Rolling Resistance - 8 | Getting Started 14 | Construction Engineering & Management - Vol 1
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Interactive Audio Lesson

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What is Rolling Resistance?

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0:00
Teacher
Teacher

Today, we will dive into the concept of rolling resistance. Can anyone tell me what rolling resistance means?

Student 1
Student 1

Is it the force that opposes the movement of wheels on a surface?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Rolling resistance is what resists the motion of equipment as wheels roll over a surface. It can vary based on the nature of the surface itself.

Student 2
Student 2

How do different surfaces affect that?

Teacher
Teacher

Great question! Surfaces like concrete offer less resistance than soft earthen roads. This impacts the power requirements of the equipment.

Student 3
Student 3

So maintaining the roads should help reduce costs?

Teacher
Teacher

Absolutely! Maintenance of roads can help reduce rolling resistance, thereby lowering operational costs.

Teacher
Teacher

To summarize, rolling resistance is crucial for understanding how to manage equipment power requirements efficiently.

Factors Affecting Rolling Resistance

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Teacher
Teacher

Now that we understand what rolling resistance is, let’s explore the factors that affect it. What might one of these factors be?

Student 4
Student 4

Could it be the type of surface?

Teacher
Teacher

Yes. Surfaces such as concrete, asphalt, and earthen roads show different levels of rolling resistance.

Student 1
Student 1

And what about the tires? Do they play a role?

Teacher
Teacher

Absolutely! The type, tread design, and inflation pressure of tires can drastically change rolling resistance, especially on soft surfaces.

Student 2
Student 2

Can you give an example of how tire pressure affects it?

Teacher
Teacher

Certainly! High-pressure tires perform well on hard surfaces but may sink on softer grounds, increasing resistance.

Teacher
Teacher

Remember, understanding these factors allows for better operational efficiency in earthmoving projects.

Calculating Rolling Resistance

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0:00
Teacher
Teacher

Next, let’s discuss how to calculate rolling resistance. Who can tell me how we determine the required power to overcome it?

Student 3
Student 3

Do we multiply the weight of the equipment by the rolling resistance value?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! For instance, if a vehicle weighs 20 tons and the rolling resistance is 70 kg per ton, the total resistance would be 1400 kg.

Student 4
Student 4

So how would we find the power needed?

Teacher
Teacher

You would then convert that force into power using the speed at which the equipment operates.

Student 1
Student 1

And what about penetration resistance?

Teacher
Teacher

Good point! Penetration resistance adds to the calculation when tires sink into softer surfaces.

Teacher
Teacher

In summary, calculating rolling resistance involves factors like weight and surface type. Understanding this helps in equipment selection and operational efficiency.

Introduction & Overview

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Quick Overview

The section discusses rolling resistance as a crucial factor in earthmoving operations, explaining its implications on equipment performance and power requirements.

Standard

Rolling resistance plays a significant role in earthmoving operations, influencing the power needed for equipment to operate smoothly on different surface types. Understanding the factors contributing to rolling resistance, including surface type, tire characteristics, and maintenance, is crucial for efficient project management and cost reduction.

Detailed

Rolling Resistance

Rolling resistance is a critical aspect of earthmoving operations, defined as the resistance offered by the surface to the wheels of moving equipment. This section elaborates on its significance and the various factors influencing it.

Understanding Rolling Resistance

Rolling resistance is primarily the friction that encounters wheels as they roll over a surface, which varies depending on the road type, be it concrete, asphalt, or earthen. Higher resistance leads to increased power requirements, thereby influencing operational costs.

Factors Influencing Rolling Resistance

  1. Type of Surface: Different surfaces have varying rolling resistances. For example, concrete roads offer less resistance compared to soft earthen roads. Maintenance of earthen roads can also significantly influence resistance.
  2. Tire Characteristics: The dimensions, tread design, and inflation pressure of tires affect rolling resistance. Narrower tires with high pressure work well on hard surfaces but can sink in softer ones.
  3. Penetration Resistance: This occurs when tires sink into softer surfaces, requiring additional effort to keep the equipment moving. The rolling resistance increases by approximately 6 kg per ton for each centimeter of penetration.
  4. Power Requirements: To overcome rolling resistance, the required power must be calculated based on the weight of the machinery and the rolling resistance value from literature or empirical data.

Conclusion

An understanding of rolling resistance enables better equipment selection and operational efficiency, thereby reducing costs associated with earthmoving operations.

Audio Book

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Definition of Rolling Resistance

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Rolling resistance is nothing but what is the resistance offered by the hauled route to the wheel which is rolling over the particular surface. So, what is the resistance offered by the hauled route to the wheel which is rolling over the particular surface, so that is what is your rolling resistance. So, resistance to the motion of equipment on a level surface is called as rolling resistance.

Detailed Explanation

Rolling resistance refers to the force resisting the motion of a wheel rolling on a surface. It is essentially the friction between the wheel and the surface it rolls over. Unlike sliding friction, which occurs when an object slides across a surface, rolling resistance is generally lower. It can vary based on the characteristics of the surface and the type of tires used on the equipment.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine riding a bicycle on two different surfaces: a smooth asphalt road and a gravel path. On the asphalt, you find it easy to pedal and maintain speed since the road is smooth, leading to less resistance. On the gravel path, pedaling becomes harder and more tiring due to the increased rolling resistance from the uneven surface. This analogy illustrates how different surfaces can affect performance.

Factors Affecting Rolling Resistance

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Basically, we can compare the rolling resistance between hard road and a soft road. So, hard road, you can say a concrete road, your asphalt all these are examples of hard road, your earthen roads are soft road. So, earthen roads, it varies a lot, it depends upon how you maintain it and prepare the earthen roads.

Detailed Explanation

Rolling resistance is significantly influenced by the type of surface the wheels are rolling on. Hard roads like concrete or asphalt generally provide lower rolling resistance compared to soft roads like earthen or unpaved paths. If earthen roads are well-maintained with proper drainage and compaction, they can perform comparably to hard surfaces. However, if they are poorly maintained, for instance, during rainy weather, their resistance could increase, making movement more difficult.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a well-maintained garden pathway made of compacted soil compared to a muddy, uneven field. If you walk on the pathway, it's much easier and requires less effort, while on the muddy field, you're likely to sink in and struggle with each step due to the higher rolling resistance. This shows the importance of maintaining road surfaces.

Impact of Wheel Type and Pressure

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If it is wheel mounted, even your dimension of your tyre, the tread dimension of your tyre and the inflation pressure of your tyre, all these things are going to affect your rolling resistance.

Detailed Explanation

The design and condition of tires have a direct impact on rolling resistance. Factors such as the width of the tire tread and its inflation pressure play crucial roles. A narrow, fully inflated tire on a hard surface will have a reduced contact area, resulting in lower resistance. Conversely, on a soft surface, a wider tire with lower inflation pressure can distribute weight more effectively and reduce sinking, thus lowering rolling resistance.

Examples & Analogies

Consider a car tire versus a truck tire. Truck tires are wider and designed to take on heavier loads without sinking into soft ground. If you try driving a car with narrow tires on soft sand, those tires would sink, causing the car to get stuck. This illustrates how different tire designs are suited for different surfaces and conditions.

Calculating Rolling Resistance

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So, this rolling resistance you can even call it as wheel resistance or track resistance depending upon what type of mounting your machine is going to have.

Detailed Explanation

Rolling resistance can also be referred to as wheel resistance or track resistance, depending on whether the equipment is mounted on wheels or tracks. It's important to quantify this resistance to ensure the machinery is appropriately powered for the conditions. Rolling resistance is usually expressed in terms of tractive effort, often measured in kilograms or pounds per ton of equipment weight over a level surface.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine you have two options for moving a heavy load: a wheeled cart and a tracked vehicle. The wheeled cart might operate on a smooth surface needing less force to move, while the tracked vehicle, designed for rough terrain, may have higher rolling resistance on hard ground but could be more efficient on softer paths. This duality reflects how equipment selection hinges on understanding rolling resistance.

Components of Rolling Resistance

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Let us see how to estimate the penetration resistance. Say when a tire penetrates into a surface, so the resistance, the rolling resistance increases.

Detailed Explanation

Rolling resistance can be divided into surface resistance, which is the resistance encountered when a tire rolls over the surface, and penetration resistance, which arises when a tire sinks into that surface. For soft surfaces, as the tire penetrates, it requires additional effort to keep moving, leading to increased resistance. Understanding both components is essential for accurate calculations regarding required power.

Examples & Analogies

Think of trying to walk on soft sand. As your foot sinks into the sand, it requires more effort to lift your foot and move forward, which is akin to how a vehicle's tires generate increased resistance the more they sink into soft ground. This is why equipment designed for soft surfaces has larger, wider tires.

Practical Application: Calculation Example

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Now, for better understanding, let us work out a problem on calculation of the tractive effort. So, calculate the tractive effort generated by a hauling equipment, it is gross weight is given as 50,000 kg, it is traveling on a haul route.

Detailed Explanation

In this section, we are applying the theoretical concepts of rolling resistance to a practical calculation. Given the vehicle's weight and the rolling resistance value from literature, along with the penetration depth, we can compute the total tractive effort required to overcome resistance on the specific surface. This is crucial for selecting the right equipment that can provide sufficient power for moving loads efficiently.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine trying to figure out how much force is needed to push a heavy box across a carpet versus a smooth floor. Knowing both the weight of the box and the friction from each surface allows you to assess how much help you'll need. Similarly, in engineering, measuring resistance lets us choose the right machinery for the job.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Surface Type: Different types of surfaces produce varying rolling resistances.

  • Tire Characteristics: The design and inflation of tires influence rolling resistance.

  • Penetration Resistance: Resistance increases when tires sink into soft surfaces.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • A fully loaded truck on a concrete road has lower rolling resistance than the same truck on a muddy road.

  • A tire with broader tread on soft ground minimizes sinking and thus reduces rolling resistance.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Rolling resistance, it’s quite a chance, to reduce your costs, just enhance the glance!

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once upon a time, a truck raced over a road, but sank into the mud. The wiser truck, with wider tires, glided over solid ground, saving on fuel and costs!

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • FACT: Factors Affecting Rolling Characteristics - Focus on Surface, Air pressure, Conditions, and Tire type.

🎯 Super Acronyms

TRAC

  • Tire type
  • Road structure
  • Attributes of the surface
  • and Condition of the road.

Flash Cards

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Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Rolling Resistance

    Definition:

    The resistance offered by the surface to the wheels of moving equipment.

  • Term: Tractive Effort

    Definition:

    The usable force at the point of contact between the wheel and the ground.

  • Term: Penetration Resistance

    Definition:

    The resistance encountered when a tire sinks into the surface.