Leveling method and automated construction system

Abstract

To provide an even-out method and an automatic construction system capable of carrying out even-out work with quality even where large particle diameter rocks are included.SOLUTION: An even-out method using a construction machine, the construction machine allowed to automatically travel without any operation by an operator, comprises: a rock size detection process (step S3) of detecting a size of a rock included in a sediment mountain using a sensor part by moving the construction machine to the sediment mountain while an object is connected to the detectable sensor part; preferential work processes (steps S5, S6) of causing the construction machine to preferentially carry out work on a larger particle diameter rock when the larger particle diameter rock than a predetermined size rock is included; and an even-out process of causing the construction machine to carry out the even-out work on the sediment mountain.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a leveling method and an automated construction system using an automatically traveling construction machine. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a technology for automatically driving construction machinery such as bulldozers to level earth and sand (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The technology described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a sensor that detects the amount of earth and sand held by the blade, and stops the bulldozer when the earth and sand runs out. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-190039 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in Patent Document 1 does not take into account cases where the soil to be leveled contains large-sized rocks (for example, rocks of several tens of centimeters or more, hereinafter referred to as "large-sized rocks"), and therefore has the problem of being unable to perform high-quality leveling when the soil contains large-sized rocks. For example, when compacting the soil using a vibratory roller after spreading it with a bulldozer, the vibratory roller may run over large-sized rocks, resulting in a low mounding density. Here, soil containing large-sized rocks is, for example, the material used to build a dam created by blasting and excavating a quarry. From this perspective, the present invention provides a leveling method and an automated construction system that can perform high-quality leveling even when large-sized rocks are included. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The leveling method of the present invention is a leveling method using a construction machine, which is capable of autonomous travel without being operated by an operator and is connected to a sensor unit capable of detecting objects. This leveling method includes a rock size detection step, a priority work step, and a leveling step. In the rock size detection step, the construction machine is moved to the pile of earth and sand, and the sensor unit is used to detect the size of the rocks contained in the pile of earth and sand. In the priority work step, if large-sized rocks that are larger than a predetermined size are included, the construction machine prioritizes work on the large-sized rocks. In the leveling step, the construction machine performs leveling work on the pile of earth and sand. In the leveling method according to the present invention, when large-sized rocks are included, work is carried out on the large-sized rocks first, and then leveling work is carried out, thereby enabling high-quality leveling to be carried out. In the priority work step, when an extra-large rock, which is a rock of a size equal to or larger than a first threshold value and smaller than a second threshold value, is detected, the construction machine is moved toward the extra-large rock to push the extra-large rock out of the pile of earth and sand and remove it. For example, the removed extra-large rock may be preferentially dropped into a recess that is lower than the design surface, making it less likely that the extra-large rock will be exposed to the surface. In addition, in the priority work process, if a large rock, which is a rock of a size equal to or larger than the second threshold, is detected, it is preferable to notify the user that the large rock is included, and then the large rock is removed by some method (for example, by a worker using construction machinery such as a backhoe).

[0006] A step preceding the leveling step may include a step of detecting the size of the pile of earth and sand using the sensor unit. In this case, the leveling step may be performed in accordance with leveling conditions determined based on the detection results of the step of detecting the size of the pile of earth and sand. In this way, the leveling work can be carried out based on the results of detecting the size of the pile of earth and sand, thereby improving the efficiency of the work. In the leveling process, the difference in elevation between the current surface and the reference surface is calculated using a grid map, for example, and the total difference in elevation of the squares included in the lane is calculated to determine the travel distance of each lane. This allows construction to be carried out based on the actual conditions on site, resulting in higher quality and more efficient leveling. Furthermore, a step of detecting the position of the pile of earth and sand may be included as a step preceding the rock size detection step, in which the position of the pile of earth and sand is detected using the sensor unit.

[0007] The automated construction system according to the present invention is an automated construction system for carrying out leveling work. This automated construction system includes a construction machine that can travel automatically without being operated by an operator, a sensor unit that can detect objects, and a control device that controls construction by the construction machine. The control device has a rock size detection processing unit, a priority work unit, and a leveling control unit. The rock size detection processing unit moves the construction machine to the pile of earth and sand and uses the sensor unit to detect the size of the rocks contained in the pile of earth and sand. The priority work unit causes the construction machine to prioritize work on the large rocks when large rocks larger than a predetermined size are included in the pile of earth and sand. The leveling control unit causes the construction machine to perform leveling work on the pile of earth and sand. In the automated construction system according to the present invention, work is performed on a priority basis when large-sized rocks are included, so high-quality leveling can be performed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, high-quality leveling can be performed even when large-grained rocks are included. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view of an automated construction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a bulldozer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control device provided in the bulldozer according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A]1 is a flowchart showing steps of a leveling method in an automated construction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] 1 is a flowchart showing steps of a leveling method in an automated construction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is an image diagram of the rock size detection process and the priority work process. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an image diagram of the process for detecting the size of a pile of earth and sand. [Figure 7] This figure explains how to determine the travel distance (forward movement amount) of each lane based on information about the cubic meters of the pile of sand. (a) is a plan view of the pile of sand, and (b) is a front view of the pile of sand. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a case where the travel distance (forward movement amount) of each lane is determined based on a grid map. [Figure 9] This is an example of the position of the blade when roughly demolishing a pile of earth and sand. [Figure 10] This is an example of the order in which a pile of earth and sand is roughly removed. [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the effect of the leveling method of the automated construction system according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the state before leveling and (b) shows the state after leveling is completed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each drawing is merely a schematic illustration to allow a sufficient understanding of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In each drawing, common or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0011] <Configuration of automated construction system according to embodiment> FIG. 1 shows an overall view of an automated construction system 100 according to an embodiment. The automated construction system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a next-generation automated construction system that automatically performs leveling by running a bulldozer 1 without the need for an operator to operate it. The automated construction system 100 is mainly comprised of a bulldozer 1 that automatically runs on a construction site, and a management personal computer (PC: Personal Computer) 2 installed in a management room located away from the construction site. The bulldozer 1 is an example of construction machinery. The bulldozer 1 and the management computer 2 can communicate using wireless communication. The bulldozer 1 can also receive radio waves (positioning signals) transmitted from positioning satellites 3. The configuration of the automated construction system 100 is not limited to that shown here, and for example, the bulldozer 1 may have the functions of the management computer 2 (that is, the bulldozer 1 may include the management computer 2).

[0012] <Positioning satellite> The positioning satellite 3 is a satellite used in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and periodically transmits its own position information (orbital position information) and time information to the bulldozer 1. The positioning satellite 3 may be, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite, a GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellite, a Galileo satellite, or a quasi-zenith satellite. The information transmitted from the positioning satellite 3 is used by the bulldozer 1 to control, for example, its position (latitude, longitude, altitude).

[0013] <Administrative computer> The management computer 2 is operated by a construction manager. The construction manager registers information necessary for controlling the bulldozer 1 in the management computer 2. For example, the construction manager registers in advance in the management computer 2 construction area information related to the construction area 100A where construction will be carried out (for example, coordinates specifying the boundaries of the construction area 100A), construction condition information related to the construction conditions (for example, information on the design surface and finished thickness (layer thickness)), and the like. A local coordinate system xyz used to control the bulldozer 1 is set in the construction area 100A. The xy plane is, for example, parallel to the horizontal plane, and the z axis points in the vertical direction. Note that the bulldozer 1 may be controlled using a global coordinate system XYZ instead of the local coordinate system xyz. In the global coordinate system XYZ, the X coordinate value is latitude, the Y coordinate value is longitude, and the Z coordinate value is altitude.

[0014] After registering the construction area information and construction condition information in the management computer 2, the construction manager inputs an instruction to start construction. This starts automated construction by the bulldozer 1. While automated construction is being carried out, the management computer 2 periodically receives construction progress information and machine information about the bulldozer 1 from the bulldozer 1 and displays this information on the screen. The construction manager can grasp the progress of construction and the status of the bulldozer 1 by checking the construction progress information and machine information of the bulldozer 1 displayed on the management computer 2. As a rule, the construction manager does not give instructions to the bulldozer 1 after giving the instruction to start construction.

[0015] <Bulldozer> The configuration of the bulldozer 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 (and Fig. 1 as appropriate). Fig. 2 is a side view of the bulldozer 1 according to the embodiment. The bulldozer 1 mainly comprises a vehicle body 10, a traveling device 20, a blade 30, and a control device 40. Note that the configuration of the bulldozer 1 shown here is merely an example. The traveling gear 20 is a mechanism for propelling the bulldozer 1, and is installed under the vehicle body 10. The traveling gear 20 here mainly comprises a support frame 21 that is long in the front-to-rear direction, wheels 22, and tracks 23. The wheels 22 are journaled at the front and rear ends of the support frame 21. The wheels 22 are also called sprockets or idlers. The sprocket is a gear-shaped wheel connected to a power shaft, and meshes with the tracks 23 to transmit power. The idler is a wheel located at the end opposite the sprocket. The tracks 23 are annular (endless) and are looped around the wheels 22. The bulldozer 1 moves forward or backward as the tracks 23 move around.

[0016] The blade 30 is used to push soil and sand forward. The blade 30 is also called a blade or blade blade. The front side of the blade 30 has various structures, but for example, it has a concave shape toward the rear, a cutting edge at its lower end, and enclosure pieces on both left and right edges. The blade 30 is pin-connected to the tip of a swing arm 31. The swing arm 31 has its base end swingably attached to the middle of the support frame 21 and its tip attached to the lower part of the rear side of the blade 30. The blade 30 is also pin-connected to the tip of the rod of a tilt cylinder 32 at its upper rear side. The tilt cylinder 32 is swingably attached to the middle of the swing arm 31 and is positioned diagonally upward. The blade 30 is also pin-connected to the tip of the rod of a lift cylinder 33 at its upper rear side. The lift cylinder 33 is swingably attached to the front of the vehicle body 10 and is positioned diagonally downward. The swing arm 31, tilt cylinder 32, and lift cylinder 33 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides. With this configuration, the blade 30 moves up and down by the extension and retraction of the lift cylinder 33, and the tilt angle is changed by the extension and retraction of the tilt cylinder 32.

[0017] The control device 40 shown in Fig. 2 controls the overall operation of the bulldozer 1 (particularly the operation related to automatic traveling). The control device 40 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control device 40 may be built into the bulldozer 1 in advance, or may be attached later (for example, to a PC). For example, the former is intended for a bulldozer that is manufactured to be capable of automatic traveling, and the latter is intended for a bulldozer that can be operated by a rider and modified to be capable of automatic traveling.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the bulldozer 1 has a communication antenna 11, positioning receivers 12 and 13, and a sensor unit 14 in addition to the components described above. The communication antenna 11 communicates with the management computer 2 (see FIG. 1). Specifically, the control device 40 of the bulldozer 1 receives information necessary for controlling the bulldozer 1 from the management computer 2 via the communication antenna 11. The control device 40 also transmits construction progress information and machine information about the bulldozer 1 to the management computer 2 via the communication antenna 11.

[0019] The positioning receivers 12 and 13 receive radio waves (positioning signals) transmitted from the positioning satellite 3 (see FIG. 1). The positioning receivers 12 and 13 receive, for example, orbital position information and time information from the positioning satellite 3 and calculate their own positions using this information. The positioning receiver 12 is installed at a position that serves as a reference for the bulldozer 1, and the position information calculated by the positioning receiver 12 is mainly used for controlling the position of the bulldozer 1 as a whole. The positioning receiver 13 is installed at a position that serves as a reference for the blade 30, and the position information calculated by the positioning receiver 13 is mainly used for controlling the position of the blade 30. The position information calculated by the positioning receivers 12 and 13 is sent to the control device 40. In locations where radio waves transmitted from the positioning satellite 3 cannot be received, the position information of the bulldozer 1 may be calculated by attaching a prism to the bulldozer 1 and automatically tracking it with a total station.

[0020] The sensor unit 14 is a device that acquires information about the environment in which the bulldozer 1 is located (e.g., information about the surroundings). The information detected by the sensor unit 14 is used for controlling and monitoring automatic driving. The sensor unit 14 transmits the detected information to the control device 40. In this embodiment, the sensor unit 14 includes a stereo camera 15 and a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 16. Note that the configuration of the sensor unit 14 shown here is an example, and other types of sensors can be used instead of or in addition to the stereo camera 15 and the LiDAR 16. Note that only one of the stereo camera 15 and the LiDAR 16 can be used. The sensor unit 14 may be located at the construction site (i.e., the sensor unit 14 does not need to be mounted on the bulldozer 1). If the sensor unit 14 is not mounted on the bulldozer 1, it can be installed at the construction site using some kind of installation means (e.g., legs) or mounted on an airborne vehicle (e.g., a drone). The sensor unit 14 transmits the detected information to the control device 40 by wireless communication, for example.

[0021] The stereo camera 15 is equipped with multiple cameras (in this embodiment, two cameras are assumed to be arranged side by side). The stereo camera 15 uses multiple cameras to simultaneously capture images of an object from multiple different directions, similar to the principle by which humans view an object. Therefore, the stereo camera 15 can measure depth information from the captured images. The stereo camera 15 is installed in a position where it can capture images in front of the bulldozer 1. The LiDAR 16 is a device that uses laser sensor (distance sensor) technology to detect the shape of surrounding objects. The LiDAR 16 emits a large number of laser beams into the surrounding area and receives the laser beams that hit the objects and reflect off them. In this way, the LiDAR 16 obtains the shape of the surface of the surrounding objects as a set of coordinates of points that completely cover the surface (point cloud data). The LiDAR 16 is installed in a position in front of the bulldozer 1 where it can detect the area.

[0022] The main functions of the control device 40 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the control device 40 provided in the bulldozer 1. The control device 40 has a dirt pile position detection processing unit 41, a rock size detection processing unit 42, a priority work control unit 43, a dirt pile size detection processing unit 44, and a leveling control unit 45. These functions are realized, for example, by executing a program. Note that the functions of the control device 40 shown in Fig. 3 are separated for the sake of convenience of explanation and do not limit the present invention. Also, a device other than the bulldozer 1 (for example, the management computer 2) may be configured to have some of the functions of the control device 40. In this case, the management computer 2 acquires the necessary information from the bulldozer 1 and performs calculations in real time. It then transmits the travel route and other information to the bulldozer 1 via wireless communication. Only an overview of each function will be explained here, and the details of these functions will be explained later in the "Leveling method for the automated construction system according to the embodiment."

[0023] The sand pile position detection processing unit 41 uses the sensor unit 14 to detect the position of the sand pile (for example, xyz coordinate values). The rock size detection processing unit 42 moves the bulldozer 1 to the pile of earth and sand detected by the pile of earth and sand position detection processing unit 41. The rock size detection processing unit 42 also causes the sensor unit 14 to detect the size of the rocks contained in the pile of earth and sand. When a pile of earth and sand contains rocks larger than a preset size, the priority work control unit 43 controls the work so that work on the rocks is given priority. The pile of sand size detection processing unit 44 uses the sensor unit 14 to detect the size of the pile of sand (for example, the height, left and right width, depth, estimated number of cubic meters, etc.). The leveling control unit 45 controls the leveling work for the pile of earth and sand.

[0024] <<Leveling method related to the automated construction system according to the embodiment>> 4A and 4B (and also refer to FIGS. 1 to 3 as appropriate), a description will be given of a leveling method related to the automated construction system 100. FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts showing steps of the leveling method related to the automated construction system 100. (Debris pile location detection process) First, the bulldozer 1 uses the sensor unit 14 to detect the position of the pile of earth from a distance (step S1). The pile of earth position detection processing unit 41, for example, moves the bulldozer 1 to a location where it can overlook the entire construction area 100A, and then causes the sensor unit 14 to perform a detection operation to detect the position of the pile of earth. Using the LiDAR 16 of the sensor unit 14 is desirable because it allows detection of piles of earth from further away. For these reasons, it is desirable to use the LiDAR 16 to detect the position of the pile of earth, but the position of the pile of earth can also be detected using other means such as the stereo camera 15. The pile of earth position detection processing unit 41 calculates, for example, the positions (coordinates) of the base and center of the pile of earth from the point cloud data acquired by the LiDAR 16.

[0025] (Rock size detection process) Next, the bulldozer 1 moves in front of the pile of earth detected in step S1 (step S2). The rock size detection processing unit 42 changes the direction of the bulldozer 1 based on the position detected in step S1 (the base or center position (coordinates) of the pile of earth, etc.), and moves the bulldozer 1 closer to the position. This causes the bulldozer 1 to move to a position where the sensor unit 14 can easily detect the details of the pile of earth. Next, the bulldozer 1 uses the sensor unit 14 to detect large rocks 8 (see Figure 5) contained within the pile of earth and sand (step S3). An image of the rock size detection process is shown in Figure 5. Large rocks 8 are rocks larger than a predetermined size (e.g., diameter), and this size is determined, for example, in relation to the quality of the leveling work. Large rocks 8 are, for example, rocks tens of centimeters or larger. The purpose of detecting large rocks 8 is to detect rocks that cannot be used or require caution for quality control or construction management reasons. As long as this purpose can be achieved, detection may be performed taking into account factors other than size (e.g., shape). In this detection, large rocks 8 exposed on the surface of the pile of earth and sand are detected, and for example, the coordinate values ​​(x, y, z) and maximum diameter of the large rocks 8 are detected.

[0026] The stereo camera 15 of the sensor unit 14 is desirable because it provides high accuracy and wide-area detection (wide angle of view). When detecting large rocks 8 using the stereo camera 15, the rock size detection processor 42 detects large rocks 8 contained in the pile of earth and sand by, for example, processing images captured by the stereo camera 15 using image recognition technology. The shape of the large rocks 8 may be learned using artificial intelligence technology (e.g., a convolutional neural network (CNN)), and the large rocks 8 may be detected using a learned model. Alternatively, the large rocks 8 may be detected using an edge extraction method using a Laplacian filter that combines the coordinate information of the LiDAR 16 with RGB information (color information) from one side of the stereo camera 15 (i.e., the monocular camera). Alternatively, the large rocks 8 may be detected from the coordinate information of the LiDAR 16 using feature detection methods such as the difference of normal method, difference of curvature method, and multiscale method.

[0027] (Priority work process) In the priority work process, if a large-sized rock 8 (see FIG. 5) is included, the bulldozer 1 is made to perform work on the large-sized rock 8 with priority. If a large-sized rock 8 is not detected in step S3 (step S4a), the process proceeds to step S7 without performing the "priority work process." On the other hand, if a large-sized rock 8 is detected in step S3, the work to be performed with priority differs depending on the size of the rock. If an extra-large rock 8A (see FIG. 5) is detected (step S4b), as indicated by symbol K in FIG. 5, the priority work control unit 43 controls the bulldozer 1 to push the extra-large rock 8A toward the extra-large rock 8A, pushing it out of the pile of dirt and removing it (step S5). For example, the extra-large rock 8A may be preferentially dropped into a recess lower than the design surface. The second threshold may be, for example, an upper limit specified in the design drawings. The extra-large rock 8A detected based on this criteria is a relatively large rock, although it falls within the usable range specified in the design drawings. The first threshold may be, for example, several tens of centimeters, and its size is determined based on the quality of the paving work. After processing all extra-large rocks 8A has been completed, the process proceeds to step S7. If an extremely large rock (not shown), which is a rock of a size equal to or larger than the second threshold, is detected (step S4c), the priority work control unit 43 notifies the bulldozer 1 that an extremely large rock has been detected, for example, by temporarily suspending the operation of the bulldozer 1 and notifying the administrator of an error (step S6). Extremely large rocks exceed the upper limit specified in the design documents, etc., and cannot be used for mounding, so they must be removed by some method (for example, by a worker using construction machinery such as a backhoe). After all the extremely large rocks have been removed, the worker sends a command to the bulldozer 1 to resume work, and the priority work control unit 43 proceeds to step S7.

[0028] (Debris pile size detection process) Next, the bulldozer 1 detects information about the size of the pile of earth (for example, the height, left and right width, depth, estimated number of cubic meters, etc.) (step S7). The pile of earth size detection processing unit 44 detects, for example, the "center of gravity" indicated by symbol A in FIG. 6, the "center" indicated by symbol B, the apex (highest point) indicated by symbol C, the "center point of the base" indicated by symbol D, the "left end point of the base" indicated by symbol E, and the "right end point of the base" indicated by symbol F. FIG. 6 is an image diagram of the pile of earth size detection process. Note that the size of the pile of earth may also be detected at the timing of the rock size detection process.

[0029] (Spreading process) Next, the bulldozer 1 performs leveling work on the pile of earth and sand (step S8). The leveling control unit 45 determines the number of leveling operations, the amount of lateral movement, the amount of forward movement, etc., based on information about the size of the pile of earth and sand detected in step S7, for example, and performs earth pushing control according to the determined conditions. For example, if the width of the pile of earth and sand is large, the number of lanes may be increased, or if the number of cubic meters is large, the travel distance of the lane (amount of forward movement) may be increased.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 7, we will explain how to determine the travel distance (forward movement amount) of each lane L based on information about the number of cubic meters of the pile of sand. FIG. 7(a) is a plan view of the pile of sand, and FIG. 7(b) is a front view of the pile of sand. The width of each lane L corresponds to the width of the bulldozer 1. In the pile of sand shown in FIG. 7, a first convex portion T1 forming the apex is located on the front side, and a second convex portion T2, which is lower than the apex, is located on the right side. The second convex portion T2 has a longer distance in the front-to-rear direction than the first convex portion T1, and the number of cubic meters of the second convex portion T2 is greater than the number of cubic meters of the first convex portion T1. In this case, for example, the travel distance (forward movement amount) of lane L4 is set to the longest. When performing such control, it is recommended to install the sensor unit 14 at a high position so that the pile of sand can be viewed from above.

[0031] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, the current state may be detected in the form of a grid map M (which represents the elevation in units of equally spaced grid-like units), and the number of lanes and the travel distance (forward movement amount) of each lane may be determined based on this grid map M. The finished thickness (layer thickness) is determined by area. For example, assume a layer thickness of 0.5 m. The cell M1 with the coarsest dots in Figure 8 is 0 m (design surface), the cell M0 with no dots is -0.5 m, the cell M2 with the second finest dots is +0.25 m, and the cell M3 with the finest dots is +0.5 m. In this case, for example, the bulldozer 1 is driven to the innermost cell in the leftmost lane L1, and driven slightly further back than the innermost cell in the other lanes L2 to L4, thereby variably controlling the dozing distance. In other words, the grid map M is used to calculate the elevation difference between the current state and the design surface (reference surface) for each cell, and the total elevation difference of the cells included in lane L is calculated to determine the travel distance of each lane L. In this way, once the layer thickness and size of each square are set, the number of lanes and pushing distance are automatically determined based on that information, enabling appropriate leveling.

[0032] Rough erosion of the pile of earth and sand may be performed based on information about the pile's height. Rough erosion is performed, for example, when the pile's height is higher than a preset value. Because the load on the bulldozer 1 during soil pushing increases with the pile's height, a high pile of earth and sand can cause the bulldozer to get stuck (slip). A good guide for the position of the blade 30 during rough erosion is, for example, to ensure that the top of the blade 30 is aligned with the height of the pile of earth and sand (see Figure 9). Figure 9 shows an example of the position of the blade 30 during rough erosion of a pile of earth and sand. With soil higher than the blade 30, the soil may leak from the top of the blade 30 and get between the blade 30 and the vehicle body 10, potentially damaging the engine compartment or other areas of the vehicle body 10. Furthermore, the size of the bulldozer 1 (e.g., "xx-ton ​​class (xx is a natural number)") is rarely significantly different from the scale of the construction work. Therefore, it is practical to use the height of the pile of earth and sand as a guide for the position of the blade 30 during rough erosion. The position of the blade 30 can be detected by the positioning receiver 13. For example, when the position of the lower end of the blade 30 is detected by the positioning receiver 13, the position of the upper end of the blade 30 can be calculated by adding the height dimension of the blade 30 to the position detected by the positioning receiver 13.

[0033] Alternatively, the pile of earth and sand may be cut into slices in the height direction to set up layers, and rough landslide may be carried out by pushing soil in order from the highest layer (see Figure 10). This control is intended for cases where the pile of earth and sand is relatively high (for example, when the height of the pile of earth and sand is higher than the height of the bulldozer 1). In the pile of earth and sand shown in Figure 10, for example, the top layer N3 is pushed first, then the layer N2 below that is pushed, and finally the bottom layer N1 is pushed.

[0034] (Leveling and confirmation process) 4B, the bulldozer 1 senses the pile of earth and sand again to confirm completion of leveling (step S9). If completion of leveling is confirmed in step S9 (step S10a), the leveling control unit 45 completes the leveling work for that pile of earth and sand and proceeds to step S11. On the other hand, if remaining leveling is confirmed in step S9 (step S10b), the leveling control unit 45 returns the process to step S8 and performs leveling work again.

[0035] (Sensing process for the next landslide) When completion of leveling is confirmed (step S10a), the bulldozer 1 moves to the sensing start position for the next pile of earth (step S11) and detects the position of the next pile of earth to be leveled from a distance (step S12). The pile-of-earth position detection processing unit 41 moves the bulldozer 1 diagonally backward by a predetermined distance (for example, one pile of earth laterally, or any amount backward), and detects the next pile of earth at the new position. If the next pile of earth is detected in step S12, the rock size detection processing unit 42 moves the bulldozer 1 in front of the next pile of earth (step S2) and performs leveling on the next pile of earth. On the other hand, if the next pile of earth is not detected in step S12, the bulldozer 1 concludes that leveling of the set number of piles of earth has been completed, and the work is completed (step S13).

[0036] As described above, in the automated construction system 100 according to the embodiment, when large-sized rocks 8 are included, work is performed on the large-sized rocks 8 first, and then leveling work is performed, thereby enabling high-quality leveling to be performed. For example, as shown in Figure 11(a), by preferentially dropping extra-large rocks 8A into a recess that is lower than the design surface, rocks with smaller particle sizes and fine particles are scattered on top of the extra-large rocks 8A, as shown in Figure 11(b), making it difficult for the extra-large rocks 8A to be exposed on the surface, resulting in a flat finished surface. Figure 11 is a diagram for explaining the effect of the leveling method related to the automated construction system 100 according to the embodiment, where (a) shows the state before leveling and (b) shows the state after leveling is completed. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these and can be practiced within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1. Bulldozer (construction machinery) 2. Management computer 3. Positioning satellites 8 Large-grained rock 8A extra large rock 10. Body 11 Communication Antenna 12,13 Positioning receiver 14 Sensor section 15 Stereo Camera 16 LiDAR 20 Running gear 30 blades 40 Control device 41 Landslide pile position detection processing unit 42 Rock size detection processing unit 43 Priority Work Control Unit 44 Debris pile size detection processing unit 45 Leveling Control Section 100 Automated Construction System L1~L5, L lane M Grid Map

Claims

1. A leveling method using construction machinery, The construction machine is capable of autonomous travel without being operated by an operator, and is connected to a sensor unit capable of detecting an object; a rock size detection step of moving the construction machine to a pile of earth and sand and detecting the size of rocks contained in the pile of earth and sand using the sensor unit; a priority work process in which, when large-sized rocks that are larger than a predetermined size are included, the construction machine performs work on the large-sized rocks with priority; A leveling process in which the construction machine performs leveling work on the earth and sand pile. A leveling method characterized by:

2. In the priority work step, when an extra-large rock, which is a rock having a size equal to or larger than a first threshold value and smaller than a second threshold value, is detected, the construction machine is moved toward the extra-large rock to push the extra-large rock out of the pile of earth and sand and remove it.

2. The method for leveling according to claim 1.

3. In the priority operation step, when an extremely large rock, which is a rock having a size equal to or larger than the second threshold value, is detected, it is notified that the extremely large rock is included.

3. The method for leveling according to claim 2.

4. The method further includes a step of detecting a size of the pile of earth and sand using the sensor unit as a step preceding the leveling step, In the leveling step, leveling work is performed in accordance with leveling conditions determined based on the detection result in the earth and sand pile size detection step.

2. The method for leveling according to claim 1.

5. In the leveling process, the difference in elevation between the current surface and the reference surface is calculated using a grid map, and the total value of the difference in elevation of the squares included in the lane is calculated to determine the travel distance of each lane.

5. The method for leveling according to claim 4.

6. The method further includes a step of detecting a position of the pile of earth and sand using the sensor unit as a step preceding the rock size detection step.

2. The method for leveling according to claim 1.

7. An automated construction system for leveling, Construction machinery that can travel autonomously without being operated by an operator, a sensor unit capable of detecting an object; a control device for controlling construction work by the construction machine, The control device a rock size detection processing unit that moves the construction machine to a pile of earth and sand and detects the size of rocks contained in the pile of earth and sand using the sensor unit; a priority work unit that causes the construction machine to perform work on large rocks with priority when large rocks that are larger than a predetermined size are included; and a leveling control unit that causes the construction machine to perform leveling work on the pile of earth and sand. An automated construction system characterized by:

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