# Comprehensive Evaluation of Conveyor Belt Impact Resistance Using Canonical Correlation Analysis
## 2 Materials and Methods  
### Test Equipment and Test Samples  
The Institute of Industry and Transport Logistics of the Technical University of Kosice possesses a laboratory for simulating and modelling structural parts of conveyance equipment, including conveyor belts. The laboratory also includes a testing apparatus, designed and constructed by the institute, intended for the testing of conveyor belts in terms of their puncture resistance. The testing apparatus was designed based on the current requirements arising from previous research, as well as the requirements of the manufacturer of conveyor belts--Continental Matador Rubber, Puchov, Slovakia. Experimental research was carried out on a test device (Figure 1a) that can simulate the impact of material on a conveyor belt. A detailed description of the test device is in article [34]. The impact height is limited by the height of the device and can be adjusted up to a height of 2.6 m. The weight of falling material (from 50 to 100 kg) is simulated by means of the weight of a hammer and additional ballast weights. The impactor (spherical, pyramidal) simulates the type of landing material (non-cohering or sharp-edged material). The type of conveyor belt (CB) depends on the material from which the carcass is formed (rubber textile conveyor belt, steel cord conveyor belt; Figure 2). The strength of the conveyor belt is given by the manufacturer and indicates the tensile strength of the conveyor belt (N\(\cdot\)mm\({}^{-1}\)). The experimental test may be carried out without a support system or with a support system consisting of an assembly of two impact rollers with a smooth steel cover (Figure 1c). In general, the impact rollers support the conveyor belt and dampen the dynamic effects of the impacting material. Figure 1: (**a**) Test device, (**b**) hammer impactor, (**c**) support system. In the experiment, the following input parameters were set:  
* The impact height varied from 1 m to 2.2 m, with a setting differential of 0.2 metres. * The weight of the falling hammer was in the range from 50 to 90 kg with a differentiation of 10 kg. * The impactor of the hammer had a spherical shape (Figure 1b). The drop hammer impactor was a semi-sphere shape with a diameter of 50 mm. * Samples of conveyor belts were extracted from rubber textile or steel cord conveyor belts with strengths of 1250 N\(\cdot\)mm\({}^{-1}\) and 2500 N\(\cdot\)mm\({}^{-1}\). In the experiment, a roller support system was used. The impact of the material was directed between the rollers (Figure 1c). The distance between the axes of the rollers was 16 cm. Each sample had dimensions of 1400 \(\times\) 150 mm. A detailed description of the method of measurement and preparation of the test samples is described in [35]. The belt specimens were stretched and attached using a hydraulic device that is part of the testing equipment. On both of their ends, the specimens were attached in hydraulically controlled jaws (Figure 3). Another hydraulic device was used to stretch the specimens. The magnitude of the stretching force was determined based on the recommendations of the conveyor belt manufacturers, particularly, as 1/10 of the belt strength per millimetre of its width. Depending on the width of the tested specimens, the stretching force applied to the belts with a strength of 1250 N\(\cdot\)mm\({}^{-1}\) was 18,750 N, while for the belts with a strength of 2500 N\(\cdot\)mm\({}^{-1}\), the stretching force magnitude was 37,500 N.  
Both types of belts were manufactured by applying vulcanization technology. In the case of rubber textile conveyor belts, the manufacturing process includes the application of a rubber mixture onto both sides of the textile fabric (the carcass) and into its structure on a four-roller manufacturing line. Figure 3: (**a**) Rubber textile conveyor belt, (**b**) steel cord conveyor belt. Figure 2: Sample fixation using hydraulically controlled jaws.