Project Background:Â
BGC operated a 6mtpa Iron Ore processing plant at Mt Webber, 220km from Port Hedland. The plant was a Lump and Fines plant with the finished process material stockpiled by 46m radial stackers.
One of 46m stackers (RS02) had a catastrophic failure on 9 November 2017. The failure of the stacker has raised a secondary concern of a smaller primary stacker (RS01) which operated above its nominated design tonnage rate.Â
RS01 stacker also required a structural review to ensure code compliance.
Scope of Work
Our scope of work comprised the independent investigation of structural failure of BGC Radial stacker RS02 and provide a practical remedial solution to ensure the stacker meets it original structural compliance.
The investigation was to determine the likely causes of the failure inclusive of but not limited to:
- Equipment operating conditions
- Equipment capacity constraints against operational requirements
- Previous equipment type failures
- Description of structural failure mode
- Cause and effect analysis
- NDT or similar if required
The secondary review was to include the structural integrity assessment of RS01 Primary Stacker to operate at the peak loading and provide a practical remedial solution to ensure code compliance if required.The investigation was mainly focused on conveyor uprights, supports, the axle and wheels.
