ABSTRACT
Based on the uniform classification of conveyor belt failures with five grade, verbal description of their intensity a method enabling the numerical processing of fuzzy data is proposed for the determination of the single-valued index of belt wear. The index takes into account past belt operation time and can be used together with results from on site, non-destructive tests of belt condition. Since belt removal decisions are bound with a different belt replacement policies used in polish mines the particular classes of failures has been weighted according to their goals. A special program has been developed and used to calculate several indexes for belts in different condition. Results were compared to improve weighting and to develop the optimal belts replacement strategy based on their degree of wear. The belt wear index can be used to schedule all belts in a mine for replacement and it is possible to find out a cut-off index enabling the most profitable reconditioning.
