Systems Audit
Systems audits are conducted to assess the suitability of the processes that maintain the structural integrity, safety, and reliability of machines such as shiploaders, stackers and reclaimers.
Category: Articles
Integrity of Large Steel Wire Ropes
Steel wire rope forms an important part of many machines and structures. The wires and strands are designed to slide in relation to each other, distributing the complicated applied stresses more effectively. This article provides general information on steel wire ropes, guidance on their care and maintenance and discard criteria.
PIANC WG184 Guidelines ‘Design Principles for Dry Bulk Marine Terminals’ Now Published
PIANC recently published WG184 Design Principles for Dry Bulk Marine Terminals in March 2019. PIANC formed WG184 as no current guidelines existed for the planning and design of specialist marine terminals for the import and export of bulk solids.
Assessment of Slew Bearing Change-Out Jacking Points
ASPEC has expertise in performing structural inspections, analysis and strengthening of jacking points on stackers, reclaimers and shiploaders to facilitate maintenance activities. This article highlights some design considerations for slew bearing change-out jacking points in accordance with AS4324.1.
Machine Health Check
Control systems on mobile equipment have advanced greatly in recent years and large SCADA datasets are available to analyse the machine performance. ASPEC has been processing and translating the SCADA data into engineering information, which is then used to carry out machine health checks to validate machine performance as part of asset management reviews.
Foundation Design for Furnace Building
Innovative strategies were required when presented with a variety of challenges for this large scale building foundation design. These include future proofing the foundation design for changes in design loading, as well as implementing efficient constructability solutions due to the challenging site environment.
Design of Modular Process Plant Buildings
The design of modular buildings for process plants involves complex loading scenarios that are not covered by Australian Standards, and requires the use of advanced structural analysis tools and techniques. This is illustrated by the case study of a furnace building discussed in this paper.
Marine Fenders and Mooring Systems
Marine fendering systems are necessary to absorb the energy of the moving ship as it berths at the wharf and thus protects the supporting wharf structure from damage. Mooring systems hold the vessel securely at the berth. If a ship undergoes excessive movements on its mooring lines, the fenders are required to prevent damage to both the ship and the wharf.
Differences Between AS4324.1 and ISO5049.1
The International Standard ISO5049.1, for bulk materials handling machines such as stackers, reclaimers, ship loaders and ship unloaders, was used in Australia until 1995. Since then Australia has followed the AS4324.1 standard. There are significant differences between the two standards; this article will explain further.