Compaction effort adjustment using vibration sensors

• US 9,765,488 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oetken, Nicholas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US14/975,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20170175345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 404 72, 404 75, 404 8405, 404117, 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/288 adapted for monitoring characteristics of the material being compacted, e.g. indicating resonant frequency, measuring degree of compaction, by measuring values, detectable on the roller; using detected values to control operation of the roller, e.g. automatic adjustment of vibration responsive to such measurements
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 21/00 Apparatus or processes for surface soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes, e.g. mixing local aggregate with binder recycling in place or on the road involving soil stabilisation E01C23/065 ; stabilising soil under existing surfacing E01C23/10; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00; soil consolidation in general E02D3/12
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 3/02 Improving by compacting E02D3/11 takes precedence; compacting soil locally before or while forming foundations E02D27/26, E02D27/28

Abstract

A compactor for compacting a jobsite with a plurality of work areas includes a frame, a compacting element coupled to the frame and having a variable vibratory mechanism and providing a first compaction effort to a first work area on which the compactor is located and a control system. The control system determines a first compaction state for the first work area, determine a second compaction state for a second work area, receive a vibration measurement, determine a first vibration distance, and determine a second vibration distance. The control system also determines a second compaction effort for the second work area based on the first compaction state, the second compaction state, the vibration measurement, the first vibration distance, and the second vibration distance. The control system provides the second compaction effort to the second work area.

Claims

1. A compactor for compacting a jobsite having a plurality of work areas comprising:

a frame;

a compacting element having a variable vibratory mechanism and providing a first compaction effort to a first work area on which the compactor is located, wherein the compacting element is coupled to the frame;

a control system configured to;

determine a first compaction state for the first work area, wherein the first work area is the work area on which the compacting element is located;

determine a second compaction state for a second work area, wherein the second work area is the work area on which the compacting element will be located at a future time;

receive a vibration measurement from a vibration sensor located at a measuring location;

determine a first vibration distance which is the distance between the measuring location and the first work area;

determine a second vibration distance which is the distance between the measuring location and the second work area;

determine a second compaction effort for the second work area based on the first compaction state, the second compaction state, the vibration measurement, the first vibration distance, and the second vibration distance; and

provide the second compaction effort to the second work area.

2. The compactor of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine the second compaction effort based on a predetermined vibration threshold.

3. The compactor of claim 2, further comprising:

a compaction state sensor measuring the first compaction state, and wherein the control system is further configured to determine the first compaction state from the compaction state sensor.

4. The compactor of claim 3, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine the second compaction state from a map.

5. The compactor of claim 4, wherein the control system is further configured to:

receive a second vibration measurement from a second vibration sensor located at a second measuring location.

6. The compactor of claim 5, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine a third vibration distance which is the distance between the second measuring location and the first work area;

determine a fourth vibration distance which is the distance between the second measuring location and the second work area;

determine the second compaction effort based on the second vibration measurement, the third vibration distance, and the fourth vibration distance.

7. The compactor of claim 6, further comprising:

a compaction effort sensor measuring the first compaction effort, and wherein the control system is further configured to determine the second compaction effort based on the first compaction effort.

8. A method of compacting a jobsite having a plurality of work areas comprising:

applying a first compaction effort to a first work area using a compactor;

moving the compactor to a second work area;

applying a second compaction effort to the second work area using the compactor;

determining a first compaction state for the first work area;

determining a second compaction state for the second work area;

measuring a vibration at a measuring location;

determining a first vibration distance which is the distance from the measuring location to the first work area;

determining a second vibration distance which is the distance from the measuring location to the second work area; and

determining the second compaction effort based on the first compaction state, the second compaction state, the vibration, the first vibration distance, and the second vibration distance.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the second compaction effort based on a predetermined vibration threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a target route through a subset of the plurality of work areas.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the second compaction effort based on the target route.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

applying a third compaction effort to a third work area using a second compactor;

determining a third vibration distance which is the distance from the measuring location to the third work area; and

determining the second compaction effort based on the third vibration distance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a second target route through a second subset of the plurality of work areas.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining the second compaction effort based on the second target route.

15. A compaction system for a jobsite having a plurality of work areas comprising:

a compactor operating on the jobsite, the compactor having a variable vibratory mechanism providing a first compaction effort to a first work area, wherein the first work area is the work area on which the compactor is located;

a plurality of vibration sensors at a plurality of measuring locations; and

a control system in communication with the compactor and the plurality of vibration sensors and configured to;

determine a first compaction state for the first work area;

determine a second compaction state for a second work area, wherein the second work area is the work area on which the compactor will be located at a future time;

receive a vibration measurement from a vibration sensor located at a measuring location;

determine a first vibration distance which is the distance between the measuring location and the first work area;

determine a second vibration distance which is the distance between the measuring location and the second work area;

determine a second compaction effort for the second work area based on the first compaction state, the second compaction state, the vibration measurement, the first vibration distance, and the second vibration distance; and

provide the second compaction effort to the second work area.

16. The compaction system of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine the second compaction effort based on a predetermined threshold.

17. The compaction system of claim 16, wherein the control system is further configured to:

generate a target route through a subset of the plurality of work areas; and

determine the second compaction effort based on the target route.

18. The compaction system of claim 17, further comprising:

a second compactor operating on the jobsite, the second compactor having a second variable vibratory mechanism providing a third compaction effort to a third work area, wherein the third work area is the work area on which the second compactor is located;

wherein the control system is further configured to;

determine a third vibration distance which is the distance from the measuring location to the third work area; and

determine the second compaction effort based on the third vibration distance.

19. The compaction system of claim 18, wherein the control system is further configured to:

generate a second target route though a second subset of the plurality of work areas; and

determine the second compaction effort based on the second target route.