by emerging areas in AI-driven structural health monitoring (SHM). Given the scarcity of mining-specific literature, bridge engineering serves as a structural proxy for mobile applications. Critical research gaps include full-scale operational validation, soil–structure interaction, and design–maintenance co-optimization. The study concludes with an evidence-anchored agenda toward validated, predictive, and sustainable monitoring frameworks, positioning digital-twin integration as a promising future horizon rather than a current industry-wide convergence.