LATERAL FORCE OF MIXING DRUM IN CONCRETE MIXER TRUCK BASED ON EDEM

Concrete demonstrates fluid properties, which results in specific dynamic behaviors during the transit of concrete mixer trucks. A defining operational trait of these vehicles is that their Concrete Mixing Drum sustain continuous rotation while the trucks are in motion. When a concrete mixer truck makes a turn, the concrete inside the Concrete Mixing Drum undergoes load migration—a phenomenon primarily induced by the combined effects of the concrete’s intrinsic fluidity and the centrifugal force generated by the Concrete Mixing Drum’s rotation. This load migration is often accompanied by dynamic impacts that exert forces on the Concrete Mixing Drum and the vehicle’s chassis. Notably, when the truck’s speed increases slightly, the aforementioned load migration and dynamic impacts further deteriorate the vehicle’s roll stability. Once the roll stability drops below a critical level, the risk of the truck encountering a rollover accident rises significantly, potentially endangering road safety, property, and human lives. To address this pressing issue, the present study focuses on investigating the Lateral Force generated during the concrete mixing process, as these forces are key factors contributing to the compromised roll stability of the vehicle. To achieve this research goal, EDEM software—a specialized tool for discrete element method simulations—was utilized to conduct numerical simulations of the concrete mixing process inside the Concrete Mixing Drum. The simulations were designed to cover two distinct Filling Ratio conditions of the Concrete Mixing Drum: one with a Filling Ratio of 1:1, corresponding to a total mass of concrete and aggregates of 10,000 kg, and the other with a Filling Ratio of 1:1.2, where the total mass of concrete and aggregates amounts to 12,000 kg. Additionally, three different Rotational Speed of the Concrete Mixing Drum—2 rpm (revolutions per minute), 5 rpm, and 10 rpm—were incorporated into the simulations to examine their respective influences on the generation and magnitude of Lateral Force. By analyzing the simulation data under these varied conditions, the study aims to gain insights into how Filling Ratio and Concrete Mixing Drum Rotational Speed affect Lateral Force characteristics, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for enhancing the roll stability of concrete mixer trucks and mitigating the risk of rollover accidents.