Grad Seminar: Experimental Study on the Vibration Response of a Jackleg Hammer Drill
Presenter
Srividya Kuppa, MASc candidate in Systems Design Engineering
Abstract
This seminar presents an experimental study on vibration response in jackleg hammer drills, which are widely used in underground mining. Unlike previous research that focused mainly on vibration at the handle, this work examines how vibration is transmitted through the full drill structure under real operating conditions. Measurements were collected with accelerometers mounted on the fronthead, main cylinder, backhead, and handle during different drilling phases (collaring, sustained drilling, and retraction). Analysis using time and frequency domain methods, including FFT and RMS, revealed that axial vibrations dominate during drilling and that vibration increases across all axes during collaring. A resonance condition was identified around 142 Hz in the handle assembly, highlighting a key source of amplification. These findings provide a system-level understanding of vibration propagation in jackleg drills and lay the foundation for improved design and mitigation strategies to reduce operator exposure.