Comparison of Stochastic and Deterministic Methods for Mapping Environmental Noise from Opencast Quarries

The marble extractive industry heavily depends on diesel-powered equipment, particularly wheel loaders and excavators used for block handling, resulting in high energy consumption and operating costs. In this study, the potential for fuel reduction through managerial and technological transitions was evaluated using the example of the marble quarry located in the Carrara basin. The energy demand of excavators, wheel loaders, and dumpers was characterized using telemetry data gathered through an Industry 4.0 methodology. A standard elementary cycle was modeled via the program evaluation and review technique (PERT) to map productive tasks and idling periods. To ensure comparability, a specific consumption coefficient (SCC) was defined. Subsequently, a novel fuel handling index (FHI) is proposed to prioritize investments by accounting for the uncertainties and production variables typical of quarry projects. Results demonstrate that while idle management offers a 4% fuel reduction, transitioning to hybrid wheel loaders represents a more significant strategy, achieving a 12% saving among the scenarios analyzed. The full-hybrid scenario leads to a cumulative 17% reduction. This framework supports decision-making for energy efficiency in high-yield extraction sectors, mitigating the economic risk associated with technological transitions.

Application of a Multi Stage Method to Assess the Landscape Alteration Induced by Quarrying Sites: A Comparative Analysis

Traditional occupational noise risk assessment in quarries relies on static annual averages, failing to capture exposure peaks driven by operational shifts. Although noise risk assessment is a strict mandate under European Directives, capturing real-world operational volatility would require continuous, unfeasible phonometric campaigns. This study addresses this limitation by developing a dynamic, telemetry-driven energetic model to map occupational noise exposure and fleet volatility within the Carrara marble basin. The framework integrates continuous tracking from Internet-of-Things (IoT) platforms over a full calendar year with targeted in-cabin phonometric data. The empirical results reveal a dual-directional acoustic divergence from manufacturer specifications due to real-world quarry conditions and automated engine sub-regimes. Energetic tracking uncovers extensive exposure variance across production weeks; during peak periods, the skid-steer loader breaches statutory action boundaries, reaching a critical exposure value of 84.2 dB(A). Ultimately, this framework fulfills regulatory requirements through a streamlined, low-cost approach, providing a significantly more reliable and realistic hazard tracking tool than traditional static models.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the levels of whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure to which operators are subjected when using conventional heavy equipment with internal combustion engines to hybrid heavy machines, which demonstrate potential advantages in terms of efficiency and sustainability. The study was carried out in a quarry using an experimental approach that analyzed conventional and hybrid heavy equipment during the same working phases in mining activities. The methodology involved direct vibration samples using triaxial accelerometers positioned uniformly on the operator’s driving stations. The vibrations were analyzed in accordance with ISO 2631-1, focusing on intensity and frequency distribution. To minimize the influence of interference factors and ensure a straightforward comparison of the results, the entire measurement campaign was conducted under the same conditions, including vehicle and operator characteristics. Hybrid machines provide notable sustainability benefits, but the results show they produce higher vibration levels compared to conventional ones. This underscores the need to improve vibration control in hybrid machinery to ensure operator comfort and health while supporting their sustainability advantages.

The ISO Standard 10819:2013 defines the method for evaluating the performances of antivibration (AV) gloves, but when used in real fields, the protection can be dissimilar to that labeled. This paper investigates the transmissibility, at the palm level, of three different types of AV gloves (air, gel, neoprene) and an ordinary leather glove, during the use of four similar electric hammers (average weight of 10 kg, and average impact energy of 18 J), in a limestone quarry plant. As the average triaxial transmissibility for all the hammers, results show very limited benefits in reducing the vibration (6%), with no significative differences among the different gloves. The working leather glove, instead, shows a transmissibility quite equal to the unit. Anyway, results can be different for the same glove when used among the different hammers, providing in some cases 19% of protection. Some differences can be found regarding the transmissibility through the three main axes for the same type of glove: the glove in gel seems to perform better in shear than in compression. The transmissibility in compression is around 20% higher than that provided by the manufacturers of the certified gloves. The usage of specific excitation curves during laboratory tests could help in providing a more accurate estimation of the transmissibility of the gloves when used with a specific tool.