Factors affecting loading performance of the excavators in Garp lignite enterprise

In this study, various factors affecting loading performance of the excavators in Garp Lignite Enterprise, Turkey, are investigated. Loading is a crucial stage in excavation-haulage-dumping-return cycle. Digging, hoisting, swinging and crowding actions are main elements of loading which are affected by many factors. In the research, thousands of measurements are performed to clear out the effect of parameters on loading performance and efficiency. Work site organization factor, loading period, swing angle and time, crowding period, particle size of material, fill factor, swell factor, specific digging energy and digging time are the main parameters and discussed by considering the measurements. Several tables and figures are utilized to represent the quantitative change in parameters for different cases. As a result, several comments are made in order to increase the work efficiency and reach at theoretical performance of machines.