Road Paving Control Using Digital Milling and Height Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital systems for road surface paving operations are limited in the amount of digital data they generate, exchange, and utilize, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal quality in the coordination of construction machines.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involves spatially measuring existing and milled road surfaces using sensors, creating digital target profiles, and controlling milling machines and road pavers autonomously or semi-autonomously to ensure precise alignment and material distribution, optimizing the paving process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If digital systems are used to support paving operations, then coordination and control of construction machines is improved, but the systems are limited in generating and processing comprehensive digital data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by spatially measuring the existing road surface before paving operations, creating a digital representation of the current state. This preliminary measurement data serves as the foundation for subsequent automated control decisions, enabling the system to plan and execute paving operations more effectively while capturing comprehensive information about the road surface conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously measuring the actual road surface during and after paving operations, comparing the measured actual surface with the planned target surface, and using this comparison information to adjust and optimize ongoing paving operations. This closed-loop feedback ensures comprehensive data capture and enables real-time corrections to achieve desired paving quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive spatial measurement and data processing is implemented, then paving quality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the complex paving process into distinct segments: spatial measurement of existing surface, creation of digital target profiles, calculation of layer thickness, automated control of milling machines, and automated control of paving machines. Each segment handles a specific aspect of the process, making the overall system more manageable while maintaining high paving quality through precise control at each stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces digital representations (digital existing surface, digital target milling profile, digital target height profile) as intermediary elements between physical measurement and physical paving operations. These digital models serve as mediators that translate complex spatial information into actionable control parameters for automated machines, simplifying the control process while ensuring high paving precision.
3Productivity
If automated control of milling and paving machines is implemented, then operating efficiency is improved, but coordination between multiple construction machines becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the control functions of multiple construction machines (milling machines, paving machines, measurement systems) into a unified automated control framework. By integrating these previously separate control systems and coordinating them through shared digital representations and common control logic, the system improves overall operating efficiency while managing coordination complexity through consolidation rather than proliferation of independent systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a road surface includes spatially measuring an existing road surface by a sensor; creating digital target milling profile; creating a digital target height profile of a road surface to be paved and calculating a layer thickness based on the target milling profile and the target height profile; at least partially automated controlling of a milling machine for milling an actual milling profile according to the specification of the target milling profile; spatially measuring the milled actual milling profile; and at least partially automated controlling of a road paver for paving the road surface in accordance with the specification of the target height profile.