j o u r n a l o f m a t e r i a l s p r o c e s s i n g t e c h n o l o g y 2 0 8 ( 2 0 0 8 ) 477485

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Analysis of the ageing impact on the strength of the adhesive sealed joints of conveyor belts
Dariusz Mazurkiewicz
Lublin University of Technology, Ul. Nadbystrzycka 36, 20-618 Lublin, Poland

a r t i c l e
Article history:

i n f o

a b s t r a c t
The article is devoted to the presentation and analysis of laboratory test results and of industrial measurements, for conveyor-belt bonded joint strength from the point of view of the impact of aging on their durability and reliability. The purpose of this extensive research was to obtain the strength parameters of conveyor-belt bonded joints during different periods of use, as well as to compare the laboratory tests results with long-term measurements carried out under working conditions. The laboratory tests included a typical new joint as well as a joint used previously at the LW Bogdanka S.A. mine. Analogous joints were mon-

Received 29 September 2007 Received in revised form 16 November 2007 Accepted 9 January 2008

Keywords: Belt conveyor Bonded joint Long-term strength

itored under a real dynamic load with the use of a measurement device intended to form an element of a future intelligent diagnostic and control system. 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1.

Introduction

According to Godzimirski (2002) and other authors, bonded joints may amount to 810% of all joints used in machine construction in the future. This is because of the increasingly improved characteristics of adhesive materials as well as the advantages that bonded joints have over other types of joints used in engineering. Therefore, construction bonding technology is increasingly used in aviation, machine and vehicle construction, building engineering and many other branches of industry (Czowniuk and Matwijenko, 1994a,b; Godzimirski, 2002; Kuczmaszewski, 1990; Tong and Grant, 1999). One of the areas where this type of joint is used is for belt conveyors as an intra-factory transport system. Belt conveyors are basic intra-plant transport machines, especially in the mining industry. Due to their numerous advantages, belt conveyors are also used in other industries, such as in natural resource processing, smelting, cement and lime production, pulp and paper production, sea and river ports, civil engineering, agriculture, sugar factories, power

plants and others. The reason for this is that belt conveyors are simple in construction, exible in transport system conguration and versatile in use, and they also may be used to transport goods over considerable distances. Their main advantages include high efciency, light construction, ease of installation in variable landscape conditions, as well as minor requirements as far as operation, maintenance and supervision are concerned. With the use of belt conveyors, it is also possible to transport, quickly and permanently, loose materials of various physical and chemical characteristics providing low degradation during their transition between the loading and unloading points. The high reliability of belt conveyors is of no minor signicance. Their only crucial elements are the joints between belt sections, which in most cases are bonded, and these form one of the most frequent sources of unexpected failures. In order to provide sufcient strength for a typical bonded joint, a series of research and analyses investigations have been conducted on their use, on the technology of creating joints and on the possibilities to monitor their strength in

Tel.: +48 81 5384 229; fax: +48 81 5384 229. E-mail address: d.mazurkiewicz@pollub.pl. 0924-0136/$ see front matter 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2008.01.012

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operation (Ageorges and Ye, 2002; Czowniuk and Matwijenko, 1994a,b; Kuczmaszewski, 1990; Lehocky et al., 2004; Liljedahl et al., 2006; Savage, 2007; Tong and Grant, 1999; Zur, 1979). The reasons for such failures are not particularly limited as there is a wide range of factors concerning adhesive sealing technology, including adhesion theory, adhesive production technology and the actual creation of the bonded joints. As Godzimirski (2002) indicates, in the analysis of bonded joint strength, it is important that not only their shortterm strength is taken into account but also their long-term strength, fatigue strength, resistance to dynamic load, the impact of aging on the joint load-carrying ability, etc. These issues are particularly signicant in the case of conveyor belt joints exposed to signicant long-term dynamic loads. Due to the need to provide high-strength conveyor belt joints to guarantee failure-free use, the author has been conducting laboratory tests for a number of years, including on-site measurements in order to assess the impact that joint construction, environmental conditions and duration of belt operation have on joint strength. As part of this research, the author uses measurements conducted in accordance with relevant international standards and compares them to longterm on-site measurements. The aim is to achieve long life and high reliability of conveyor belt joints as a result of using effective methods for diagnosing their condition, as well as of controlling the operation of the transportation system in order to prevent damage in the joint area. This paper presents the results of the tests and analyses that have been conducted so far.

2.

Typical types of belt conveyor damage

Permanently operating conveyors (Fig. 1) can be mechanically, pneumatically or hydraulically-based means of materials handling, where the material is transported on a strictly dened route between the loading and unloading point, with the material being transported permanently at constant speed, variable speed, or in cycles. These conveyors, depending on their construction, may handle various types of materials with any angle between the horizontal and vertical orientations, in

Fig. 1 A typical belt conveyor (Antoniak, 2004): (1) belt, (2) upper runner, (3) motion wheel, (4) return wheel, (5) diverting wheel, (6) tension wheel, (7 and 8) bottom runner, (9) weight, (10) cleaning device, (11 and 13) boosters, (12) transported material.

straight or curved lines. They may be constructed to be stationary, slidable or transportable, and they are used for handling loose materials or part-loads and in special cases, for transporting people (Antoniak, 1976, 2004). The essence of transport in the mining industry, for example, is the continuous conveyance of rock material using different modes of transport. A characteristic feature of mining transport systems and other transport systems as well, is the attempt to unify the various means of transport. If mining is carried out permanently, which is the most desirable case, belt transport is used most frequently as it allows for direct haulage of the extracted material. In such conditions, high reliability and durability of the transporting machine is required, although this is a particular source of problems in the mining industry due to the often difcult working conditions. As has already been mentioned, the crucial elements of the whole system are the joints between the belt sections of the conveyor, and these require special attention. Conveyor belts are selected so that with a sufcient safety factor, they are able to carry the largest tensile forces present under different states of conveyor operation. A user buying a belt receives its specication certicate stating the belt type, number, minimum longitudinal tensile strength, maximum belt elongation (expressed as percentages) at a load amounting to 10% of the belt rated strength, as well as about the minimum belt elongation (expressed as percentages) at the moment of breakage. In this case, the actual values of the strength parameters are compared with those quoted for the belt, according to the requirements and currently applicable standards. This information is to meet the requirements of the users, concerning belt durability, strength, incombustibility, etc. While analysing typical conveyor belt constructions (Antoniak, 2004; Zur, 1979), it can be observed that a belt transmits longitudinal forces necessary to overcome movement resistance, and thus it must have sufcient longitudinal and lateral strength so that it can, without damage, withstand the loads created while the material falls into a booster and while it is displaced by the runner sets. Equally important are the large forces transferred to the belt on the motion wheels by the conveyor drive. The belt must be elastic enough to create a suitable trough shape while, at the same time, it should not be so exible that it bends between the rollers. It must also be sufciently durable and resistant to punctures, mechanical damages and abrasion, as well as being insensitive to environmental conditions. The conveyor belts are also required to be highly resistant at the joints between their sections. Conveyor belts are the main and the most expensive element of a conveyor, and are frequently damaged. This may be a result of stresses which occur during the belts operation or due to the conveyors elements having direct contact with the belt. Less frequent is damage resulting from the contact the belt has with sharp pieces of the transported material and the movement of the material along the belt. The types of damage mentioned above usually cause partial tears or breaking up of the belt, typically in the joint area. Breaking up of the belt is the most critical state leading to long periods of conveyor stoppages while complicated and time-consuming repairs are made. Breaking up of the belt is typically caused by the concentration of stresses transferred by the belt core, having inuence on further serious economic

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effects. The belt is exposed to random, difcult to predict in advance overloads of the transported material. These loads very often exceed the rated loads given by the belt manufacturer and as a result, the tensile stresses are concentrated in the belt and the belt breaks up. This critical situation causes lasting immobilisation of the conveyor. The belt usually breaks up at the joint as this has a tensile strength lower than that of the belt itself. Thus, the joint is often the most critical part of the whole transportation system, having particular inuence on its reliability. Typical fabric-rubber belts used in the belt conveyors are joined using one of the three following methods: high temperature vulcanization, room temperature vulcanization (cold bonding) or mechanical fastening. Mechanical belt joints, which may or may not be permanent, must have a relative strength of at least 60% of the nominal belt tensile strength. Vulcanised and bonded joints of fabric-rubber belts are formed using the same joint constructions but with the use of progressive overlap joints. According to Antoniak (2004), the theoretical strength of such a joint, if compared to the nominal strength of a belt, is 67% in the case of three, 75% for four, 80% for ve and 84% for six interlayers. Typical conveyor belts are manufactured in sections of some specied length and delivered to the customer in this state. The belt user joins all the sections during conveyor assembly in order to achieve an endless exible transport connection. During this operation, both new and previously used belts are joined, and information concerning the duration and other conditions of their previous use is usually unknown. While in operation, permanent elongation or shortening takes place, which requires the constant creation of new joints. Conveyors are moved to new locations and then have belts constructed of various belt sections. As a result, the number of belt joints changes all the time and it is difcult to control. At the same time, the joints are expected to have the largest possible tensile strength with the least possible number of sections along the conveyors route. These requirements are difcult to achieve in industrial conditions, all the more so because the number of joints increase with time as the belt is used. For a joint strength to achieve the required value, the following conditions must be achieved: the tensile strength of the belts joint should at least equal to the nominal strength determined in accordance to some standard, the belt joints should all be of the same type, the belt joints should have the same number of interlayers (more than two) and the joint itself should be made without defects. In practice, joints are made according to internal company instructions or the adhesive manufacturers guidelines, often in a varied manner and using various materials and methods. Due to difcult weather conditions, not all requirements guaranteeing high joint strength and durability can be met. Despite all the disadvantages and problems discussed above, the adhesive-sealing technologies are believed to be the most suitable methods for making joints of the conveyor bearing element, as they guarantee belt continuity, high strength and durability and, moreover, they work well with the conveyor runners and wheels. One of their most often mentioned drawbacks is the low tenacity in comparison to the belt itself. What is more, although the bonded joints are comparatively cheap, their strength varies signicantly with temperature

and humidity during bonding. Varying states of joint workmanship is of no less importance; the joints are often made in difcult working conditions, and as a result, the conveyor belts often break without previous indications to suggest an impending failure. For this reason, the author has been conducting research into the strength and elongation of conveyor belt joints for a number of years. The purpose of the research includes, but is not limited to, analysing typical belt conveyor operating parameters which cause frequent failures due to breaking up of the belts, as well as designing a suitable system to allow the monitoring of the machine working conditions and its automatic control in order to eliminate critical situations. To achieve this aim, one has to analyse the durability of certain types of conveyor belt joints to nd methods for increasing their durability, reliability and quality or to modify to the bonding technology without a lose of interlayer strength. An additional aim of this research is to analyse the causes of workmanship defects in joints and to compare the properties of adhesive materials used in terms of their ply adhesion and shear strength. Special attention has been paid to the scope of strength analysis of bonded joints, which include not only short-term strength measured in static laboratory tests but also long-term strength, resistance to dynamic loads and the inuence of aging on the joint carrying capacityassessed with measurements under working conditions.

3.

Laboratory tests on conveyor belt joints

Conveyor belt joints are tested in laboratories using static or dynamic methods. Static methods consist of determining tensile strengths during a breaking attempt of a sample belt with a joint. The dynamic methods consist of applying a pulsating load to a sample belt with a joint wound over two return wheels. Conditions for testing conveyor belt joints are set by relevant international standards (Standard DIN 22110-2, 1997; Standard PN-74/C-94143, 1974; Standard PN-75/C-05011, 1975; Standard PN-C-94147:1997, 1997; Standard PN-EN ISO 1120:2004, 2004; Standard PN-EN ISO 7622-2:2002, 2002). Nevertheless, these tests are rather complicated as they, in most cases, require special devices and measuring methods, including horizontal testing machines, able to break a real-size sample of a joined belt having a comparatively high elongation value at the point of destruction. The laboratory research discussed here started with the assessment of strength and elongation of fabric-rubber belt joints used by Lubelski Wegiel Bogdanka S.A., which cooperates with the Lublin University of Technology. The scope of tests made in the Belt Transport Laboratory of the Wrocaw University of Technology included but was not limited to: measuring joint elongation at belt breaking, measuring elongation of the whole sample (bonded joint + belt) at belt breaking, as well as analysing the course of joint elongation at load until it breaks, in compliance with standard requirements. The course of the whole sample (bonded joint + belt) elongation was also analysed at load until breakage occurred, in compliance with the standard requirements, and the breaking force was measured (Anon, 2004; Mazurkiewicz, 2005). In the laboratory tests, two types of belt joints were used

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Fig. 3 Joint size marking.

Fig. 2 View of the joint division into measurement samples A/1A/4 (the rst stage of laboratory tests).

for comparisonmeasurements were divided into two stages (stage A and stage B). During the rst stage, the laboratory tests were carried out on a cold bonded joint with mechanical reinforcements. The joint was made with a four-interlayer belt, B-1200 mm wide. The 3950 mm long joint used for the tests had been previously used for a signicant period of time in underground conditions in the LW Bogdanka S.A. mine and it had numerous areas with damage to the rubber covers as well as in belt core. It was used to prepare samples marked A/1, A/2, A/3 and A/4. Additional tests (the second stage) were carried out with the use of three belt joints (without any mechanical reinforcement) marked as B/I, B/II and B/III. The rst two were new joints, made according to the companys internal instructions while joint B/III had been previously used for over 2 months in underground conditions on a typical mining haulage conveyor. The joints used in the tests in this case had the following dimensionswidth: 1200 mm, length: 1900 mm (joints B/I and B/II) and width: 1200 mm, length: 2800 mm (joint no. B/III). All the joints were made using a cold bonding method using a four-interlayer belt. The tests were conducted both on joints with and without mechanical reinforcements, and with different periods of previous use, to make a comparative analysis of the inuence that bonding method and joint ageing have on its strength. In compliance with the PN-C-94147:1997 (Standard PNC-94147:1997, 1997) standard requirements, 200 mm wide samples were cut off the joint for the rst stage tensile strength tests (the A samples). Due to mechanical reinforce-

ments, the joint was cut lengthways so that the cut did not cross the joints, as that could reduce the samples strength. This was also important from the point of view of the additional purpose of the research, which was to determine how much the use of mechanical reinforcement inuences the joint strength. For the above reasons, the widths of the individual samples varied, and were: sample A/1: 242 mm, sample A/2: 264 mm, sample A/3: 252 mm and sample A/4: 252 mm. Once the damaged edges of the belt were removed, four test samples were obtained (Fig. 2); in one of them (sample A/2) the belt had a puncture approx. 400 mm from the joint edge. The markings used for the lengths of the test samples are shown in Fig. 3. In the second stage of the laboratory tests, samples of the same width (200 mm) had to be cut off the joint (the B samples). The length of the test samples was around 1900 mm, with small variations. To achieve the same testing conditions, all the samples were cut to a length of 1900 mm, which gave ve samples of each joint (marked as B/I/1 to B/I/5, etc.). The laboratory tests were carried out using a ZP-40 testing machine. The tension rate was 100 mm/min. The tension test was recorded by the testing machine, equipped with a suitable computer program, while elongation of the Lp joint was measured with the use of a millimetre gauge and a digital video camera placed over the point of joint contact on the side of the immovable jaw of the tensile testing machine. The lines of contact were marked on the belt cover while the millimetre gauge was fastened at the line of the second joint contact. Total elongation was measured using a second millimetre gauge and a digital photo camera coupled with the video camera using the photo-ash-lamp. This allowed for simultaneous recording of elongations of both measured values, simultaneously with the force gauge indications. The results of these laboratory tests are shown in Table 1 (test stage 1) and Table 2 (test stage 2).

Table 1 Results of strength and elongation tests on the bonded joint and the beltthe rst stage of tests (bonded joint with mechanical reinforcements, previously used) Sample number
Sample width, b [mm] Breaking force, F [kN] Tensile strength, R [kN/m] Initial length of the joint, Lp [mm] Joint elongation at break up, Lp [mm] Joint elongation at break up, p [%] Initial length of the samples tested part, L [mm] Elongation of the tested length at break up, Lp [mm] Elongation of the tested length at break up, p [%]

A/1
242 125.3 518 1100 167 15.18 2910 383 13.16

A/2
264 112.4 426 1105 152 13.75 2907 335 11.52

A/3
252 103.8 412 1110 154 13.87 2903 365 12.57

A/4
252 104.6 413 1115 163 14.62 2900 342 11.79

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B/III/5

200 184.8 924.0

Table 2 Results of strength and elongation tests on the bonded joint and the belt the second stage of tests (bonded joint without mechanical reinforcements, new and partially used)

B/III/4

200 152.2 761.0

B/III/2

B/III/3

200 176.4 882.0

B/III/1

200 139.8 699.0

174

190

200 165.1 825.5 818.3 922.0 182 180.2 19.5

171

184

Fig. 4 Diagram of breaking up an example test sample.

B/II/5

200 192.2 961.0

240

In the case of samples no. A/1 and no. A/4 (the rst stage of tests), breakage took place at the point of contact of the rst and second level. Sample no. A/3 broke up at the point of contact of the second and the third level while sample no. A/2 broke up outside the joint, which was an effect of the previous operational damage. A diagram of the test sample break up is shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows joint elongation in comparison to elongation of the joint with a belt section depending on the force applied during the test. Fig. 6 presents the same dependence; in this case elongation is expressed as percentages. The results of the laboratory tests provide much information on the analysed joints in terms of its strength and they allow comparison to theoretical data on bonded joint strength. The theoretical strength of a bonded joint with four interlayers is 75% of the belt nominal strength. In the case of mechanical joints, the strength of different types of suitably selected joints was 60% of the belt nominal strength, on average (Antoniak, 2004). The results of laboratory tests were, however, much lower than the theoretical values. For the analysed samples (the A samples), their tensile strength was between 25 and 32% of the belt nominal longitudinal tensile strength. Slightly better results were obtained for the percentage elongation at belt breaking. For the joint samples tested,

B/II/4

200 169.4 847.0

B/II/2

200 161.1 805.5

B/II/1

200 187.1 935.5

B/I/5

200 186.4 932.0

B/I/4

200 167.9 839.5

B/I/2

200 189.8 949.0

B/I/1

200 167.2 836.0

Sample width, B [mm] Breaking force, F [kN] Tensile strength, R [kN/m] Tensile strength, RS [kN/m] Initial length of the joint, Lp [mm] Length gain, Lp [mm] Length gain, LpS [mm] Elongation of the tested length at break up, p [%]

Sample number

199

208

200 203.7 1018.5 915.0 995.0 213 205.2 20.6

B/I/3

201

205

230

218

200 174.4 872.0 884.2 1002.0 225 226.4 22.6

B/II/3

219

Fig. 5 An example joint elongation in comparison to elongation of the joint with the belt section, depending on the force applied at the test.

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Fig. 6 An example joint percentage elongation in comparison to the percentage elongation of the joint with a belt section, depending on the force applied at the test.

this was between 13.75 and 15.18%, which is more than the nominal belt elongation at breakage (according to the requirements, it should be min. 10%). An important quantity is also the percentage elongation at the breakage of the joint section together with the surrounding belt material. It is necessary to indicate the future locations of marking gauges for a monitoring system in order to perform long-term measurements under industrial conditions. If it was necessary to install a measuring gauge in the joint area, this could negatively inuence the joint strength. From the operational point of view, it would be much more useful to install the measuring gauges in an area away from the joint, which would also give one a selection of places to install the gauges in order to facilitate the further identication of joints. During tests, the percentage elongation of a measured joint length at breakage was a little lower than the percentage elongation of the joint itself, which is a simple effect of the tensile strength difference between the joint areas itself in comparison with the neighbouring belt sections. However, the results did not differ very much, and were mutually proportional (Fig. 6). In the laboratory tests, samples of a previously used belt were used; one of them (sample A/2) had a visible through puncture. Despite the damage, no signicant reduction off the samples strength in comparison to the other samples was observed. The punctured joint sample achieved an elongation of 13.75% at breakage, a result almost identical to the one of sample A/3 (elongation of 13.87%) and slightly less than the strongest of the tested samples (15.18%). A similar situation was observed for the tensile strength, which for damaged sample A/2 was 426 kN/m and the breaking force was 112.4 kN. The other samples tested broke up at a load of between 125.3 and 103.8 kN, while the tensile strength was between 518 and 412 kN/m. The results of the laboratory tests provide much information on the analysed joints and they allow for comparison with theoretical data on bonded joint strength. They also strongly conrm the research thesis concerning the concept of monitoring the elongation of conveyor belt joints in mining conditions in order to prevent their unforeseen breakage during operation.

As mentioned above, theoretical strength of a bonded joint with four interlayers is 75% of the belt nominal strength. In the second stage of the laboratory tests (the B samples), the results obtained were slightly lower than the theoretical values. For the analysed samples, their tensile strength was between 50 and 57% of the belt nominal longitudinal tensile strength, while the lowest result was obtained in the case of sample B/III, which had been previously used for about 2 months. Such a low result (50%) could have been caused by partial wearing of the belt from which the sample was taken, although the fact did not inuenced the results as much as the results of tests on new samples were similar, being only a few percent higher. Slightly better results were obtained for the percentage elongation at break up. For the joint samples tested (the B samples), this was between 19.5 and 22%, which is more than the nominal belt elongation at breakage (according to the requirements, it should be a min. of 10%). This parameter is almost identical for used and a new belts. This proves the belt and the joint retain good strength characteristics despite intensive, several-month-long use under mining conditions. During tests, the percentage elongation of the measured joint length (joint + belt sections outside the joint) at breakage was a little lower than the percentage elongation of the joint itself, which is a simple effect of the tensile strength difference between the joint area and the area of joint with the neighbouring belt sections at both sides. Similarly to the rst stage of tests, the results did not differ very much and they were mutually proportional and amounted to between 19.5 and 22% for the joint and between 18.2 and 21.9%, respectively, for the joint with belt sections on both sides. If the results of tests on the A and B samples are compared, a signicant difference between the measured tensile strengths may be observed. The samples of bonded joints with mechanical reinforcements (A samples) had half the tensile strength of the samples without the reinforcement (B samples). This is an effect of the joint operation under tension. In other words, it can be said that the mechanical reinforcements work well for temporary reinforcing of a joint when there is a threat of breaking up, but they have much worse parameters at breakage. This also applies to the breaking force and elongation at breakage, which is much lower for joints without mechanical reinforcement. The analysis of laboratory test results did not show any signicant inuence of the ageing process on the strength of the joints tested. On account of the above, the decision was taken to continue long-term tests under industrial conditions.

4. Measurements under industrial conditions

Belt break-up results in a long downtime of the machine, as well as the whole transportation system, and generates significant nancial losses. Because of the character and operating conditions of a typical belt conveyor, as well as of the necessity to continue the research described above, it is necessary to develop a concept for a suitable monitoring system. It is possible to achieve this aim by constant measuring and comparing the elongation of the indicated joints during operation. Thus, a system achieving this aim will have to diagnose the

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machine condition on the basis of permanent measurements, whose results will be simultaneously analysed and indicated to the operators. Developing a concept for the monitoring system in accordance with the idea presented above required suitable research, analyses and construction works. The research and implementation works undertaken in the Department of Production Engineering Fundamentals of the Lublin University of Technology started with analysing the possibility of solving in practice the problem of impossible-to-foresee under industrial conditions of the conveyor belt joints breakage. In this case, the analysis was based on our long experience in the eld of strength analysis of different types of bonded joints. Our experience in operating mechanical devices in the mining industry was also of great importance. To achieve this purpose, a suitable monitoring system was designed and is shown in Fig. 7. The method used to install the monitoring device on the belt conveyor is shown in Fig. 8 and its detailed description is included in a few previous publications (Mazurkiewicz, 2005, 2006a,b, 2007). The monitoring system, which has been in use on one of the haulage conveyors

Fig. 8 The monitoring system installed on the belt conveyor.

at the Bogdanka mine for almost 2 years, has the possibility of recording continuously a large number of measurement data and, if needed, to indicate in advance the presence of conditions accompanying impending belt breakage in the joint area. Appropriate construction gives also the additional benets of using the device, and the extended possibilities it gives to analyse data, including but not limited to: analysing operating parameters of a typical belt conveyor which cause frequent failures due to breaking up of the belts, as well as working out a suitable intelligent system that would allow for monitoring the machine working conditions and the automatic control in order to eliminate critical situations; analysing, on the basis of measurement results in operation, the durability of certain types of conveyor-belt bonded joints in order to improve the joint quality or to develop modications to the bonding technology; analysing the reasons for the existence of joint workmanship faults; practical comparison of the characteristics of adhesive materials used in the aspect of their ply adhesion and shear strength. In the currently tested version of the system, which uses a computer program, it is possible to visualise changes in the length of a selected joint during operation, to visualise changes in the length of each belt section between the joints, as well as to present the overall results for all the joints of a certain conveyor and all belt sections between them. It is also possible to analyse statistically the recorded values, as well as to export the measurement data, graphics, etc. Data obtained in this way make it possible to monitor continuously the condition of all joints and belt sections between them, to indicate exceeded dened values, to assess the conveyor working conditions, to identify a single joint during each moment of conveyor operation, as well as to assess the efciency of any service works, such as reinforcing the joint with mechanical elements. In the example presented here (Fig. 9), after intervention by the operators (correction of the joint

Fig. 7 A scheme of a system monitoring elongation of conveyor belt joints: (1) conveyor belt, (2) joint area, (3) marker, (4) sensor, (5) measuring device, (6) microprocessor controller, (7) digital data transmission unit, (8) computer system.

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Fig. 9 Changes in the length of an example joint recorded during 24 h of operationbefore reinforcing (the left-hand side) and after reinforcing (the right-hand side).

stitching on the maintenance shift on 11 February), a decrease in the dynamic changes of the joint length during operation was observed. At rst, the length was between 2.82 and 2.98 m (the left side of the diagram) and later it was between 2.87 and 2.94 m after reinforcement (the right side of the diagram). This means that the range of dynamic changes in the joint length decreased from 16 to 7 cm, which in percentage terms equals to a fall from 13% (close to the boundary value) to the safe value of 5%. During long-term measurements under industrial conditions, no signicant impact of the aging process on the strength of the joints measured was noticed. The joints analysed retain unchanged strength characteristics for a long period. Regardless of the time when the bonding took place or the period of belt operation and dynamic load conditions, all the recorded results of strength parameters have been almost identical. However, the monitoring system under development has shown the possibility for continuous analysis of the bonded joints over long periods of time, in relation to the possibility to convert the currently used construction into a diagnostic and control system which is able to predict intelligently the moment of potential joint break up.

5.

Summary

The laboratory tests and measurements under operating conditions provided us with some interesting information on belt joint elongation and strength. The results are necessary to determine warning values of a future monitoring system that will help prevent belt breakage in the joint area through permanent measurements and assessments of

the changes in the length of each joint, regardless of its type. The purpose of the planned future work is to establish a monitoring method and to control the working parameters of a typical intra-factory transportation system, hence making it possible to predict critical states and, in this way, to avoid a failure. As a result, it will be possible to determine the construction and use conditions of such a device that will inuence the frequent failures due to belt joints breaking up. Following on from this stage, a suitable intelligent system will be established which will allow for the monitoring of the working conditions of the machine and to control it so as to eliminate critical situations. Such a system will be established on the basis of an intelligent model of the object under analysis. To achieve this aim, it will be necessary to collect a set of data characterising the object and to carry out an analysis of the intelligent system modelling techniques available with regard to the possibility of using them on various real objects, depending on their construction specicity and operating conditions. Having analysed the operating conditions of the object in question for elimination of unforeseen loads, as well as having established the mathematical model, it will be necessary to establish the control algorithms. These algorithms will help to implement the control procedures. In order to achieve this aim, it is necessary to continue research on a real object, while simulations and verication tests as described above will also be carried out. Conclusions on the practical application characteristics of intelligent systems and models which describe them will make it possible to transfer the results easily to other real objects of this type which require intelligent real-time monitoring and control systems.

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Acknowledgement
The research work is nanced with the means of the State Committee for Scientic Research (Poland) in the years 20072009 as a research project.

references

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