This thesis describes the hardware design of a
positioning system which locates a vehicle relative
to a digital map of an underground mine. The mines
of interest arepotash mines of Saskatchewan, and
they are at a depth of approximately 1000 meters and
they cover an area larger than 10 kilometers by 10
kilometers. An important application of an in-mine
positioning system is tracking a ground penetrating
radar system. Ground penetrating radar is used to
determine the current condition of the mine ceiling
and to evaluate its risk of delamination. A ground
penetrating radar system is driven along a mine
tunnel and measurements are logged. It is necessary
to record position information along with the radar
signal and this can be done with the aid of a
positioning system.
The design and evaluation of the hardware system
that supports a positioning system, which can locate
a vehicle inside a mine tunnel with reasonable
accuracy and cost is described here. The
hardware system includes a dead reckoning system,
which is built using MEMS accelerometerand gyroscope
sensors and ultrasonic distance sensors, along with
a data acquisition system.
positioning system which locates a vehicle relative
to a digital map of an underground mine. The mines
of interest arepotash mines of Saskatchewan, and
they are at a depth of approximately 1000 meters and
they cover an area larger than 10 kilometers by 10
kilometers. An important application of an in-mine
positioning system is tracking a ground penetrating
radar system. Ground penetrating radar is used to
determine the current condition of the mine ceiling
and to evaluate its risk of delamination. A ground
penetrating radar system is driven along a mine
tunnel and measurements are logged. It is necessary
to record position information along with the radar
signal and this can be done with the aid of a
positioning system.
The design and evaluation of the hardware system
that supports a positioning system, which can locate
a vehicle inside a mine tunnel with reasonable
accuracy and cost is described here. The
hardware system includes a dead reckoning system,
which is built using MEMS accelerometerand gyroscope
sensors and ultrasonic distance sensors, along with
a data acquisition system.