Simulation Analysis of Traffic Congestion in Mineral Mining Transport

This chapter presents a simulation analysis of several mining transport problems, carried out using the FlexSim software. A method of defining a mining production specification is described and ways of building and importing 3D mining models are shown. Special attention is paid to the formation of heavy vehicle streams and to truck traffic concentration points. Simulations, involving changes in the number of mines and in the levels of their production and showing their direct consequences, were run. The usefulness of computer simulations, especially for mineral market management, transport control and transport network transformation, is demonstrated.