TASK PLANNING AND VISUALIZATION SYSTEM FOR INTELLIGENT EXCAVATING SYSTEM

The earthwork is essential procedure for all civil engineering projects. Because of its importance in terms of cost and time, it should be managed effectively. In light of this, The Intelligent Excavating System (IES) research consortium has established to improve the productivity, quality and safety of current excavating/earthwork system by the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) of Korea. This paper summarizes ongoing research aimed at development knowledge and presents a framework of task planning and visualization system for IES. The task planning and visualization system consists of three functions. 1) Using digital terrain model which created by 3D laser scanner, the system can divide it and generates global/local work area so that the excavator can work through the area. 2) In order to operate and/or control the excavator, the system exports the location, paths of boom, arm and bucket data of the excavator to control center. 3) The task planning system is visualized on the computer programming aided-graphic interface which simulates the planned work processes and eventually assists the operator for the control of the excavator. The case study which we have performed, demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed system.