Methods for removing spoil during tunnel construction

Abstract

To provide a removal method of debris in tunnel construction advantageous for reducing manpower and improving efficiency in tunnel construction.SOLUTION: A removal method of debris in tunnel construction includes the steps of: after blowing and drilling a pit face 10, forming a debris temporary placing area 24; transporting the drilled debris from the pit face 10 to the temporary placing area 24 and loading the debris; transporting the debris from the temporary placing area 24 to a crusher 18 using a debris loader 26; detecting an amount of debris deposited in the temporary placing area 24 is detected by a debris amount detection unit 32 at the temporary placing area as an amount of debris when transporting the debris crushed by the crusher 18 to a wellhead by a long belt conveyor 22; and controlling the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor 22 using a main control unit 12D provided on the wheel loader 12 on the basis of the amount of debris in the temporary placing area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for discharging muck in tunnel construction.

Background Art

[0002] In tunnel construction, when transporting the muck excavated by the blasting process and the rock drill to the portal, a crusher is arranged on the face side, and a continuous belt conveyor device extends from the crusher toward the portal. Then, the muck generated at the face is scraped up by a hydraulic excavator such as a wheel loader, transported to the crusher and loaded into the crusher. The excavated muck crushed by the crusher is loaded from the crusher onto the continuous belt conveyor device, and the muck is transported toward the portal by the continuous belt conveyor device. By the way, since there is an upper limit to the amount of muck that can be loaded into the crusher at one time, a large amount of muck cannot be loaded into the crusher at one time, and it is necessary to gradually load the muck into the crusher over time. Therefore, it takes a certain amount of time to load the muck into the crusher. For each blasting process, the wheel loader reciprocates dozens of times at a distance of 100 m to 130 m, so it is needless to say that the reciprocating movement of the wheel loader takes a great deal of time. Furthermore, as described above, it also takes time to load the muck into the crusher by the wheel loader. Therefore, there is room for improvement in enhancing the efficiency of discharging the excavated muck. Therefore, the applicant of the present application has proposed a method for discharging muck in tunnel construction that can complete the post-treatment of the muck at the face after the blasting process in a shorter time than before by providing a temporary storage site at an intermediate point between the face and the crusher, transporting the muck at the face to the temporary storage site by a hydraulic excavator, and loading the muck into the crusher using a muck loading machine provided near the temporary storage site (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7097286 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] Incidentally, the crusher and continuous belt conveyor system are designed to operate only for the operating time set by the timer, and to stop operating after the operating time has elapsed. Therefore, it is necessary for workers to visually assess the amount of excavation at the temporary storage area and set the timer to an appropriate operating time based on that amount. This is because the amount of excavation generated by the demolition process is not constant and varies with each demolition. Therefore, with each demolition process, workers must visually assess the amount of excavation at the temporary storage area and set the timer accordingly, estimating the appropriate operating time based on that amount. This process requires the presence of workers, and because the assessment of excavation is done visually, variations in the set operating time can occur due to differences in the workers' experience. As a result, it is difficult to set the timer for an accurate operating time that matches the amount of excavation, and there is room for improvement in efficiently operating the crusher and continuous belt conveyor system. This invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a method for removing excavated tunnel material that is advantageous in reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, one embodiment of the present invention is a method for transporting spoil in tunnel construction, in which the excavated spoil is transported from the tunnel face to the tunnel entrance after the tunnel face has been excavated by blasting, characterized in that a temporary storage area is provided at a location near the tunnel face in the direction of the extension of the tunnel, a transport heavy machine is provided to transport and load the excavated spoil from the tunnel face to the temporary storage area, a crusher is provided near the temporary spoil storage area to crush the spoil, a spoil loading machine is provided to transport the spoil from the temporary storage area to the crusher, a long belt conveyor device is provided to transport the spoil crushed by the crusher toward the tunnel entrance, a temporary storage area spoil amount detection unit is provided to detect the amount of spoil loaded in the temporary storage area as the temporary storage area spoil amount, and a main control unit is provided in the transport heavy machine to control the crusher and the long belt conveyor device based on the temporary storage area spoil amount. One embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the temporary storage area side shear amount detection unit comprises a temporary storage area side 3D laser scanner that irradiates the temporary storage area and its surroundings with laser light to acquire point cloud data, a temporary storage area side 3D image information generation unit that generates 3D image information from the point cloud data, and a temporary storage area shear amount estimation unit that estimates the temporary storage area shear amount based on the 3D image information. One embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the transport heavy machine includes a first peripheral information acquisition unit that acquires first peripheral information including information regarding the conditions inside the tunnel, including the tunnel face, around the transport heavy machine, and the main control unit has a function to control the operation of the transport heavy machine based on the first peripheral information. One embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the first peripheral information acquisition unit comprises a transport heavy machine-side 3D laser scanner that irradiates laser light into the tunnel pit, including the face, around the transport heavy machine to acquire point cloud data, and a transport heavy machine-side 3D image information generation unit that generates 3D image information as the first peripheral information from the point cloud data. One embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the 3D laser scanner on the transport heavy equipment side also serves as the 3D laser scanner on the temporary storage area side, and the 3D image information generation unit on the transport heavy equipment side also serves as the 3D image information generation unit on the temporary storage area side. One embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the spoil loading machine includes a second surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires second surrounding information including information regarding the conditions inside the tunnel, including the temporary storage area around the spoil loading machine, and the main control unit has a function to control the operation of the spoil loading machine based on the second surrounding information. One embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the second peripheral information acquisition unit comprises a 3D laser scanner on the mould loader side that irradiates laser light into the tunnel surrounding the mould loader to acquire point cloud data, and a 3D image information generation unit on the mould loader side that generates 3D image information as the second peripheral information from the point cloud data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a temporary storage area shear amount detection unit detects the amount of shear loaded in the temporary storage area as the temporary storage area shear amount, and a main control unit installed in the transport heavy machine controls the crusher and the long belt conveyor device based on the temporary storage area shear amount. Therefore, automatic control of the crusher and long belt conveyor system can be achieved, and since the crusher and long belt conveyor system can be controlled based on the accurate amount of shear detected by the temporary storage area side shear amount detection unit, it is advantageous for efficiently operating the crusher and continuous belt conveyor system, and is advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, since the crusher and the long belt conveyor device are controlled by a main control unit installed in the heavy transport machine, there is no need to install a separate main control unit to control each device collectively. This simplifies the configuration for controlling each device and is advantageous in reducing costs. Furthermore, since the installation and removal work required for a separate main control device is eliminated, and the space needed for the main control device is also eliminated, this is advantageous not only for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction, but also because tunnel construction can be carried out without problems even when it is difficult to secure space inside or outside the tunnel. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the amount of excavated material in the temporary storage area can be accurately estimated based on three-dimensional image information, it is advantageous for accurately and reliably controlling the crusher and the long belt conveyor device based on the amount of excavated material in the temporary storage area, and is advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, not only is it possible to automatically control the transport heavy machinery based on the first surrounding information, but it is also advantageous in accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the transport heavy machinery, thereby reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the first peripheral information is composed of three-dimensional image information, it is more advantageous for accurately and reliably controlling the operation of heavy transport machinery, and is more advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the number of 3D laser scanners and 3D image information generation units can be reduced, simplifying the configuration and reducing the number of parts, which is advantageous in reducing costs. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the spoil loading machine can be automatically controlled based on the second surrounding information, it is possible to reduce the number of people required. Moreover, the main control unit can accurately grasp the amount of spoil in the temporary storage area based on the second surrounding information, which is advantageous in accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the spoil loading machine, and is advantageous in reducing the number of people required and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the second peripheral information is composed of three-dimensional image information, it is more advantageous in accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the spoil loading machine, and is more advantageous in reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram of the spoil removal method for tunnel construction according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view of a spoil loading machine. [Figure 3]This is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a wheel loader, spoil loader, control device, timer, crusher, and long belt conveyor system used in the spoil discharge method for tunnel construction according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart of the spoil removal method for tunnel construction according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, one or more wheel loaders 12 are positioned near the tunnel face 10, and in order to avoid the effects of the blast during the blasting process, a crusher 18 and a tailpiece trolley 20 are positioned side by side on one side in the width direction of the tunnel floor 16 at a predetermined distance away from the tunnel face 10, for example, about 100m towards the tunnel entrance, with a long belt conveyor device (also called a continuous belt conveyor device) 22 extending from the tailpiece trolley 20 towards the tunnel entrance. Furthermore, a temporary storage area 24 is provided at a point midway between the tunnel face 10 and the crusher 18 in the direction of tunnel extension 14, and a spoil loading machine (also called a rock loader) 26 is positioned between the temporary storage area 24 and the crusher 18. Furthermore, the wheel loader 12 is equipped with a main control unit 12D as shown in Figure 3, and this main control unit 12D controls the wheel loader 12, the spoil loader 26, the crusher 18, and the long belt conveyor device 22. The following will provide a detailed description of the wheel loader 12, spoil loader 26, crusher 18, tailpiece trolley 20, long belt conveyor device 22, and main control unit 12D.

[0009] The wheel loader 12 is a self-propelled transport heavy machine (hydraulic excavator) that transports the heave generated by the excavation of the face 10 by blasting work to the temporary storage place 24. In the present embodiment, the case where the wheel loader 12 is used as the transport heavy machine will be described. However, any conventional known self-propelled transport heavy machine other than the wheel loader 12, such as a backhoe or a bulldozer, can be used as long as it can transport the heave. In the present embodiment, the wheel loader 12 includes a drive source such as an engine, a main body that travels by tires that are rotationally driven by the driving force of the drive source, a bucket that is provided on the main body and scoops up the heave, a hydraulic cylinder that drives the bucket, and a hydraulic source that drives the hydraulic cylinder.

[0010] Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the wheel loader 12 includes a wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A, a wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B, a temporary storage place heave amount estimation unit 12C, a main control unit 12D, and a wheel loader side communication unit 12E. The wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B, the temporary storage place heave amount estimation unit 12C, the main control unit 12D, and the wheel loader side communication unit 12E are realized by a computer provided in the wheel loader 12 executing a control program. The wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A is provided on the main body of the wheel loader 12, and irradiates laser light into the tunnel 14 pit including the face 10 around the wheel loader 12 to acquire point cloud data. The wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B generates three-dimensional image information as first peripheral information from the point cloud data acquired by the wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A. Here, the first peripheral information is information including information regarding the situation in the tunnel 14 pit including the face 10 around the wheel loader 12. In addition, in the present embodiment, a first peripheral information acquisition unit 30 that acquires first peripheral information is configured by a wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A and a wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B.

[0011] The temporary storage place slip amount estimation unit 12C estimates the temporary storage place slip amount, which is the amount of slip loaded on the temporary storage place 24, based on the three-dimensional image information generated by the wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B. Specifically, the temporary storage place slip amount estimation unit 12C estimates the temporary storage place slip amount based on the three-dimensional image information of the slip generated by the wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B from the point cloud data obtained by irradiating the slip loaded on the temporary storage place 24 with laser light by the wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A. In the present embodiment, a temporary storage place side slip amount detection unit 32 that detects the amount of slip loaded on the temporary storage place 24 as the temporary storage place slip amount is configured by the wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A, the wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B, and the temporary storage place slip amount estimation unit 12C.

[0012] In addition, in the present embodiment, the wheel loader side 3D laser scanner 12A also serves as a 3D laser scanner for the temporary storage place that irradiates the temporary storage place 24 and its periphery with laser light to acquire point cloud data, and the wheel loader side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B also serves as a three-dimensional image information generation unit for the temporary storage place that generates three-dimensional image information from the point cloud data obtained by irradiating the slip loaded on the temporary storage place 24 with laser light.

[0013] The main control unit 12D has the function of controlling the operation of the wheel loader 12 based on first peripheral information generated by the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B, the function of controlling the operation of the mould loading machine 26 based on second peripheral information generated by the mould loading 3D image information generation unit (described later), and the function of controlling the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 based on the amount of mould in the temporary storage area. In other words, the main control unit 12D has the function of controlling four control targets at once: the wheel loader 12, the mould loading machine 26, the crusher 18, and the long belt conveyor device 22. The specific control operations of the wheel loader 12, spoil loader, crusher 18, and long belt conveyor device 22 by the main control unit 12D will be described later.

[0014] The wheel loader-side communication unit 12E is configured to communicate via a wireless link with the spoil loader-side communication unit of the spoil loader (described later) and the timer 48 (described later). The wheel loader-side communication unit 12E receives the second peripheral information generated by the three-dimensional image information generation unit 26B for the spoil loader, and transmits the control commands generated by the main control unit 12D to the spoil loader-side communication unit 26D. Furthermore, the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E transmits the operating time generated by the main control unit 12D to the timer 48, thereby setting the operating time in the timer 48. Various conventionally known wireless connections, such as Wi-Fi and SS wireless, can be used as communication lines, and it is also optional to configure part of the communication line with a wired connection.

[0015] The spoil loader 26 transports the spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 24 to the crusher 18. As shown in Figure 2, the spoil loading machine 26 comprises a traveling body 34, a spoil scooping mechanism 36, and a loading mechanism 38. The running body 34 is composed of a pair of left and right crawlers 3402, a drive unit 3404 that rotates the crawlers 3402 in forward and reverse directions, and a machine body 3406 supported by the pair of left and right crawlers 3402. Various conventionally known configurations can be used for the running body 34. The scrap raking mechanism 36 includes a boom 40 and a bucket 42 for scrap raking. The boom 40 comprises a rear boom 4008 that is pivotably supported on the machine body 3406 via a boom support frame 4002, a horizontal slewing section 4004, and a bracket 4006; a front boom 4010 that is pivotably supported on the rear boom 4008; a rear hydraulic cylinder 4012 that pivots the rear boom 4008 up and down; and a front hydraulic cylinder 4014 that pivots the front boom 4010 up and down. The bucket 42 is mounted at the tip of the front boom 4010 so as to be able to swing up and down, and the front boom 4010 is equipped with a bucket hydraulic cylinder 4202 that swings the bucket 42 up and down. Various conventionally known configurations can be used for the boom 40 and bucket 42. The horizontal slewing section 4004, to which the rear end of the rear boom 4008 is connected, is located on one side in the width direction of the aircraft body 3406.

[0016] The loading mechanism 38 consists of a conveyor device 44. The conveyor device 44 is supported on the machine body 3406 and extends along the direction of extension of the tunnel 14. The conveyor device 44 consists of a conveyor frame 4402, a drive roller 4404, a driven roller 4406, and a belt 4408 wound around these rollers 4404 and 4406. The conveyor frame 4402 is supported by the machine body 3406, and the drive roller 4404 and driven roller 4406 are supported by the conveyor frame 4402. The belt 4408 is wound around the drive roller 4404 and the driven roller 4406, thereby forming a conveying path 44A that transports the shear by the movement of the belt 4408.

[0017] When viewed from above, the transport path 44A passes through the center of the machine body 3406 in the width direction, the upstream end of the transport path 44A protrudes towards the tunnel face 10 side more than the traveling body 34 and the machine body 3406, and the downstream end of the transport path 44A protrudes significantly towards the tunnel entrance side more than the traveling body 34 and the machine body 3406. Furthermore, when viewed from the side, the transport path 44A has its upstream end located near the tunnel floor 16 and is provided with a slope that gradually rises as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end. As shown in Figure 1, the height of the downstream end is set such that the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18 can enter below the downstream end, and the shear can be dropped from the downstream end into the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18, which will be described later. The excavated material scraped by the bucket 42 is loaded at the upstream end of the conveyor path 44A and dropped from the downstream end into the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18. Various conventionally known configurations can be used for the conveyor device 44.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the spoil loader 26 is configured to include a spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A, a spoil loader-side 3D image information generation unit 26B, a spoil loader-side control unit 26C, and a spoil loader-side communication unit 26D. Furthermore, the three-dimensional image information generation unit 26B on the spoil loader side, the spoil loader side control unit 26C, and the spoil loader side communication unit 26D are realized by a computer installed in the spoil loader 26 executing a control program. The spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A acquires point cloud data by irradiating laser light into the tunnel 14 surrounding the spoil loader 26. The spoil loader-side 3D image information generation unit 26B generates 3D image information as second surrounding information from point cloud data acquired by the spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A. In this embodiment, a second surrounding information acquisition unit 46 is configured to acquire second surrounding information, including information about the conditions inside the tunnel 14, including the temporary storage area 24 around the spoil loader 26, using a spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A and a spoil loader-side 3D image information generation unit 26B.

[0019] The spoil loader-side control unit 26C controls the operation of the spoil loader 26, specifically the travel operation of the traveling body 34, the spoil scooping operation of the spoil scooping mechanism 36, and the spoil discharge operation of the spoil crusher 18 to the hopper 1802 by the loading mechanism 38, based on control commands received from the main control unit 12D via the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E, the communication line, and the spoil loader-side communication unit 26D. The spoil loader-side communication unit 26D is configured to communicate with the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E via a wireless link. It transmits second peripheral information generated by the spoil loader-side 3D image information generation unit 26B to the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E and receives control commands from the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the crusher 18 is equipped with a hopper 1802 into which the shear is fed. The shear fed into the hopper 1802 is crushed in the crushing section of the crusher 18, and the crushed shear is transported from the belt conveyor 1804 of the crusher 18 to the tailpiece trolley 20.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the long belt conveyor device 22 is positioned extending from the tailpiece trolley 20 toward the mine entrance, and the excavated material transported via the tailpiece trolley 20 is conveyed toward the mine entrance by a continuous conveyor belt 23.

[0022] Next, the control operation of the main control unit 12D will be described in detail. Based on first surrounding information, the main control unit 12D recognizes the three-dimensional shape of the tunnel face 10, excavated spoil, tunnel floor 16, tunnel perimeter wall, and other facilities around the wheel loader 12, and controls a series of operations (autonomous driving operation, spoil scraping operation with the bucket, and spoil loading operation with the bucket) to transport the excavated spoil from the tunnel face 10 to the temporary storage area 24 without hindrance. Therefore, the wheel loader 12 is automatically controlled by the main control unit 12D. Furthermore, the main control unit 12D recognizes the three-dimensional shapes of the spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 24, the tunnel floor surface 16, the tunnel surrounding walls, and other equipment based on the second surrounding information, and controls the traveling body 34 via the spoil loading machine side control unit 26C to control the autonomous driving operation of the traveling body 34 necessary to scoop up the spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 34. It also controls the spoil scooping mechanism 36 and the loading mechanism 38 via the spoil loading machine side control unit 26C to control the series of transport operations of the spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 24 to the crusher 18 by the spoil loading machine 26. Therefore, the spoil loading machine 26 is automatically controlled by the main control unit 12D. Furthermore, the main control unit 12D controls the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 based on the amount of shear at the temporary storage area detected by the temporary storage area shear amount detection unit 32.

[0023] The timer 48 controls the start and stop of operation of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 by setting the operating time of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22. The operating time is generated by the main control unit 12D based on the amount of shear in the temporary storage area. The timer 48 is configured to communicate with the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E via a communication line, and is configured to set the operating time received from the main control unit 12D to the wheel loader-side communication unit 12E via the communication line. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 by the main control unit 12D based on the amount of shear in the temporary storage area is performed using a timer 48. In addition, as in this embodiment, a single timer 48 may be provided for both the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22, or timers may be provided individually for each of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22. Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a case where the timer 48 is provided independently, the main control unit 12D may also be equipped with the functions of the timer 48, and the main control unit 12D may directly control the start and stop of operation of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22, thereby controlling the operating time of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22.

[0024] Now, let's explain 3D laser scanners further. The wheel loader-side 3D laser scanner 12A and the spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A are composed of so-called 3D laser scanners that acquire spatial position information of an object using a laser emitted from the scanner, and are called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors. In this embodiment, the object includes the three-dimensional shape of the inside of the tunnel, including the surrounding wall surface and tunnel floor surface 16 of the tunnel 14; the three-dimensional shape of the tunnel face 10 before and after the blasting process; the three-dimensional shape of the spoil excavated from the tunnel face 10 by the blasting process and rock drill and dropped onto the tunnel floor surface 16 near the tunnel face 10 and piled up; the three-dimensional shape of the spoil piled up in the temporary storage area 24; and the three-dimensional shapes of other equipment, structures, obstacles, etc. installed inside the tunnel. Furthermore, if the point cloud data acquired from each 3D laser scanner 12A and 26A includes at least coordinate data in three-dimensional space and reflectance (reflectance) data, the three-dimensional shape of each object can be grasped by the three-dimensional image information generated based on the point cloud data by the wheel loader-side three-dimensional image information generation unit 12B or the spoil loader-side three-dimensional image information generation unit 26B.

[0025] However, if the point cloud data acquired from each 3D laser scanner 12A and 26A includes not only coordinate data and reflectance (reflectance) data in three-dimensional space, but also color information (color data (RGB)), then the color of each object can be identified by the three-dimensional image information generated based on the point cloud data. This allows for more precise and detailed identification of the three-dimensional shape and state of each object, resulting in the following effects. In other words, the three-dimensional shape of the tunnel, including the surrounding walls and tunnel floor 16 of the tunnel 14, the three-dimensional shape of the tunnel face 10 before and after the blasting process, the three-dimensional shape of the spoil excavated from the tunnel face 10 by the blasting process and rock drill and dropped onto the tunnel floor 16 near the tunnel face 10 and loaded onto the site, the three-dimensional shape of the spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 24, and the three-dimensional shapes of equipment, structures, and obstacles installed inside the tunnel can be grasped more accurately. This is advantageous for the main control unit 12D to more accurately and precisely control the autonomous driving of the wheel loader 12 and spoil loading machine 26. Furthermore, because the three-dimensional shape and amount of the excavated material loaded near the working face 10 or in the temporary storage area 24 can be determined more accurately, it is advantageous for the main control unit 12D to more precisely and accurately control the transport of the excavated material by the wheel loader 12 and the excavated material loading machine 26. Furthermore, the main control unit 12D can more accurately grasp the three-dimensional shape and amount of shear loads placed in the temporary storage area 24, which is advantageous for the main control unit 12D to more accurately and appropriately set the operating time to be set on the timer 48. In other words, it is advantageous for more accurately and appropriately setting the operating time of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22, and for efficiently operating the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22.

[0026] Next, the method for discharging shear according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 4. Prior to the detonation process, the wheel loader 12 is stationed at a waiting area away from the tunnel face 10 to avoid the effects of the blast. First, various tasks are carried out before the blasting process, such as spraying concrete onto the surrounding wall surface of the tunnel 14 near the face 10, installing rock bolts, and drilling explosive holes with a drill jumbo (Step S10). Next, at the tunnel face 10, an explosive insertion process is carried out in which explosives with detonators attached are inserted into each of the propellant holes, followed by an explosive detonation process in which the explosives are detonated via the detonators to excavate the tunnel face 10. The excavated spoil from the explosive process and the spoil excavated by the rock drill are then piled up on the tunnel floor 16 near the tunnel face 10 (step S12). After the blasting process, a temporary storage area 24 is set up at a point midway between the tunnel face 10 and the crusher 18 in the direction of extension of the tunnel 14 (step S14). In this embodiment, the temporary storage area 24 is provided in an elongated shape along the direction of extension of the tunnel 14, for example, extending for about 20m. The temporary storage area 24 is separated from the tunnel floor 16 by multiple poles and partitions so that it can be identified as the temporary storage area 24. Furthermore, temporary storage area 24 will advance in accordance with the excavation of face 10.

[0027] After the blasting process, or more specifically after the excavation work by the rock drill following the blasting process, the main control unit 12D issues a control command to move the wheel loader 12 from its standby position to the vicinity of the tunnel face 10 (step S16), and the wheel loader-side 3D laser scanner 12A acquires point cloud data of the tunnel face 10 and the area near the tunnel face 10. As a result, the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B generates first surrounding information, which is then transmitted to the main control unit 12D (step S18). When the main control unit 12D confirms that excavation by blasting has been carried out based on the first surrounding information, it controls the wheel loader 12 to collect the excavated material in the bucket of the wheel loader 12 and move the wheel loader 12 from the face 10 to the temporary storage area 24 to transport the excavated material to the temporary storage area 24, and then moves the wheel loader 12 from the temporary storage area 24 to the face 10 after transporting the excavated material, and repeats this operation, that is, by moving back and forth between the face 10 and the temporary storage area 24, the excavated material excavated by the blasting process and the excavated material excavated by the rock drill are transported and loaded into the temporary storage area 24 (step S20). As a result, the excavated material is loaded from the tunnel entrance side to the face 10 side of the temporary storage area 24. The main control unit 12D determines, based on the first surrounding information, whether the entire amount of excavated spoil from the face 10 has been transported to the temporary storage area 24 (step S22). If it has not been completed, it returns to step S18 and repeats the spoil transport operation. If it has been completed, it proceeds to step S24.

[0028] In step S24, the main control unit 12D controls the wheel loader 12 to move it to the vicinity of the temporary storage area 24, and the wheel loader-side 3D laser scanner 12A acquires point cloud data of the temporary storage area 24 on which the shear is loaded, in other words, point cloud data of the shear loaded in the temporary storage area 24. As a result, the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B generates 3D image information of the temporary storage area 24 (3D image information of the shear loaded in the temporary storage area 24) (step S24). The shear amount of the temporary storage area is estimated by the temporary storage area shear amount estimation unit 12C based on the three-dimensional image information of the temporary storage area 24 (three-dimensional image information of the shear piled up in the temporary storage area 24) (step S26). Furthermore, the main control unit 12D controls the wheel loader 12 to move it to a safe location and put it on standby in preparation for the next detonation process (step S28).

[0029] Next, the main control unit 12D calculates the operating time required to process the estimated amount of temporary storage mouldron by the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22, in other words, the operating time required until the operation of crushing the mouldron with the crusher 18 and then transporting the crushed mouldron to the mine entrance side by the long belt conveyor device 22 is completed. The calculated operating time is then transmitted to the timer 48 and set in the timer 48, thereby starting the operation of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 (step S30). The main control unit 12D then provides a control command to the spoil loader-side control unit 26C, causing the spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A to acquire point cloud data of the area around the spoil loader 26, including the temporary storage area 24. As a result, the second surrounding information generated by the spoil loader-side 3D image information generation unit 26B is transmitted to the main control unit 12D (step S32). The main control unit 12D controls the mould loading machine 26 by providing a control command to the mould loading machine side control unit 26C based on the received second peripheral information, thereby transporting the mould from the temporary storage area 24 to the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18 (step S34). More specifically, after the vehicle 34 is controlled so that the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18 is positioned directly below the downstream end of the transport path 44A of the spoil loading machine 26, the spoil loaded in the spoil temporary storage area 24 is scraped by the bucket 42 from the mine entrance side to the face 10 side of the spoil temporary storage area 24 by the rotation and bending movements of the boom 40 of the spoil loading machine 26 and the up-and-down swinging movements of the bucket 42, and loaded at the upstream end of the transport path 44A of the conveyor device 44 and transported to the downstream end of the transport path 44A. The spoil that falls from the downstream end of the transport path 44A is fed into the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18. In other words, the control of the spoil loader 26 includes the control of the autonomous driving operation of the aforementioned mobile body 34 and the control of a series of transport operations of the spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 24 to the crusher 18. The mows fed into the hopper 1802 of the crusher 18 are crushed in the crushing section of the crusher 18, and the crushed mows are loaded onto the tailpiece trolley 20 at the upstream end of the transport path of the long belt conveyor device 22, and then transported toward the mine entrance by the continuous conveyor belt 23 (step S36). Eventually, the operation of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 is stopped when the operating time set in the timer 48 has elapsed (step S38). During the operating time, the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 operate, and the entire amount of spoil that was loaded in the temporary storage area 24 is transported to the mine entrance. This completes the removal of spoil after one detonation process. The process then returns to step S10 and the same operation is repeated to excavate tunnel 14.

[0030] During the process from step S28 to step S38, the main control unit 12D performs control operations related to the spoil loader 26 and timer 48, while the wheel loader 12 remains in standby mode. Therefore, while the wheel loader 12 is idle, the control operations related to the wheel loader 12 are suspended, thus reducing the load on the main control unit 12D. Furthermore, while the wheel loader 12 is idle, the operation of the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B and the temporary storage area shear amount estimation unit 12C also enters a idle state. Therefore, while the wheel loader 12 is idle, that is, during the processing from step S28 to step S38, the load on the computer that implements the main control unit 12, the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B, and the temporary storage area shear amount estimation unit 12C is reduced. Therefore, since the processing performed by the computer installed in the wheel loader 12 is distributed over time, the computer does not require very high processing power, which is advantageous in keeping computer costs down.

[0031] According to this embodiment, after excavating the tunnel face 10 by blasting, a temporary spoil storage area 24 is set up, the excavated spoil is transported from the tunnel face 10 to the temporary storage area 24 and loaded, the spoil is transported from the temporary storage area 24 to the crusher 18 by a spoil loading machine 26, and the spoil crushed by the crusher 18 is transported toward the tunnel entrance by a long belt conveyor device 22. At this time, the amount of spoil loaded in the temporary storage area 24 is detected by the temporary storage area spoil amount detection unit 32, and the main control unit 12D installed in the wheel loader 12 controls the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 based on the temporary storage area spoil amount. Therefore, automatic control of the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 can be achieved, eliminating the need for workers to go to the temporary storage area 24 to visually determine the amount of excavation each time a blasting process is performed, and to set the timer 48 with an estimated operating time corresponding to the amount of excavation. Since the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 can be controlled based on the accurate amount of excavation detected by the excavation amount detection unit 32 on the temporary storage area side, it is advantageous for efficiently operating the crusher 18 and the continuous belt conveyor device 22, and is advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, since the main control unit 12D installed in the wheel loader 12 controls at least the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22, there is no need to provide a separate main control device to control each device collectively. This simplifies the configuration for controlling each device and is advantageous in reducing costs. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main control unit 12D installed in the wheel loader 12 controls the wheel loader 12, the mow loader, the crusher 18, and the long belt conveyor device 22. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate main control device to control each device collectively, which is advantageous in simplifying the configuration for controlling each device and reducing costs. Furthermore, if a separate main control device is to be installed, it must be installed inside or outside the tunnel, requiring manpower for installation and removal, as well as the need to secure space for the main control device. However, this embodiment eliminates the need for such manual labor, which is advantageous in reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. Furthermore, since there is no need to secure space for installing the main control device, tunnel construction can be carried out smoothly even when it is difficult to secure space inside or outside the tunnel, which is advantageous in reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the temporary storage area shear amount detection unit 32 includes a temporary storage area 3D laser scanner that irradiates the temporary storage area 24 and its surroundings with laser light to acquire point cloud data, a temporary storage area 3D image information generation unit that generates 3D image information from the point cloud data, and a temporary storage area shear amount estimation unit 12C that estimates the amount of shear in the temporary storage area based on the 3D image information. Therefore, it is possible to accurately estimate the amount of excavated material in the temporary storage area based on three-dimensional image information, which is advantageous for accurately and reliably controlling the crusher 18 and the long belt conveyor device 22 based on the amount of excavated material in the temporary storage area, and is advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction.

[0033] In this embodiment, the excavated spoil is transported and loaded to the temporary storage area 24 by a wheel loader 12. The wheel loader 12 is equipped with a first surrounding information acquisition unit 30 that acquires first surrounding information, which includes information about the conditions inside the tunnel 14, including the tunnel face 10 around the wheel loader 12. The main control unit 12D has a function to control the operation of the wheel loader 12 based on the first surrounding information. Therefore, since the wheel loader 12 can be automatically controlled based on the first surrounding information, it is possible to reduce the number of workers compared to when a worker operates the wheel loader 12 or when a worker operates the wheel loader 12 remotely. Furthermore, it is advantageous in accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the wheel loader 12, which is beneficial in reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first surrounding information acquisition unit 30 includes a wheel loader-side 3D laser scanner 12A that irradiates laser light into the tunnel 14, including the face 10 around the wheel loader 12, to acquire point cloud data, and a wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B that generates 3D image information as first surrounding information from the point cloud data. Therefore, since the first peripheral information consists of three-dimensional image information, it is more advantageous for accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the wheel loader 12, and is more advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wheel loader-side 3D laser scanner 12A also serves as the temporary storage area-side 3D laser scanner, and the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B also serves as the 3D image information generation unit for the temporary storage area. However, it goes without saying that, for example, the temporary storage area-side 3D laser scanner and the temporary storage area-side 3D image information generation unit may be installed separately near the temporary storage area 24. However, as in this embodiment, if the wheel loader-side 3D laser scanner 12A also serves as the temporary storage area-side 3D laser scanner, and the wheel loader-side 3D image information generation unit 12B also serves as the temporary storage area-side 3D image information generation unit, the number of 3D laser scanners and 3D image information generation units can be reduced, which simplifies the configuration, reduces the number of parts, and is advantageous in reducing costs.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spoil loading machine 26 is equipped with a second surrounding information acquisition unit 46 that acquires second surrounding information, which includes information regarding the conditions inside the tunnel 14, including the temporary storage area 24 surrounding the spoil loading machine 26, and the main control unit 12D controls the operation of the spoil loading machine 26 based on the second surrounding information. Therefore, since the spoil loading machine 26 can be automatically controlled based on the second surrounding information, it is possible to reduce the number of workers compared to when a worker operates the spoil loading machine 26 or when a worker operates the spoil loading machine 26 via remote control. Furthermore, the main control unit 12D can accurately grasp the amount of spoil in the temporary storage area 24 based on the second surrounding information, which is advantageous for accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the spoil loading machine 26, and is advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second surrounding information acquisition unit 46 includes a spoil loader-side 3D laser scanner 26A that irradiates laser light into the tunnel 14 surrounding the spoil loader 26 to acquire point cloud data, and a spoil loader-side 3D image information generation unit 26B that generates 3D image information as second surrounding information from the point cloud data. Therefore, since the second peripheral information consists of three-dimensional image information, it is more advantageous for accurately and reliably controlling the operation of the spoil loading machine 26, and is more advantageous for reducing manpower and improving the efficiency of tunnel construction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 10. Segment 12. Wheel loader (heavy transport equipment) 12A Wheel Loader Side (Heavy Transport Equipment Side) 3D Laser Scanner 12B Wheel loader side (transport heavy equipment side) 3D image information generation unit 12C Temporary storage area shear volume estimation unit 12D Main Control Unit 12E Wheel Loader Side (Heavy Transport Machinery Side) Communication Unit 14 Tunnel 16 Tunnel floor 18 Crusher 1802 Hopper 1804 Belt conveyor 20 Tailpiece Bogie 22 Long Belt Conveyor System 23 Continuous conveyor belts 24 Temporary storage area 26. Slag loading machine 26A 3D laser scanner on the side of the spoil loader 26B 3D image information generation unit on the spoil loading machine side 26C Spoil Loading Machine Side Control Unit 26D Spoil Loading Machine Side Communication Unit 30. First Peripheral Information Acquisition Unit 32 Temporary storage area side shear amount detection unit 34. Running body 3402 Crawler 3404 Drive Unit 3406 aircraft 36. Shearing and scraping mechanism 38 Loading mechanism 40 Boom 4002 Boom Support Frame 4004 Horizontal turning section 4006 Bracket 4008 Post-boom 4010 Pre-boom 4012 Rear hydraulic cylinder 4014 Front Hydraulic Cylinder 42 buckets 4202 Bucket Hydraulic Cylinder 44 Conveyor device 4402 Conveyor Frame 4404 Drive Roller 4406 Driven roller 4408 Belt 44A Conveyor path 46 Second Peripheral Information Acquisition Unit 48 Timer

Claims

1. A method for transporting excavated A temporary storage area will be set up at the location near the tunnel face in the direction of the tunnel's extension. A heavy transport machine is provided to transport and load the excavated spoil from the tunnel face to the temporary storage area. A crusher for crushing the spoil is installed near the aforementioned temporary storage area. A spoil loader is provided to transport the spoil from the temporary storage area to the crusher. A long belt conveyor device is provided to transport the crushed waste material towards the mine entrance. A temporary storage area side shear amount detection unit is provided to detect the amount of shear piled up in the temporary storage area as the temporary storage area shear amount. A main control unit is provided in the transport heavy machine to control the crusher and the long belt conveyor device based on the amount of excavated material in the temporary storage area. A method for removing excavated spoil during tunnel construction, characterized by the features described above.

2. The aforementioned temporary storage area side shear amount detection unit is, A temporary storage area-side 3D laser scanner that irradiates the temporary storage area and its surroundings with laser light to acquire point cloud data, A temporary storage area-side 3D image information generation unit generates 3D image information from the aforementioned point cloud data, The system includes a temporary storage area shear amount estimation unit that estimates the temporary storage area shear amount based on the three-dimensional image information, The method for removing excavated spoil in tunnel construction according to feature 1.

3. The transport heavy machine includes a first surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires first surrounding information, which includes information regarding the conditions inside the tunnel, including the tunnel face, around the transport heavy machine. The main control unit has a function to control the operation of the transport heavy machine based on the first peripheral information. The method for removing excavated spoil in tunnel construction according to feature 2.

4. The first peripheral information acquisition unit comprises a transport heavy machine-side 3D laser scanner that irradiates laser light into the tunnel pit, including the tunnel face, around the transport heavy machine to acquire point cloud data, and a transport heavy machine-side 3D image information generation unit that generates 3D image information as first peripheral information from the point cloud data. The method for removing excavated spoil in tunnel construction according to feature 3.

5. The aforementioned 3D laser scanner on the transport heavy equipment side also serves as the aforementioned 3D laser scanner on the temporary storage area side. The aforementioned three-dimensional image information generation unit on the transport heavy equipment side also serves as the aforementioned three-dimensional image information generation unit on the temporary storage area side. The method for removing excavated material in tunnel construction according to feature 4.

6. The aforementioned spoil loading machine is equipped with a second surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires second surrounding information, including information regarding the conditions inside the tunnel, including the temporary storage area around the spoil loading machine. The main control unit has a function to control the operation of the spoil loader based on the second peripheral information. The method for removing excavated spoil in tunnel construction according to feature 1.

7. The second peripheral information acquisition unit comprises a 3D laser scanner on the mould loader side that irradiates laser light into the tunnel surrounding the mould loader to acquire point cloud data, and a 3D image information generation unit on the mould loader side that generates 3D image information as the second peripheral information from the point cloud data. The method for removing excavated spoil in tunnel construction according to feature 6.

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