Dozer Simulation Window

Dozer Simulation Settings

To carry out a dozer simulation:

•Place the program in Dozer Simulation mode (Dozer item on the toolbar, or Simulate/Dozer menu).

•Open a terrain window (grid-based is best).

•Create a dozer (Use the Create Machine icon, or Simulate/Machine parameters menu).

•Start the simulation through the Start simulation icon or the Simulate/Start simulation menu or Start button.

•Undo applies to each session in this dialog box. So pressing the Undo toolbar icon or the Edit/Undo menu item after this dialog box is closed will undo all actions that took place in this dialog box. Undo actions for this dialog box will be placed in the Undo/Redo stack.

Active Simulation Template

This is the name of the dozer simulation template that will be started through the Start simulation icon or the Simulate/Start simulation menu. Starting a simulation will only be possible when all the elements of the simulation are in place. These elements are described in the points listed above.

Close Button

Pressing the button will cause this Dozer Simulation Settings dialog box to close. The program will prompt with an option to save changes, should any changes be outstanding.

Start Button

Pressing this button will start the simulation based on settings in the active simulation template. Changes to the active simulation template will be saved before simulation starts. This acts as if the Save button had been pressed before Start. Changes in the terrain during simulation will be shown in the current terrain graphics window.

New Button

This button creates a new Dozer Simulation Template. After pressing this button, a list of the existing Dozer Simulations (together with the unaltered Default) is presented. The new simulation's parameters are copied from the simulation selected from this list.

The new Dozer Simulation may be named through a dialog box offered during the process of creation. Dozer Simulations are named by default as "Simulation n", where n is a count of existing simulations.

Delete Button

This button deletes the Active Simulation. Users are asked to confirm this before deletion actually takes place. In addition the Undo facility can be used to restore simulations deleted in the Dozer Simulation Settings dialog box.

Save Button

This button saves all changes to the Active Simulation. Pressing this button before changing the active simulation and before pressing the Close button will stop the prompt dialog box.

General Log

This setting specifies the general material log, which will be used with the simulation. Excavated and dumped volumes associated with the simulation will be reported to this log. The general log is selected using the General Log pull-down list, which lists all available logs.

Machines & Settings Page

This page establishes settings to do with calculations and data logging for the Dozers used in the simulation.

Include in Simulation

The dozers used in this simulation are set here. These dozers are chosen from the list of created dozers. Dozers are created through the Create Machine icon, or Simulate/Machine parameters menu. This opens the Dozer Parameters dialog box. There a new dozer may be created and simulation parameters of existing dozers may be altered.

Log Report Info

This setting logs the main dozer simulation results to dozer log which is accessed through the Dozer Report dialog box (Simulate/Simulation report menu when the program is in Dozer Simulation mode). This log may be printed and saved to file through the Dozer Report dialog box.

Detailed Log Info

This setting saves detailed productivity information to file *.ldo.

Min Volume for Path

Minimal volume for detailed productivity information.

Optimize Blade Load

Optimize volume moved each cycle.

Calculate Productivity

This option calculates the dozer productivity for the simulation. Productivity is calculated by adding the times for each cycle, taking into account simulated trajectories and other dozer movement dynamics. The productivity calculation uses dozer simulation parameters set through the Dozer Parameters dialog box.

Simulation

These options set the type of simulation to be carried out.

•Use Specified Surfaces

•Optimize Surface Slopes

Animate Bulldozers

This option redraws the dozer in the current terrain graphics window during simulation calculations. The simulated dozer moves during the calculation. Redrawing the dozer periodically during the simulation thus shows all parts of the dozer cycle.

Three levels of animation detail are provided: Low Detail, Medium Detail and High Detail.

Show Dozer Paths

This option shows the simulated dozer trajectory.

Capture Frequency

This option sets how many bitmap images of the dozer simulation are captured from the current terrain graphics window. Three levels of capture frequency are offered (Minimum, Intermediate and Maximum).

The images are captured according to settings in the Capture Settings dialog box, accessed through the Options/Capture settings menu item. The sequence of captured images may then be played back as a "slide show" of the simulation. This process is described in the Capturing Images and Creating Slide Shows Help Topic.

Cut-Fill Region Page

Use Transport Analysis Results

Transport Analysis Template

Final Dozer Topography

Number of Cut-Fill Regions

Calc. Regions From Transport Analysis Button

Each Region

Cut-Fill Region

Draw Region Button

Delete Region Button

Surfaces Page

Cut-Fill Region

Direction of Pash

Set Button

Use Excavate Surfaces

Excavate Surfaces

Top Surface Slope

Surface Spacing

Use Dump Surfaces

Dump Surfaces

Surface Slope

Surface Spacing

Use Bridge Surface

Dozer Bridge Surface

Plane Z Level

E

N

Set Reference Point Button

Bridge Surface Slope

Dump Parameters Page

Discrete Dump Volume

The material to be dumped is divided into discrete packets. These packets are then dumped one after the other. The volume in each dumped packet is called the Discrete Dump Volume.

Repose Angle

The dump repose angle determines the maximum angle at which newly dumped material can remain stable on the terrain surface.

Angle Accuracy

This parameter determines how closely the repose angle is maintained throughout an area of dumped material. A higher value of Angle Accuracy leads to faster calculation. However in this case the actual material repose angle will not be as close to the Repose Angle parameter set by the user.

Next Dump Point Choice

These options control where to dump the next Discrete Dump Volume.

•Lowest

If this option is chosen, the next dump point is chosen as the lowest available point.

•Random

If this option is chosen, the next dump point is chosen randomly from available points.

•Highest

If this option is chosen, the next dump point is chosen as the highest available point.

Material Algorithm

Since dumping occurs on a terrain grid, the material is actually dumped on either nearest grid point (one point dump algorithm) or the four nearest grid points (four- point algorithm). In the latter case, the material is distributed to the four grid points in proportion to their distance from the dump point.

•Four Grid Point

In this option dumped material is distributed to the four grid points nearest to the dump point. A separate dump calculation is then carried out for the material dumped on each grid point.

•One Grid Point

In this option dumped material is distributed to the point nearest to the dump point. A separate dump calculation is then carried out for the material dumped on each grid point.

Resolution

This sets the resolution of the dump calculation on the terrain grid.

Resolution is determined by how much the grid is rarefied for the calculation. So

•Very High resolution – use every grid point.

•High resolution – use every 2nd grid point.

•Medium resolution – use every 3rd grid point.

•Low resolution – use every 4th grid point.

•Very Low resolution – use every 5th grid point.

Display Options Page

Cut_Fill Balance Regions

Show Region Polygons

Show Direction of Pash Arrows

Polygon Width

Direction Arrow Width

Polygon & Direction Arrow Color

Dump Terrain Redraw Frequency

This option controls how often the terrain is redrawn during dumping. In some cases redrawing can take significant time. This option can then provide a useful increase in speed.