Stratified Surface Milling Depth Control with Ground-Penetrating Radar

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing milling operations face inefficiencies due to unknown initial pavement layer thickness, leading to potential damage to milling equipment and increased downtime, as well as challenges in separating different surface layers without precise depth control.

Innovation Solution

A milling depth control system utilizing a layer measuring sensor, such as ground penetrating radar, to identify and analyze surface layers in real-time, allowing for precise milling depth adjustments based on layer thickness and material type, and generating a milling depth map without prior knowledge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If milling depth is increased to remove more material, then productivity is improved, but risk of damaging equipment or hitting unwanted layers increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemilling depthVSAvoidequipment safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary scanning of the surface using a sensor (e.g., ground penetrating radar) before milling to identify layer thickness and material composition. This advance information allows the milling depth to be set safely without risking equipment damage or hitting unwanted layers, thus resolving the contradiction between increased productivity and equipment safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If milling depth is increased to reduce operation time, then productivity is improved, but downtime due to maintenance increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemilling operation timeVSAvoidmaintenance downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor scans and identifies the exact thickness and composition of pavement layers before milling begins. This preliminary action enables setting the optimal milling depth that removes the required material without excessive depth that would cause equipment strain or damage, thereby reducing maintenance downtime while maintaining efficient operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If planning phase is extended to ensure safety, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemilling safetyVSAvoidplanning time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual inspection and planning methods with automated sensor-based detection (e.g., ground penetrating radar). This substitution provides rapid, accurate layer thickness measurement and material identification, enabling safe milling depth determination without time-consuming manual planning, thus improving productivity while maintaining safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Measurement precision

If manual inspection is performed to identify layers, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayer thickness accuracyVSAvoidinspection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual visual inspection with automated sensor-based detection (e.g., ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic sensors). These sensors rapidly measure layer thickness and identify material composition with high precision, eliminating the time-consuming nature of manual inspection while maintaining or improving measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient milling operations with reduced downtime and increased flexibility by ensuring accurate milling to specific surface layers, minimizing equipment damage and enhancing safety by avoiding unwanted layers or underground objects.

Implementation Method 1

the layer measuring sensor is based on ground penetrating radar technology

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadar: Radar

Implementation Method 2

A surface layer measurement sensor is installed on the milling machine and the measurement data of the surface layer measurement sensor are used to analyze individual surface layers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGround penetrating radar: Radar

Data Source

PatentEP4632150A1Milling depth control based on real time layer analysis of a stratified surface to be milled

Publication Date: 2025.10.15 LEICA GEOSYST TECH

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5

AI summary

The application relates to a milling depth control system for a milling machine (1) for milling a stratified surface (3) and a milling machine (1) equipped with a milling depth control system, wherein milling depth control is based on real time layer analysis of surface layers (12, 13) of a stratified surface (3) to be milled. The milling depth control system comprises a surface layer measurement sensor (8), e.g. based on ground penetrating radar technology, installed at the front of the milling machine (1), and a data processing unit (9, 9'). The measurement data of the layer measuring sensor (8) are used by the data processing unit (9, 9') to analyze individual surface layers (12, 13) of the stratified surface (3), e.g. by identifying different surface layers (12, 13) and determining layer thicknesses of the identified surface layers (12, 13), in order to provide a control signal to a control unit (5) of the milling machine (1) to set the milling depth (10, 15) in real time.