Discrete Simulation and Animation for Mining Engineers

Description

General Purpose Simulation System (GPSS) is a special computer programming language primarily used to simulate what can be classified as discrete systems. A discrete system is one where, at any given instant in time, a countable number of things can take place. The basic operation of a mine itself can be considered such a system.

Discrete Simulation and Animation for Mining Engineers explains how to model mining systems using GPSS/H® and PROOF® by Wolverine Software Corporation. Employing a unique approach that encourages engagement from the start, the text discusses animation first, and then slowly introduces simulation language. As each new topic is covered, an animation is provided to illustrate the key concepts.

Leveraging valuable insight gained from the author’s extensive experience modeling mines around the world, the book:

• Describes how to apply discrete system simulation to mines
• Shows how to make those simulations come alive with animation
• Includes real-world examples and exercises that hone practical problem-solving skills

Written by a mining engineer for mining engineers and students of mining, Discrete Simulation and Animation for Mining Engineers offers a comprehensive yet accessible treatment of mine simulation and animation useful in increasing the efficiency of industrial mining processes.

Table of Contents

1. What Is PROOF Animation?
   1. PROOF Animation
   2. Further Work
   3. Exercises
2. Drawing a Layout
   1. Making a CLASS
   2. Making a Path
   3. Making the .ATF file
   4. The CREATE Command
   5. The PLACE Command
   6. The MOVE Command
   7. Study of TIME and SPEED
   8. Exercises
3. More on Layouts I
   1. More on Layouts
   2. Making Curves
   3. Making Circles
   4. Moving the Grid Coordinates
   5. Changing the Colours of Objects
   6. Exercises
4. More on Layouts II
   1. More on Paths
   2. Non-Closed Circular Paths
   3. The Snap to Option
   4. The DESTROY Command in PROOF
   5. Exercises
5. Some PROOF Icons
   1. The SET Command and More PROOF Icons
   2. Other forms of the SET Command
   3. SET CLASS
   4. SET OBJECT
   5. More PROOF Icons: Navigating the Top Menu Bar
   6. Exercises
6. More PROOF Icons
   1. More PROOF Icons: Navigating the Lower Menu Bar
   2. Exercises
7. Introduction to the GPSS/H Simulation Language
   1. Introduction to GPSS/H
   2. Rules for Writing Code in GPSS/H
   3. Continuing a Line of Code
   4. Running a GPSS/H Program
   5. What You Will Need
   6. Running Programs Using the Command Prompt—Up to Windows
   7. Running Programs from Windows 7 and Higher
   8. Making Changes to a GPSS/H Program
   9. Giving Names in GPSS/H
   10. Another Example
   11. Free Format
   12. The SIMULATE Statement
   13. The END Statement
   14. Further Example
   15. Exercises
8. The GENERATE Block and Transactions
   1. The GENERATE Block
   2. The Internal GPSS/H Clock
   3. Creating Transactions
   4. The B Operand
   5. A Word about Random Numbers
   6. Results of Simulation Programs
   7. More General Cases of the GENERATE Block
   8. The PRIORITY Block
   9. The TERMINATE Block
   10. The START Statement
   11. The CLEAR Statement
   12. The RMULT Statement
   13. Exercises
9. ADVANCE and TRANSFER Blocks
   1. The ADVANCE Block
   2. A Caution in Writing Programs
   3. The TRANSFER Block
   4. Unconditional TRANSFER Mode
   5. The Conditional TRANSFER Block
   6. Exercises
10. Making .ATF Files
    1. Making .ATF Files, PUTSTRING, BPUTSTRING, BPUTPIC, PUTPIC and Standard Numerical Attributes
    2. Exercises
11. QUEUE/DEPART Blocks
    1. QUEUE/DEPART Blocks—Another PROOF Icon
    2. Another PROOF Icon
    3. Exercises
12. SEIZE/RELEASE Blocks
    1. SEIZE and RELEASE Blocks
    2. Exercises
13. Arithmetic in GPSS/H
    1. Ampervariables in GPSS/H
    2. Arithmetic in GPSS/H
    3. The LET Statement and the BLET Block
    4. Another Important SNA
    5. Exercises
14. ENTER/LEAVE Blocks
    1. The ENTER and LEAVE Blocks
    2. Exercises
15. Other Forms of the TRANSFER Block
    1. Several Other Forms of the TRANSFER Block
    2. Exercises
16. The TEST Block
    1. The TEST Block
    2. The TEST Block in Refusal Mode
    3. TEST Block in Normal Mode
    4. Exercises
17. Standard Numerical Attributes
    1. More on Standard Numerical Attributes
    2. Other SNAs
    3. Exercises
18. Functions
    1. Functions
    2. Exercises
19. Parameters
    1. Parameters
    2. The ASSIGN Block
    3. A Caution in Using the ADVANCE Block
    4. The ASSIGN Block in Increment or Decrement Mode
    5. The TRANSFER ,FN(label) Block
    6. General Form of the ASSIGN Block
    7. Exercises
20. More on Parameters
    1. More on Parameters: The LOOP Block EQU Statement
    2. Exercises
21. TABLES
    1. TABLES in GPSS/H
    2. The TABLE Statement
    3. The TABULATE Block
    4. Standard Numerical Attributes Associated with Tables
    5. The MARK Block
    6. Additional Tables
    7. Exercises
22. LOGIC Switches and the GATE Block
    1. LOGIC Switches and the GATE Block
    2. Another Form of the TRANSFER Block
    3. Exercises
23. Miscellaneous Statements
    1. DO LOOPS, IF, GOTO and LET Statements
    2. Exercises
24. The SELECT and COUNT Blocks
    1. The SELECT and COUNT Blocks
    2. The COUNT Block
25. Other forms of the SELECT and COUNT Blocks
    1. Exercises
26. Variables and Expressions
    1. Variables and Expressions, Boolean Variables
    2. Exercises
27. The BUFFER Block
    1. The BUFFER Block and the SPLIT Block
    2. Exercises
28. The ASSEMBLY Block
    1. Assembly Sets and the ASSEMBLE Block
    2. The ASSEMBLE Block
    3. Exercises
29. MATCH, GATHER, and PREEMPT Blocks
    1. MATCH, GATHER, and PREEMPT Blocks
    2. Exercises
30. MACROs
    1. MACROs in GPSS/H Subroutines
    2. Exercises
31. A Few More PROOF Icons
    1. A Few More PROOF Icons
    2. Exercises
32. SAVEVALUES
    1. SAVEVALUES
    2. The SAVEVALUE Block
    3. The FIX and FLT Mode Conversion
    4. The INITIAL Statement
    5. Effect of RESET and CLEAR on SAVEVALUES

Author Description

John R. Sturgul holds a BS in mining engineering (with honors) from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, USA; an MS in mathematics from the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA; and a Ph.D in mining engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. He also holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Petrosani, Romania. Recognized as the world’s leading authority on the application of discrete system simulation to mines, Dr. Sturgul is currently a professor of mining engineering at the University of Adelaide, Australia. He has been actively engaged in mine simulation and animation for more than 30 years. His work in this field has taken him to more than 60 countries and earned him numerous awards in Chile, Romania, the United States, Spain, Argentina, Peru, South Africa, Greece, and Australia, where he received the Ray Page Lifetime Achievement Award from the Australian Simulation Society. His model of the Lihir gold mine, located on an island northeast of Papua New Guinea, was the first example of a mine initially designed using a simulation model. He published the first textbook on the subject in 2000, and now this new textbook explains the details of constructing such models.