Multi-criteria evaluation and least-cost path analysis for optimal haulage routing of dump trucks in large scale open-pit mines

A new raster-based GIS model that combines multi-criteria evaluation and least-cost path analysis was developed to determine the optimal haulage routes of dump trucks in large scale open-pit mines. The model logic can consider multiple criteria simultaneously (i.e. speed, water body, ore body, curve, visibility, haul road maintenance) and can rate the adverse factor scores of truck movement using fuzzy membership functions. After establishing the weights of five factors by pairwise comparisons, the average adverse score grid can be generated by the weighted linear combination of factor and constraint scores. New software, called Dump Traveler, was implemented to improve the availability of the developed model. An application to the Roto South pit in the Pasir open-pit coal mine, Indonesia, showed that the software can provide rational solutions to determine the optimal routes on truck haulage operations. Moreover, the layout of available haul roads can be evaluated to consider the trade-off between road maintenance costs and the potential for traffic jams. Variations of weights for factors were found to be sensitive to the optimal haulage routes determined by least-cost path analysis. The software provides both optimal routes on truck haulage operations and approximately estimated travel times along the routes, therefore it can support other truck dispatching software that mainly considers scheduling problems.