Question

In: Civil Engineering

Describe a “windrow” and its purpose in mining.

Describe a “windrow” and its purpose in mining.

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Expert Solution

Define Windrow.

A windrow is a row of cut (mown) hay or small grain crop. It is allowed to dry before being baled, combined, or rolled. For hay, the windrow is often formed by a hay rake, which rakes hay that has been cut by a mowing machine or by scythe into a row, or it may naturally form as the hay is mown. For small grain crops which are to be harvested, the windrow is formed by a swather which both cuts the crop and forms the windrow.

By analogy, the term may also be applied to a row of any other material such as snow, earth or materials for collection.

  • Snow windrows are created by snow plow when clearing roads of snow; where this blocks driveways the windrow may require removal. Snow windrowed to the centre of the street can be removed by a snow blower and truck. In preparing a pond or lake for ice cutting, the snow on top of the ice, which slows freezing, may be scraped off and windrowed
  • Earth windrows may be formed by graders when grading earthworks or dirt roads
  • Leaf windrows may be required for municipal collection.
  • Fossil windrows are a grouping of fossils that have been deposited together as a result of turbulence or wave action in a marine or freshwater environment. Fossils of similar shape and size are commonly found grouped or sorted together as a result of separation based on weight and shape.
  • Seaweed windrows form on sea or lake surfaces because of cylindrical Langmuir circulation just under the surface caused by wind action.

Windrow composting is a large scale vermicomposting system where garden and other biodegradable waste is shredded, mixed and windrowed for composting.

USE IN MINING

Windrows along road edges are normally a standard safety feature at open pit mines. They are typically trapezoidal mounds used to redirect wandering vehicles on the haul road or to absorb the impact energy if the vehicle hits the windrow.

A typical design uses trapezoidal windrows along any road edge where the drop off exceeds 2m. The following items should be considered when designing the windrows:

  • Use unconsolidated durable material.
  • The steeper the side slope the more effective it is in redirecting vehicles
  • The height should be equal to or greater than the rolling radius of the largest vehicle tyre.
  • With the exception of pit ramps, breaks in the windrows should be left every 50 metres (or in areas where water will pool) to allow for the drainage of water off the road surface.
  • Thickness of windrow should be roughly 5m along the bottom and 2m across the top.
  • Material used to build a windrow should not be larger than 800mm and no larger than 100mm.
  • Windrows must be designed ensuring that there is adequate visibility for all vehicles, especially at intersections.

The standard batter angle for these structures, is 60°. A width of 2m across the top, which is crowned with a crossfall of 2%, is specified. Crossfall across the top is important to prevent pooling of water on the surface, seepage into the windrows and, eventually, weakening of the structure due to water infiltration. Windrows should be kept clean from jagged rocks capable of cutting tyres.

Windrows are an effective guard against the severe consequences of a runaway vehicle. The standard design provides enough strength and height so that in the event of an uncontrolled vehicle, a serious accident may be avoided.

Typical Windrow Design


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