Optimum Size of Hauling Units

Construction planners are frequently required to analyze operations that consist of a service or loading facility and a number of hauling units. This is typified in truck and shovel operations. The optimum size hauling unit is shown to be directly proportional to the product of the operators' wages, the cycle time of the hauling unit, and the productivity of the loading facility. It is inversely proportional to the ownership and operating costs of the hauling unit. There also exists an optimum combination of time that the hauling units should spend being loaded and transporting the material. After the optimum size hauling unit is determined then the analysis should proceed with finding the number of hauling units required. The paper develops the necessary equations to make this entire analysis.