Finite Element Model of the Ore Disintegration Process - Part 2

This article is focused on the numerical analysis of the hard rock (ore) disintegration process (continuation of the firstly article published in this Journal, see [3]). The bit moves and sinks into the hard rock (mechanical contact with friction between the ore and the cutting bit) and subsequently disintegrates it. The disintegration (i.e. stress-strain relationship, contact forces, reaction forces and fracture of the ore) is solved via FEM (MSC.MARC/MENTAT software) and SBRA (Simulation-Based Reliability Assessment) method (Monte Carlo simulations, Anthill and Mathcad software). Disintegration of the ore is done by deactivation of the finite elements which satisfy conditions of fracture. Material of the ore (i.e. yield stress, fracture limit, Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio) are given by bounded histograms (i.e. stochastic inputs which describe better the reality). The results (reaction forces in the cutting bit) are also of stochastic quantity and they are compared with experiment. Application of SBRA method at this area is a new and modern trend. However, to solve this problem (material and structural nonlinearities, the large number of elements, many iteration steps and many Monte Carlo simulations) takes long time. Hence, parallel computers were used to solve the large computational needs of this problem.