Computational simulation of frictional drill-bit movement in cemented granular materials

The main purpose of this paper is to simulate computationally the kinematical motion of the frictional drill-bit of an automatic mining machine in the underground consisting of cemented granular materials. Although the finite element method has become a powerful tool for the design and analysis of many kinds of engineering products, it cannot be used, both effectively and efficiently, for dealing with the frictional drill-bit design problem that involves discrete-mechanics characteristics in nature. Thus, the particle simulation method is employed for mimicking the kinematical motion of a frictional drill-bit, which is fundamental to the design of an automatic mining machine in cemented granular materials. In order to simulate the driving force mechanism of a frictional drill-bit, both the designed velocity and the actual velocity concepts of the frictional drill-bit are proposed. This enables the particle simulation method to be used as a potential tool for the design of an automatic mining machine, which can be used as a new mining technology in some particular mining environments. To illustrate the usefulness and applicability of the proposed driving mechanism associated with the particle simulation method, it has been used for mimicking the frictional drill-bit movement of an automatic mining machine in cemented granular materials under several working conditions. The related computational simulation results have demonstrated that (1) the particle simulation method, together with the proposed driving mechanism of a frictional drill-bit, can provide a useful tool for the design of an automatic mining machine and (2) the vibrating frequency of a frictional drill-bit may have considerable effects on the motion of the frictional drill-bit in the underground consisting of cemented granular materials.