Lesson 2/Learning Event 2
Learning Event 2
DESCRIBE SITE LAYOUT PLAN
Quarry site layout consists of preplanning the location, dimensions, and arrangement of the quarry and
its supporting roads and facilities. Its objectives are to assure that:
Adequate space is provided for all future activities
The flow of materials will be as safe and efficient as possible
Personnel and special equipment requirements are recognized and provided for.
Special consideration must be given to the characteristics and limitations of the equipment to be used at
the site. The quarry complex is comprised of two basic operational units. The plant operation is that
area where quarry material is processed. The material is crushed, screened, and washed here. The
quarry operation is where the actual removal of rock and other usable material takes place.
Military quarries are usually open-pit operations which involve vertical faces from 8 to 40 feet (2.4 to 12
meters) high. Depending on site conditions, production requirements, and available resources, these
quarries may be developed by the single or multiple bench method.
A single bench quarry is relatively easy to plan, develop, and supervise because it has only one working
floor. It also requires less equipment and personnel to operate than a multiple bench quarry. For these
reasons, most military quarries are single bench. Unless such quarries are large enough to accommodate
several blasting and loading points, they tend to be relatively inefficient where high rates of production
are needed.
Multiple bench quarries require careful planning, complex road networks, closer supervision, and more
operating personnel and equipment. However, each level can operate more or less independently in
multiple bench quarries. This provides greater continuity of operation and more efficient rock
production than single bench types provide.
DIRECTION OF WORK
The first step in layout planning is to determine the best direction in which to work the quarry. The
working face(s) of the quarry should be oriented to minimize the undesirable influences of the rock mass
to be excavated.
Massive or Horizontal Rocks. In unfractured, massive, or horizontally layered rocks, internal structure
has no impact on the direction of work. Other criteria, such as site topography, access, and overburden
variations, may be used to determine the best orientation of the quarry, face.
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