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This thesis presents the analysis of five measurement techniques used to identify noise sources and transmission paths of a chain conveyor / motor test bed. The measurement techniques are: near-field sound pressure, sound intensity, structural tap testing, coherent power, and enhanced time measurements. Sound pressure is inherently measured with sound intensity, and thus both of these were used to identify noise sources and spectral distributions along the surface of the chain conveyor test bed. Tap tests were used to identify the vibration characteristics of individual system sections and to identify structural resonances that potentially radiate noise. There are two types of coherent power measurements analyzed in this thesis. The first is the Frequency Response Function (FRF) approach, which was used to estimate individual source contributions to a specific receiver. A more sophisticated coherent power method is the Partial Coherence Function (PCF) approach, which is capable of identifying unique contributions of system noise sources. Finally, enhanced time measurements were performed. These measurements are capable of identifying specific events in a repetitive process, since averaging is performed in the time domain. A trigger signal is created from some event in the cyclic process. All of these methods proved to be valuable for identifying noise sources in mining equipment, especially when performing analyses in a less than ideal measurement environment. References will be made about the application of these noise source identification techniques on more complex mining equipment.

The purpose of theoretical and empirical production-location models is to determine the conditions under which locational stability is maintained in terms of transportation costs. The presence of variables in the theory for which there are no empirical analogs has constrained researchers to use mathematical programming models with micro-level data. In this study the linear-location model developed by Sakashita and Emerson is modified to accommodate an aggregated data base and a one input/one output site configuration. The presence of aggregated data further limits the partial equilibrium model by the removal of all elasticities from the second-order equations. Thus, given these differences, the first objective is to determine if the empirical model is applicable in terms of testing the theoretical model. The second objective is to determine the sensitivity of profits to changes in the location decision variables at optimal and suboptimal locations. Aggregated time-series data covering a four-year period was provided by a midwestern U.S. resource recovery firm. One regression on the data determined the homogeneity of the production function, a condition necessary for stability. A second regression determined the relationship between output and average costs at simulated locations. Tests on the sensitivity of profits with respect to changes in distance and transportation rates clearly show that the firm is not maximizing profits at its current location and that optimal production will occur at the input site. In addition, an analysis using the space-cost curve developed by D. M. Smith shows that costs will be minimized at the input site. Finally, there is a discussion on the relationship between the flatness of the average cost curve and the type of technology employed by the firm in terms of "its ability to rationally continue operating at a suboptimal location.