1. Abstract
Excavating and trenching is one of the most
dangerous and time consuming construc-
tion operations. During excavation, the
depth and grade of the trench is surveyed by
employing grade-checkers who supervise
the trenching operation. However, this is ex-
pensive and reduces productivity due to the
frequent interruptions required to meet the
engineering plans. The Laboratory for Inter-
active Visualization in Engineering (LIVE) is
using Augmented Reality (AR) technology to
improve efficiency and safety on construc-
tion sites during excavation operations. The
movement of the equipment can be
tracked in relation to the evolving depth and
grade, and then compared to the target
measurements. Using a prototype rail
system, the equipment is monitored while in
operation and position and depth informa-
tion is relayed to the driver. This will reduce
grade checks and improve overall precision
for a more efficient and safe excavation op-
eration.
Background
According to the Occupational Safety &
Health Administration, excavation is one of
the most dangerous operations during con-
struction, with over 70 deaths a year due to
trench cave-ins. It is also the most time con-
suming operation. Grade checkers require
frequent stops for measurements, which are
compared to the target grade and depth,
then relayed to the driver for adjustment.
These interruptions reduce the productivity
and drives up the building costs.
Methods
Tags were placed on the equipment, a Cater-
pillar 430E Backhoe, to relay movement and
placement information to the driver, using
AR. Utilizing CAD software, a rail system was
created which uses rack and pinion gears.
These gears can transform rotational move-
ment into linear movement at a controlled
ratio. This will relate the movement of the
backhoe using the tags attached to the rails
as a reference. This system can be mounted
directly onto the hydraulic housing in such a
way that will not interfere with the equip-
ment and still monitor the movement of the
excavator while it is in operation.
Results
While initially this system seemed capable
of relaying the proper movement infor-
mation, due the very hazardous environ-
ment, this system was just simply not
robust enough to withstand the opera-
tions of the excavator. While in operation,
the system could be dislodged due to the
environment, from the intense vibrations
from the equipment, or it could be dam-
aged from the intense heat given off by
the hydraulic housing.
Conclusion
A construction site is an incredibly hazard-
ous environment, so the process of design-
ing something to work in that environment
can be challenging. Currently the rail
system is being redesigned to stay in oper-
ate during excavation operations and to
withstand the environment. Alternative
solutions are under development that are
still being designed and tested. In the
future our goals are to reduce the number
of grade checks while providing more accu-
rate information to operators which will
help increase productivity, cut cost, and
provide a safer work site.
Machine Control of Construction Equipment
Using Computer Vision
Project Sponsor: Professor Vineet Kamat, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Researchers: Andrea Mercier, Suyang Dong, Kurt Lundeen, Yong Xiao, Jack Kosaian, Tracey Lo, and
Ritika Mehta