Justification of the bench slope angle and the slope of the access ramp when using unmanned vehicles

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-4S-92-98

Читать на русскоя языке D.N. Ligotskiy, N.A. Dolgushin
Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №4S/ 2026 p. 92-98

Abstract: Increasing depths of open-pit mines poses a number of challenges for the mining industry. Concentration of harmful gases is created when developing the lower mine levels, which leads to additional costs and longer mining time. One of the possible solutions is to use unmanned dump trucks to ensure the safety of operation, increase the economic efficiency of mining, and adjust the open-pit mine parameters. The article discusses the problem of optimizing the open-pit mine parameters when using unmanned vehicles in the conditions of surface mine development with a push-back. An increase in the bench slope angle and the slope of the access ramps is justified, which leads to an adjustment in the volume of overburden removed from the wall section where the mine development takes place. The linear character of the bench slope angle effect on the wall slope angle is proved. The safety factor is calculated for igneous and sedimentary rocks. It is shown that the normative reduction of the safety factor when using unmanned vehicles makes it possible to increase the bench slope angle up to 8 degrees. Traction calculations helped to establish that the maximum allowable ramp slope can be up to 105‰ when using unmanned vehicles. The mutual effects of the ramp slope and the bench slope angle on the volume of the rock mass is determined. It is established that adjustment of these parameters makes it possible to reduce the volume of the rock mass removed from the wall section where the mine development takes place by up to 34%, which results in a reduction of the average stripping coefficient, and creates the possibility of extracting additional volumes of minerals.

Keywords: unmanned vehicles, autonomous dump truck, access ramp slope, bench slope angle, open pit wall, surface mining

For citation: Ligotsky D.N., Dolgushin N.A. Justification of the bench slope angle and the slope of the access ramp when using unmanned vehicles. Russian Mining Industry. 2026;(4S):92–98. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-4S-92-98

Article info

Received: 05.06.2026

Revised: 29.07.2026

Accepted: 04.08.2026

Information about the authors

Dmitry N. Ligotsky – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Open-pit Mining, Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4708-1595

Nikita A. Dolgushin – Postgraduate Student of the Department of Open-pit Mining, Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2025-1859; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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