JP2024158006A - Ground information acquisition system and ground information acquisition method - Google Patents

Abstract

A ground information acquisition system is provided that is capable of acquiring information about the ground below a work machine.
[Solution] The ground information acquisition system 101 includes a work machine 100 having a bucket 6 which is an impact part, and a measuring instrument 111 capable of measuring vibrations transmitted to the ground G1 by impact with the bucket 6 and propagating within the ground G1.
[Selected Figure] Figure 4

Description

This disclosure relates to a ground information acquisition system and a ground information acquisition method.

There is a known excavator that has an attachment and acquires information about the shape of the ground being worked on based on changes in the attachment's posture (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2021-73401 A

It may become necessary not only to obtain information about the shape of the ground after work by the work machine, but also to obtain information about the ground below the work machine.

The present disclosure aims to provide a ground information acquisition system that can acquire information about the ground below a work machine.

A ground information acquisition system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a work machine having a striking unit and a measuring instrument capable of measuring vibrations transmitted to the ground by striking with the striking unit and propagating through the ground.

This disclosure can provide a ground information acquisition system that can acquire information about the ground below a work machine.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a shovel to which a ground information acquisition system according to an embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a side view of the shovel, showing an example of information detected by a posture detection device mounted on the shovel. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic system mounted on an excavator. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the ground information acquisition system. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a ground information acquisition system. It is a schematic diagram showing a ground information acquisition system. It is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the ground. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a measurement result obtained by an elastic wave exploration device. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of display content displayed on a display device. 1 is a flowchart showing the steps of a ground information acquisition method. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a geotechnical information management system.

First Embodiment
A ground information acquisition system and a ground information acquisition method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. First, a shovel 100 to which a ground information acquisition system 101 is applied will be described. In the ground information acquisition system 101, the shovel 100 is used to acquire information on the inside of the ground G1 below the shovel 100. Fig. 1 is a side view of the shovel 100 to which the ground information acquisition system 101 according to an embodiment is applied. The shovel 100 is an example of a work machine.

The excavator 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a lower traveling body 1, an upper rotating body 3, and an attachment AT. The upper rotating body 3 is mounted on the lower traveling body 1 via a rotating mechanism 2. A boom 4 is attached to the upper rotating body 3. An arm 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4, and a bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5. The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 as working elements constitute an excavation attachment, which is an example of an attachment AT.

The attachment may be another attachment such as a bed excavation attachment, a leveling attachment, or a dredging attachment. The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9, respectively. A cabin 10 is provided on the upper rotating body 3, and a driving source such as an engine 11 is mounted on it. A communication device M1, a positioning device M2, an attitude detection device M3, and a cylinder pressure detection device M4 are attached to the upper rotating body 3.

The communication device M1 is a device that controls communication between the shovel 100 and the outside. The communication device M1 controls wireless communication between a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) surveying system and the shovel 100. Specifically, the communication device M1 acquires topographical information of the work site when the shovel 100 starts work, for example, once a day. The GNSS surveying system employs, for example, a network-type RTK-GNSS positioning method.

The positioning device M2 is a device that measures the position and orientation of the shovel 100. The positioning device M2 is a GNSS receiver with an integrated electronic compass, and measures the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the location of the shovel 100, as well as the orientation of the shovel 100.

The posture detection device M3 is a device that detects the posture of the attachment AT.

The cylinder pressure detection device M4 is a device that detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder pressure detection device M4 includes a boom bottom pressure sensor that detects the pressure in the bottom oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom bottom pressure").

Figure 2 is a side view of the shovel 100, and shows an example of information detected by the attitude detection device M3 mounted on the shovel 100. The attitude detection device M3 includes a boom angle sensor M3a, an arm angle sensor M3b, a bucket angle sensor M3c, and a vehicle body inclination sensor M3d.

The boom angle sensor M3a is a sensor that acquires the boom angle θ1, and includes, for example, a rotation angle sensor that detects the rotation angle of the boom foot pin, a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the boom cylinder 7, and an inclination (acceleration) sensor that detects the inclination angle of the boom 4. The boom angle θ1 is the angle of the line segment connecting the boom foot pin position P1 and the arm connecting pin position P2 with respect to the horizontal line in the XZ plane.

The arm angle sensor M3b is a sensor that acquires the arm angle θ2, and includes, for example, a rotation angle sensor that detects the rotation angle of the arm connecting pin, a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the arm cylinder 8, and an inclination (acceleration) sensor that detects the inclination angle of the arm 5. The arm angle θ2 is the angle of the line segment connecting the arm connecting pin position P2 and the bucket connecting pin position P3 with respect to the horizontal line in the XZ plane.

The bucket angle sensor M3c is a sensor that acquires the bucket angle θ3, and includes, for example, a rotation angle sensor that detects the rotation angle of the bucket connecting pin, a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the bucket cylinder 9, and an inclination (acceleration) sensor that detects the inclination angle of the bucket 6. The bucket angle θ3 is the angle of the line segment connecting the bucket connecting pin position P3 and the bucket toe position P4 with respect to the horizontal line in the XZ plane.

The vehicle body tilt sensor M3d is a sensor that acquires the tilt angle θ4 around the Y axis of the shovel and the tilt angle θ5 around the X axis of the shovel (not shown), and includes, for example, a two-axis tilt (acceleration) sensor. Note that the XY plane in FIG. 2 is a horizontal plane.

Next, the basic system of the excavator will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The basic system of the excavator mainly includes the engine 11, the main pump 14, the pilot pump 15, the control valve 17, the operating device 26, the controller 30, and the engine control unit (ECU) 74.

The engine 11 is the driving source of the excavator 100, and is, for example, a diesel engine. The engine 11 operates to maintain a predetermined rotation speed. The output shaft of the engine 11 is connected to the input shafts of the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15.

The main pump 14 is a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic oil to the control valve 17 via a high-pressure hydraulic line 16, and is, for example, a swash plate type variable displacement hydraulic pump. The pilot pump 15 is a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic oil to various hydraulic control devices via a pilot line 25, and is, for example, a fixed displacement hydraulic pump.

The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control valve that controls the hydraulic system in the excavator 100. The control valve 17 selectively supplies hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 through the high-pressure hydraulic line 16 to one or more of the boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, bucket cylinder 9, traveling hydraulic motor 1A (left), traveling hydraulic motor 1B (right), and swing hydraulic motor 2A, depending on the pressure change corresponding to the operation direction and operation amount of the levers or pedals 26A to 26C. In the following description, the boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, bucket cylinder 9, traveling hydraulic motor 1A (left), traveling hydraulic motor 1B (right), and swing hydraulic motor 2A are collectively referred to as "hydraulic actuators". The levers or pedals 26A to 26C are provided in the cabin 10 and are operated by the operator.

The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the hydraulic actuators. The operating device 26 supplies hydraulic oil supplied from the pilot pump 15 via the pilot line 25 to the pilot port of the flow control valve. The operating device 26 supplies hydraulic oil to the pilot port of the flow control valve corresponding to each hydraulic actuator. The pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to each pilot port is set to a pressure according to the operation direction and operation amount of the lever or pedal 26A to 26C corresponding to each hydraulic actuator.

The controller 30 is a control device for controlling the shovel, and is composed of, for example, a computer equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc. The CPU of the controller 30 reads out programs corresponding to the operations and functions of the shovel 100 from the ROM and loads them into the RAM while executing the programs, thereby executing the processes corresponding to each of the programs.

The controller 30 controls the discharge flow rate of the main pump 14. For example, it changes the control current in response to the negative control pressure of a negative control valve (not shown) and controls the discharge flow rate of the main pump 14 via the regulator 14a.

The engine control unit (ECU) 74 is a device that controls the engine 11. For example, based on a command from the controller 30, it outputs to the engine 11 the fuel injection amount and the like for controlling the rotation speed of the engine 11 according to the engine rotation speed (mode) set by the operator using the engine rotation speed adjustment dial 75 described later.

The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is provided inside the cabin 10. The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is a dial for adjusting the engine speed. The operator can switch the engine speed of the engine 11 between, for example, five stages by rotating the engine speed adjustment dial 75. By operating the engine speed adjustment dial 75, the engine speed of the engine 11 can be changed between, for example, five stages, "Rmax", "R4", "R3", "R2", and "R1". For example, the engine 11 speed increases in the order of "Rmax", "R4", "R3", "R2", and "R1".

Rmax is the maximum engine speed, and is selected when it is desired to prioritize the amount of work. R4 is the second highest engine speed, and is selected when it is desired to balance the amount of work with fuel efficiency. R3 and R2 are the third and fourth highest engine speeds, and are selected when it is desired to operate the excavator with low noise while prioritizing fuel efficiency. R1 is the lowest engine speed (idling speed), and is the engine speed in idling mode, which is selected when it is desired to keep the engine 11 in an idling state.

For example, Rmax (maximum rotation speed) may be set to 2000 rpm, R1 (idling rotation speed) to 1000 rpm, and multiple stages may be set in increments of 250 rpm between them, such as R4 (1750 rpm), R3 (1500 rpm), and R2 (1250 rpm). The engine 11 is then constantly controlled at the engine rotation speed set by the engine rotation speed adjustment dial 75. Note that, although an example of engine rotation speed adjustment in five stages by the engine rotation speed adjustment dial 75 has been shown here, any number of stages is possible and is not limited to five stages.

The shovel 100 is equipped with a display device 40 disposed inside the cabin 10. For example, images to assist the operator in driving are displayed on the display device 40. The operator can input information and commands to the controller 30 using the input unit 42 of the display device 40. In addition, the operating status and control information of the shovel 100 can be displayed on the display device 40 to provide information to the operator. The display device 40 is, for example, a liquid crystal display device.

The display device 40 is connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as CAN or LIN. The display device 40 may also be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

The display device 40 includes a processing unit 40a that generates an image to be displayed. The processing unit 40a generates a camera image to be displayed on the image display unit 41 based on the output of the imaging device M5. For this reason, the imaging device M5 is connected to the display device 40 via, for example, a dedicated line. In addition, the processing unit 40a generates an image to be displayed on the display device 40 based on the output of the controller 30.

The processing unit 40a may be realized as a function of the controller 30, rather than as a function of the display device 40. In this case, the imaging device M5 is connected to the controller 30, rather than to the display device 40.

The display device 40 may also be, for example, a touch panel. The display device 40 functions as an input unit. The display device 40 can display an input screen that is operated by the operator.

The shovel 100 is equipped with a storage battery 70. The display device 40 operates by receiving power from the storage battery 70. The storage battery 70 is charged with power generated by an alternator 11a (generator) of the engine 11. The power of the storage battery 70 is also supplied to the electrical equipment 72 of the shovel 100 other than the controller 30 and the display device 40. The starter 11b of the engine 11 is driven by power from the storage battery 70 to start the engine 11.

As described above, the engine 11 is controlled by the engine control unit (ECU) 74. The ECU 74 constantly transmits various data indicating the state of the engine 11 (for example, data indicating the cooling water temperature (physical quantity) detected by the water temperature sensor 11c) to the controller 30. Therefore, the controller 30 can store this data in a temporary storage unit (memory) 30a and transmit it to the display device 40 when necessary.

In addition, various data are supplied to the controller 30 and stored in the temporary memory unit 30a of the controller 30 as follows:

First, data indicating the tilt angle of the swash plate is supplied to the controller 30 from the regulator 14a of the main pump 14, which is a variable displacement hydraulic pump. Data indicating the discharge pressure of the main pump 14 is sent to the controller 30 from the discharge pressure sensor 14b. These data (data representing physical quantities) are stored in the temporary memory unit 30a. An oil temperature sensor 14c is provided in the pipeline between the main pump 14 and a tank that stores the hydraulic oil to be sucked by the main pump 14, and data indicating the temperature of the hydraulic oil flowing through the pipeline is supplied from the oil temperature sensor 14c to the controller 30.

When the lever or pedals 26A to 26C are operated, the pilot pressure sent to the control valve 17 through the pilot line 25a is detected by the hydraulic sensors 15a and 15b, and data indicating the detected pilot pressure is supplied to the controller 30.

In addition, data indicating the engine speed setting status is constantly sent from the engine speed adjustment dial 75 to the controller 30.

The excavator 100 is equipped with an external calculation device 30E. The external calculation device 30E is a control device that performs various calculations based on the outputs of the communication device M1, the positioning device M2, the attitude detection device M3, the cylinder pressure detection device M4, the imaging device M5, etc., and outputs the calculation results to the controller 30.

Next, the functions of the external calculation device 30E will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the external calculation device 30E. The external calculation device 30E receives outputs from the communication device M1, the positioning device M2, the attitude detection device M3, and the cylinder pressure detection device M4 and executes various calculations. The external calculation device 30E outputs the calculation results to the controller 30.

The external calculation device 30E has a CPU and a memory unit. The memory unit includes ROM, RAM, and non-volatile memory. The memory unit stores programs for operating the CPU. The memory unit stores various data input by the external calculation device 30E. The memory unit stores a database of various data. The memory unit stores data related to boom bottom pressure. The data related to boom bottom pressure stored in the memory unit may be referred to as a boom pressure reference table. The memory unit stores data related to soil characteristics (density, viscosity, etc.), for example.

The controller 30 outputs, for example, a control command according to the calculation result to the control valve E1. The control valve E1 is a valve for controlling the movement of the attachment, and is, for example, a regeneration release valve 50, a pressure reducing valve for adjusting the pilot pressure, a relief valve, etc.

The external computing device 30E includes a terrain database update unit 31, a position coordinate update unit 32, a ground shape information acquisition unit 33, and a ground contact determination unit 34.

The terrain database update unit 31 is a functional element that updates the terrain database. The terrain database systematically stores terrain information of the work site where the shovel 100 is located so that it can be referenced. The terrain database update unit 31 acquires the terrain information of the work site through the communication device M1, for example, when the shovel 100 is started, and updates the terrain database. The terrain information of the work site is described, for example, by a three-dimensional terrain model based on the global positioning system.

The position coordinate update unit 32 is a functional element that updates the coordinates and orientation that represent the current position of the shovel 100. The position coordinate update unit 32 acquires the position coordinates and orientation of the shovel 100 in the global positioning system based on the output of the positioning device M2. The position coordinate update unit updates the data related to the coordinates and orientation that represent the current position of the shovel 100 that are stored in the memory unit.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 is a functional element that acquires information about the current shape of the ground to be excavated. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 acquires information about the current shape of the ground to be excavated based on the terrain information updated by the terrain database update unit 31, the coordinates and orientation representing the current position of the excavator 100 updated by the position coordinate update unit 32, the past changes in the attitude of the attachment AT detected by the attitude detection device M3, and the boom bottom pressure detected by the cylinder pressure detection device M4.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 acquires information about the trajectory of the bucket 6. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 calculates the trajectory of the bucket 6 based on the data input from the attitude detection device M3 and the data on the shape of the bucket 6.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 derives the current shape of the ground to be excavated by removing the portion corresponding to the space through which the bucket 6 passed during the previous excavation operation from the shape of the ground to be excavated before the previous excavation operation. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the ground shape after the excavation operation. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can create a three-dimensional terrain model represented by a three-dimensional mesh model.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can acquire information regarding the ground shape after the soil discharge operation. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 executes a process to acquire the ground shape after soil discharge when the soil discharge operation is performed. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 executes a process to acquire the ground shape after soil discharge when, for example, the bucket 6 is opened after the excavation operation.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the amount of soil loaded. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the amount of soil loaded based on the attitude of the attachment AT detected by the attitude detection device M3 and the boom bottom pressure detected by the cylinder pressure detection device M4. The amount of soil loaded is the amount of soil loaded into the bucket 6 by the excavation operation. The amount of soil loaded may be, for example, the volume of soil loaded into the bucket 6. The amount of soil loaded is limited by a predetermined maximum loading amount.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 refers to the boom bottom pressure reference table to acquire the unloaded boom bottom pressure corresponding to the current posture of the excavation attachment. The unloaded boom bottom pressure means the boom bottom pressure when no soil is loaded in the bucket 6. The boom bottom pressure table is a reference table stored in advance in a ROM or the like, and is generated based on the analysis of actual measurement data. Specifically, the boom bottom pressure table stores the unloaded boom bottom pressure in association with the posture of the attachment detected by the posture detection device M3. Then, the weight of the soil loaded in the bucket 6 is estimated based on the difference between the current boom bottom pressure and the unloaded boom bottom pressure. Then, the volume of the soil loaded in the bucket 6 is estimated from the estimated soil weight and the soil properties (density, viscosity, etc.) input in advance.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can refer to a boom bottom pressure reference table stored in the memory unit. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can acquire the boom bottom pressure when not loaded that corresponds to the current posture of the attachment AT. "Boom bottom pressure when not loaded" refers to the boom bottom pressure when no soil is loaded in the bucket 6.

The "boom bottom pressure table" is a reference table stored in advance in the memory unit, and is generated based on the analysis of actual measurement data. The memory unit stores the boom bottom pressure when unloaded as a boom bottom pressure table in association with the posture of the attachment AT detected by the posture detection device M3. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the weight of the soil loaded in the bucket 6 based on the difference between the current boom bottom pressure and the unloaded boom bottom pressure. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 estimates the volume of the soil loaded in the bucket 6 based on the estimated soil weight and the soil properties (density, viscosity, etc.) input in advance.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 may estimate the amount of soil and sand loaded based on changes in the ground shape.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the amount of soil discharged. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the amount of soil discharged based on the soil load and the soil discharge rate. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the amount of soil discharged by multiplying the soil load by the soil discharge rate.

The amount of soil discharged is the amount of soil discharged from the bucket 6 by the soil discharge operation, and is calculated by multiplying the soil load by the soil discharge rate. The amount of soil discharged is calculated, for example, as the volume of soil discharged by the bucket 6, similar to the soil load.

The soil discharge rate is the ratio of the soil discharge amount to the soil load amount, and is determined based on the change in the attachment's posture during soil discharge, the change in operating speed, soil characteristics, etc. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 determines the soil discharge rate by referring to the soil discharge rate table.

The "sand discharge rate table" is a reference table that is stored in advance in the storage unit, and is generated based on the analysis of actual measurement data. The storage unit stores the sand discharge rate as the sand discharge rate table, in association with the bucket angle during the soil discharge operation detected by the attitude detection device M3.

The memory unit stores data indicating the relationship between the bucket angle θ3 and the soil discharge rate. For example, the soil discharge rate is set to 0% when the bucket angle θ3 is approximately 150 degrees or more. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate that the soil in the bucket 6 has not yet been discharged if the bucket angle θ3 is approximately 150 degrees or more.

The soil discharge rate increases as the bucket angle θ3 falls below approximately 150 degrees, and reaches 100% when the bucket angle θ3 is approximately 50 degrees or less. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate that all of the soil in the bucket 6 has been discharged if the bucket angle θ3 is approximately 50 degrees or less.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the ground shape after the soil discharge operation. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the ground shape after the soil discharge operation based on the amount of soil discharged, the ground shape before the most recent soil discharge operation, the height of the bucket 6 relative to the ground during the soil discharge operation, the change in the attitude of the attachment AT during the soil discharge operation, the change in the operating speed, and the soil characteristics.

The memory unit can store information about the shape of the ground after the soil discharge operation. The memory unit can store data about the positional relationship between the discharged soil and the shovel 100.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the reference point of the ground shape. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the reference point of the ground shape by projecting the center point of the bucket 6 onto the horizontal plane on which the shovel is located.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the shape of the part of the ground shape after the soil dumping operation that has been updated by the most recent soil dumping operation (hereinafter referred to as the "updated part shape"). In addition, the conditions of the soil dumping operation that resulted in the updated part shape (including, for example, the amount of soil dumped) are referred to as the "reference soil dumping conditions."

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can determine the updated portion shape so that the updated portion shape is larger as the amount of soil discharged increases. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can determine the updated portion shape according to the size (depth) of the depression in the ground shape before the most recent soil discharge operation was performed.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the updated portion shape when the height of the bucket 6 relative to the reference point during the most recent soil discharge operation is higher than under the reference soil discharge conditions. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the updated portion shape so that the higher the height of the bucket 6 during the most recent soil discharge operation, the lower and more widespread it becomes.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the shape of the updated portion based on the viscosity of the soil being discharged. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the shape of the updated portion so that the lower the viscosity of the soil discharged in the soil discharge operation, the lower the shape of the updated portion and the more it spreads around.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the shape of the updated portion based on the operating speed (opening operation) of the bucket 6 during the soil discharge operation. The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can calculate the shape of the updated portion so that the faster the opening speed of the bucket 6 during the soil discharge operation, the more biased the shape of the updated portion is in the opening direction of the bucket 6 with respect to the reference point.

The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can determine the updated part shape by referring to the updated part shape table. The updated part shape table is a reference table stored in advance in the memory unit, and is generated based on the analysis of actual measurement data. The memory unit stores the updated part shape as the updated part shape table in association with the amount of soil discharged, the ground shape before the most recent soil discharge operation, the height of the bucket 6 during the soil discharge operation, the transition of the attachment's attitude during the soil discharge operation, the transition of the operating speed, soil characteristics, etc.

In this way, the ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can estimate the ground shape after the soil discharge operation. Therefore, the ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can acquire not only information about the ground shape after the excavation operation, but also information about the ground shape after the soil discharge operation. In other words, the ground shape information acquisition unit 33 can more accurately grasp the shape of the ground to be excavated before the excavation operation is performed.

The display device 40 can display images of the ground shape after an excavation operation and the ground shape after an earth removal operation. The communication device M1 can transmit various data to a management device that manages the operating status of multiple excavators 100.

The ground contact determination unit 34 is a functional element that determines whether the attachment AT is in contact with the ground and controls the attachment AT. The ground contact determination unit 34 determines whether the bucket 6 is in contact with the ground based on information about the current shape of the ground to be excavated acquired by the ground shape information acquisition unit 33, and controls the attachment AT.

The ground contact determination unit 34 can determine the excavation state based on the current attitude of the attachment AT detected by the attitude detection device M3 and information related to the current shape of the ground to be excavated acquired by the ground shape information acquisition unit 33. The ground contact determination unit 34 determines whether the tip of the bucket 6 is in contact with the ground to be excavated. If it is determined that the tip of the bucket 6 is in contact with the ground to be excavated, the ground contact determination unit 34 outputs the determination result to the controller 30.

The controller 30 that receives the judgment result outputs a control command to the regeneration release valve 50 as the control valve E1 to increase its opening area. The ground contact judgment unit 34 may output a judgment result that the tip of the bucket 6 will contact the ground to be excavated to the controller 30 immediately before the tip of the bucket 6 contacts the ground to be excavated. Furthermore, the excavation attachment may be controlled based on soil density information that has been input in advance.

Next, the ground information acquisition system 101 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams showing the ground information acquisition system 101. In Figures 5 and 6, the ground G1, G2 on which the shovel 100 is placed is different. In Figures 5 and 6, cross sections of the ground G1, G2 are shown. The ground information acquisition system 101 includes the shovel 100 and an elastic wave exploration device 110.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ground information acquisition system 101 can apply vibrations to the ground G1, G2 using a shovel 100 and measure the vibrations that have passed through the inside of the ground G1, G2. The shovel 100 can strike the ground G1, G2 using a bucket 6. The bucket 6 is an example of a striking part. The shovel 100 can apply vibrations to the ground G1, G2, for example, by hitting the bottom surface 6a of the bucket 6 against the surface of the ground G1, G2.

The bucket 6 has a recessed shape for storing excavated soil and sand. This recessed shape is formed so as to bulge on the side opposite the opening of the bucket 6. Because the bucket 6 has a recessed shape, it is able to store soil and sand. The bottom surface 6a of the bucket 6 forms a recessed shape. The bottom surface 6a forms the surface opposite the opening of the bucket 6.

The shovel 100 can detect the position of the bucket 6 by the position coordinate update unit 32 shown in FIG. 4. The external calculation device 30E can calculate the position of the bottom surface 6a of the bucket 6 based on data on the shape of the bucket 6 and the progress of the trajectory of the bucket 6. The bottom surface 6a of the bucket 6 is the position where it comes into contact with the ground G1, G2.

The position coordinate update unit 32 can calculate the impact position, which is the position of the bottom surface 6a of the bucket 6, based on the bucket toe position P4 and the bucket angle θ3 shown in FIG. 2. The position coordinate update unit 32 may calculate the impact position of the bucket 6 based on other positions of the attachment AT. The impact position is not limited to the position of the bottom surface 6a of the bucket 6. For example, the ground G1, G2 may be impacted by hitting other parts of the shovel 100 against the ground G1, G2. In this case, the impact position is the position of the shovel 100 that hits the ground G1, G2. For example, the attachment AT may have other impact parts that hit the ground G1, G2. For example, the attachment AT may be equipped with an impact hammer. The operator can apply vibration to the ground G1, G2 by operating the attachment AT and hitting the impact part against the ground G1, G2.

The operator may also, for example, operate the bucket 6 to drop an object held by the bucket 6 from above, striking the ground G1, G2 and applying vibrations to the ground G1, G2. The shovel 100 can generate elastic waves in the ground G1, G2 by striking the ground.

As shown in FIG. 4, the elastic wave exploration device 110 includes a measuring instrument 111, an analysis unit 112, and a communication unit 113.

The measuring instrument 111 is, for example, a sensor that is inserted into the ground G1, G2 and can detect vibrations of the ground G1, G2. The measuring instrument 111 can detect elastic waves that travel through the ground G1, G2 and reach the measuring instrument 111.

The analysis unit 112 includes, for example, a CPU and a memory unit. The analysis unit 112 can receive and analyze signals related to elastic waves measured by the measuring instrument 111. The analysis unit 112 can amplify the received signals related to elastic waves. The elastic wave exploration device 110 can output data related to elastic waves measured by the measuring instrument 111.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a lateral result from an elastic wave exploration device 110. In Figure 7, the horizontal axis indicates the passage of time, and the vertical axis indicates position. The position shown on the vertical axis indicates the position of the measuring instrument 111. The position of the measuring instrument 111 is, for example, the distance from a reference position for measurement. The reference position may be the position of the shovel 100, or it may be some other position.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the elastic wave exploration device 110 may measure elastic waves using one measuring instrument 111, or may measure elastic waves using multiple measuring instruments 111. The position of the measuring instrument 111 may be any position. At the site where the shovel 100 is to work, information on the ground G1, G2 is obtained by conducting a boring survey in advance. The measurement position by the measuring instrument 111 may be a position different from the survey position by the boring survey, or it may be the same position. For example, by placing the measuring instrument 111 at a position different from the survey position by the boring survey, information that complements the survey results by the boring survey can be obtained. For example, by placing the measuring instrument 111 at the same position as the survey position by the boring survey, the reliability of the survey results by the boring survey can be improved.

The elastic waves generated by the impact of the shovel 100 travel inside the ground G1, G2. For example, the elastic waves are reflected at the boundaries of the strata inside the ground G1, G2. The elastic wave exploration device 110 can obtain information about the inside of the ground G1, G2 by measuring the elastic waves that have traveled inside the ground G1, G2.

The elastic wave exploration device 110 can acquire data on the hardness of the ground G1, G2 as information on the inside of the ground G1, G2. The elastic wave exploration device 110 can acquire data on the strata as information on the inside of the ground G1, G2. The strata include cut soil layers, fill soil layers, sand layers, silt layers, clay layers, bedrock layers, etc. The elastic wave exploration device 110 can acquire data on the depth of the strata and data on the thickness of the strata as information on the inside of the ground G1, G2. The information on the inside of the ground G1, G2 is an example of the "condition of the ground".

The external computing device 30E of the excavator 100 shown in FIG. 4 includes a ground information acquisition unit 35, a ground database update unit 36, a risk level determination unit 37, a fuel consumption calculation unit 38, and a control unit 39.

The ground information acquisition unit 35 acquires information on the inside of the ground G1, G2 that is the target of work. It acquires the information by inputting information transmitted from the elastic wave exploration device 110. It can input the analysis results by the analysis unit 112 of the elastic wave exploration device 110. The ground information acquisition unit 35 can receive data transmitted from the elastic wave exploration device 110 via the communication device M1. The ground information acquisition unit 35 may acquire information measured by the measuring instrument 111 of the elastic wave exploration device 110 and analyze the acquired information to acquire information on the inside of the ground G1, G2.

The ground database update unit 36 updates the ground database. The terrain database systematically stores information about the inside of the ground G1, G2 at the work site where the shovel 100 is located so that the information can be referenced. The ground database update unit 36 acquires information about the inside of the ground G1, G2 at the work site through the communication device M1, for example, when the shovel 100 is started, and updates the ground database. The ground information of the work site may be described, for example, in a three-dimensional model based on the global positioning system.

The risk level determination unit 37 determines the risk level of the ground G1, G2 based on the information on the inside of the ground G1, G2 acquired by the ground information acquisition unit 35 and the information stored in the ground database. The risk level determination unit 37 can determine the risk level based on information on the hardness of the ground G1, G2, for example.

When the ground G1, G2 is soft, the risk level determination unit 37 can determine that the risk level is higher than when the ground G1, G2 is hard. A high risk level indicates that work using the excavator 100 is in a dangerous state compared to when the risk level is low.

When the ground G1, G2 is hard, the risk level determination unit 37 can determine that the risk level is lower than when the ground G1, G2 is soft. A low risk level indicates that work using the excavator 100 is safer than when the risk level is high.

The risk level determination unit 37 may determine the risk level of the ground G1, G2 based on the information received from the elastic wave exploration device 110 and the results of the boring survey. The risk level determination unit 37 may determine the risk level taking into account other information. Other information may include, for example, information about the weather and information about the surface shape of the terrain. For example, the risk level determination unit 37 may determine that the risk level is higher when there is a lot of rain compared to when there is a little rain. The risk level determination unit 37 may determine that the risk level is higher when there is a large change in the surface shape of the terrain compared to when there is a small change in the surface shape of the terrain.

The fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 can calculate the fuel efficiency of the engine 11 based on the information on the inside of the ground G1, G2 acquired by the ground information acquisition unit 35 and the information stored in the ground database.

For example, when the ground G1, G2 is hard, the fuel consumption calculation unit 38 can calculate the fuel consumption so that the fuel consumption is lower compared to when the ground G1, G2 is soft. When the ground G1, G2 is hard, the power of the excavation operation tends to increase, so the fuel consumption calculation unit 38 can calculate the fuel consumption so that the fuel consumption is lower.

The fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 may calculate the fuel efficiency so that the fuel efficiency differs depending on the type of stratum of the ground G1, G2, for example. For example, when the density of the stratum is high, the fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 can calculate the fuel efficiency so that the fuel efficiency is lower compared to when the density of the stratum is low. When the density of the soil to be excavated is high, the weight of the soil excavated by the bucket 6 increases, and the power of the excavation operation tends to increase, so the fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 can calculate the fuel efficiency so that the fuel efficiency is lower.

The control unit 39 can control the operation of the shovel 100 based on the information on the inside of the ground G1, G2 acquired by the ground information acquisition unit 35 and the information stored in the ground database. The control unit 39 can control the operation of the shovel 100 according to the risk level determined by the risk level determination unit 37. The control unit 39 can control the operation of the shovel 100 according to the fuel efficiency calculated by the fuel efficiency calculation unit 38. The control unit 39 can control the operation of the shovel 100 by outputting a command signal to the controller 30.

The control unit 39 can control the shovel 100 to operate slower when the ground G1, G2 is hard than when the ground G1, G2 is soft. The control unit 39 can control the shovel 100 to operate faster when the ground G1, G2 is soft than when the ground G1, G2 is hard.

When the ground G1, G2 is hard, the control unit 39 can control the operation of the bucket 6 so that the amount of excavation in the excavation operation is smaller than when the ground G1, G2 is soft. When the ground G1, G2 is soft, the control unit 39 can control the operation of the bucket 6 so that the amount of excavation in the excavation operation is larger than when the ground G1, G2 is hard.

The control unit 39 can control the operation of the shovel 100 to change the posture of the attachment AT depending on the hardness of the ground G1, G2. The control unit 39 may control the posture of the attachment AT to make the bucket angle θ3 larger when the ground G1, G2 is hard compared to when the ground G1, G2 is soft. The control unit 39 may control the posture of the attachment AT to make the bucket angle θ3 smaller when the ground G1, G2 is soft compared to when the ground G1, G2 is hard.

When the risk level determined by the risk level determination unit 37 is high, the control unit 39 can control the display device 40 to alert the operator. When the risk level determined by the risk level determination unit 37 is low, the control unit 39 can control the display device 40 to notify the operator that excavation work can be performed safely. The control unit 39 may, for example, control an audio output unit such as a speaker to notify the risk level. The display device 40 and the speaker are examples of a notification unit.

When the fuel efficiency calculated by the fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 is high, the control unit 39 may increase the operating speed of the shovel 100 compared to when the fuel efficiency is low. When the fuel efficiency calculated by the fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 is low, the control unit 39 may decrease the operating speed of the shovel 100 compared to when the fuel efficiency is high.

The control unit 39 can control the controller 30 to display information on the fuel efficiency calculated by the fuel efficiency calculation unit 38 on the display device 40. The control unit 39 can control the controller 30 to display information on the inside of the ground G1, G2 acquired by the ground information acquisition unit 35 on the display device 40.

Next, the display contents displayed on the display device 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the display contents displayed on the display device 40. The display device 40 can display images according to instructions from the controller 30 shown in FIG. 3.

The display device 40 can display information about the inside of the ground G1 and G2. The display device 40 can display information about the strata of the ground G1, the depth of the strata, and the thickness of the strata as images. The display device 40 may change the color or pattern depending on the type of strata. The display device 40 may change the image display depending on the hardness of the ground G1.

The display device 40 may display the position of the shovel 100, the striking position of the bucket 6, and the measurement position of the measuring device 111.

The display device 40 may also display information relating to changes in fuel efficiency according to the condition of the ground G1. The display device 40 may also display information relating to the risk level according to the condition of the ground G1. The display device 40 may display text information as information relating to the risk level according to the condition of the ground G1. When the risk level of the ground G1 is high, the display device 40 may display the word "Danger", for example. The display device 40 may also change the size or color of the text according to the risk level.

The display device 40 may also display guidance to change the position of the attachment AT depending on the condition of the ground G1. The display device 40 may use a video, a still image, or text as a guidance display to encourage the user to change the position of the attachment AT.

Next, the steps in the ground information acquisition method will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the steps in the ground information acquisition method. The ground information acquisition method includes a step of striking the ground G1, G2 using a shovel 100, and a step of measuring vibrations that are transmitted to the ground G1, G2 by striking the ground G1, G2 and that progress through the inside of the ground G1, G2.

The ground information acquisition method is executed, for example, before the excavation work is performed by the shovel 100. The ground information acquisition method may be executed after the excavation work is performed by the shovel 100. The ground information acquisition method may also be executed during the excavation work by the shovel 100.

First, the shovel 100 strikes the ground G1, G2 using the bucket 6 (step S11). The operator moves the attachment AT to move the bucket 6 downward, thereby striking the ground. The shovel 100 swings the bucket 6 to strike the bottom surface 6a against the ground.

By striking the ground with the bucket 6, vibrations are transmitted to the inside of the ground G1, G2. The vibrations transmitted to the ground G1, G2 travel through the ground G1, G2 as appropriate. The vibrations are reflected, for example, at the boundaries between the strata. Furthermore, the transmission speed of the vibrations differs depending on the conditions inside the ground G1, G2.

Next, the measuring instrument 111 of the elastic wave exploration device 110 detects the vibrations that have traveled through the ground G1, G2 (step S12). The analysis unit 112 of the elastic wave exploration device 110 analyzes the results measured by the measuring instrument 111.

Next, the elastic wave exploration device 110 outputs the measurement results to the shovel 100 (step S13). Note that the measurement results here include the analysis results. The communication unit 113 of the elastic wave exploration device 110 transmits a signal related to the measurement results. The communication device M1 of the shovel 100 receives the signal related to the measurement results transmitted from the elastic wave exploration device 110.

Next, the external calculation device 30E of the excavator 100 evaluates the risk level of the grounds G1 and G2 based on the measurement results from the elastic wave exploration device 110 (step S14). The risk level determination unit 37 of the external calculation device 30E grasps the internal state of the grounds G1 and G2 and determines the risk level of the grounds G1 and G2. An example of the risk level has been described above. An example of the internal state of the grounds G1 and G2 has also been described above.

Next, the external calculation device 30E calculates the fuel consumption of the shovel 100 according to the conditions of the ground G1 and G2 (step S15). The fuel consumption calculation unit 38 of the external calculation device 30E calculates the fuel consumption of the shovel 100 according to the conditions of the ground G1 and G2. An example of the calculation of the fuel consumption is described above.

Next, the external calculation device 30E controls the posture of the attachment AT according to the conditions of the ground G1, G2 (step S16). The control unit 39 of the external calculation device 30E can control the operation of the attachment AT so as to change the posture of the attachment AT according to the internal conditions of the ground G1, G2. An example of controlling the posture of the attachment AT is described above. The control unit 39 may change the posture of the bucket 6 according to the hardness of the ground G1, G2.

Next, the external calculation device 30E calculates the surface shape of the ground after the excavation of the ground G1, G2 by the shovel 100 (step S17). The ground shape information acquisition unit 33 of the external calculation device 30E can calculate the surface shape of the ground. An example of the calculation of the surface shape of the ground has been described above. The shovel 100 may also calculate the surface shape of the ground by other methods. For example, the shovel 100 can measure the surface shape of the ground by irradiating a laser onto the ground.

Next, the external calculation device 30E associates and saves the information about the inside of the ground G1, G2 with the information about the surface shape of the ground (step S18). The external calculation device 30E can associate the information about the inside of the ground G1, G2 with the surface shape of the ground, for example, by associating the positions in a plan view. Note that the processing in steps S17 and S18 is performed after the excavation operation of the shovel 100. Steps S17 and S18 may be performed before the excavation operation.

The processes in the ground information acquisition method may be performed in different orders or simultaneously, as appropriate. In the ground information acquisition method, the risk levels of grounds G1 and G2 may be determined after the fuel consumption of the excavator 100 is calculated.

(Action and Effect)
The ground information acquisition system 101 according to this embodiment includes a shovel 100 having a bucket 6 which is an impact part, and a measuring instrument 111 capable of measuring vibrations transmitted to the ground G1, G2 by impact with the bucket 6 and propagating through the ground G1, G2.

According to this ground information acquisition system 101, elastic waves can be generated in the grounds G1 and G2 by striking the grounds G1 and G2 with a bucket 6. According to the ground information acquisition system 101, the internal state of the grounds G1 and G2 can be grasped by measuring the elastic waves that pass through the grounds G1 and G2 using a measuring instrument 111.

The ground information acquisition system 101 also determines the risk level of the ground G1, G2 below the shovel 100 based on the measurement results obtained by the measuring instrument 111, and notifies the risk level of the ground G1, G2. This ground information acquisition system 101 can determine the risk level based on information about the inside of the ground G1, G2.

In addition, the ground information acquisition system 101 can notify the operator of the shovel 100 of the risk level, which is the result of the judgment. By looking at the display device 40 provided in the cabin 10, the operator can recognize the risk level based on information about the inside of the ground G1, G2 below the shovel 100. Based on the risk level, the operator can take various measures, such as suspending excavation work using the shovel 100 or operating with caution. As a result, the safety of excavation work using the shovel 100 can be improved.

The ground information acquisition system 101 also determines the state of the ground G1, G2 below the shovel 100 based on the measurement results obtained by the measuring instrument 111, and calculates the fuel consumption of the shovel 100 according to the state of the ground G1, G2. According to this ground information acquisition system 101, the fuel consumption of the shovel 100 can be calculated based on the internal state of the ground G1, G2 below the shovel 100, and the operation of the shovel 100 can be appropriately adjusted according to the calculated fuel consumption. The operator can change the operation taking into account the fuel consumption of the shovel 100 based on the internal state of the ground G1, G2. For example, the operator can concentrate on excavation work without worrying about fuel consumption. The operator can also adjust the operation so that fuel consumption does not decrease.

In the ground information acquisition system 101, the shovel 100 includes a lower travelling body 1, an upper rotating body 3 rotatably mounted on the lower travelling body 1, an attachment AT attached to the upper rotating body 3 and having a bucket 6 as an impact part, and a positioning device M2 that measures the position of the shovel 100, and calculates the actual impact position of the bucket 6 on the ground based on the position of the shovel 100 and changes in the attitude of the bucket 6. In the shovel 100, the ground contact determination unit 34 can detect the contact position between the bucket 6 and the ground G1, G2. In the shovel 100, the impact position can be measured automatically. As a result, in the ground information acquisition system 101, the measurement accuracy of the elastic wave exploration device 110 can be improved.

The ground information acquisition system 101 may also perform continuous measurements using the elastic wave exploration device 110. This allows the ground information acquisition system 101 to acquire information about the inside of the ground in real time. Since the ground information acquisition system 101 can acquire information about the inside of the ground in real time, it can quickly grasp, for example, changes in the hardness of the ground due to prolonged rain, and changes in the loosening of the ground. This allows the operator of the shovel 100 to be notified of risk information such as loosening of the ground in real time.

In addition, the ground information acquisition system 101 can grasp the hardness of the inside of the ground, so that the fuel consumption of the shovel 100 can be predicted according to the hardness of the inside of the ground, and the operation of the shovel 100 can be controlled based on this fuel consumption prediction.

In addition, the ground information acquisition system 101 can control the posture of the attachment AT depending on the hardness of the ground inside.

The ground information acquisition system 101 may also carry out measurements using the elastic wave exploration device 110 according to the progress of excavation. This allows the internal state of the ground to be understood, and changes in the strata and the moisture content inside the ground, etc. may be ascertained. The ground information acquisition system 101 may also notify the operator of the acquired information in real time. For example, the display device 40 of the shovel 100 may display changes in the strata, changes in the moisture content, changes in hardness, etc., using different colors. The shovel 100 can alert the operator of the shovel 100 based on the information acquired by the elastic wave exploration device 110.

In addition, in the ground information acquisition system 101, the information acquired by the boring survey is stored in advance in a memory unit, and the survey results by the boring survey can be compared with the measurement results by the elastic wave exploration device 110. In the shovel 100, the operation of the shovel 100 may be controlled based on the survey results by the boring survey and the measurement results by the elastic wave exploration device 110. In the shovel 100, the operation mode of the shovel 100 may be changed according to the measurement results by the elastic wave exploration device 110.

In addition, the ground information acquisition system 101 can generate elastic waves by striking the ground G1, G2 using the bucket 6 of the shovel 100, which makes it possible to grasp the internal condition of the ground over a wide area, compared to the conventional practice of striking the ground by a person using a mallet, for example. In addition, the ground information acquisition system 101 eliminates the need for a person to strike the ground using a mallet, which improves workability.

The ground information acquisition system 101 can be implemented more easily than conventional methods, such as using dynamite to generate elastic waves in the ground. The ground information acquisition system 101 can expand the measurement range of the elastic wave exploration device 110 without using dynamite, and can reduce dangerous work. When using dynamite, care must be taken in managing and transporting the dynamite, but this is not necessary with the ground information acquisition system 101.

The ground information acquisition system 101 allows the internal condition of the ground to be easily ascertained before and after excavation work using the shovel 100 present at the work site. The ground information acquisition system 101 allows excavation work to be performed using the shovel 100, and also allows striking work to be performed using the shovel 100, and allows the internal condition of the ground to be easily ascertained using the elastic wave exploration device 110.

Second Embodiment
Next, the ground information management system 120 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the ground information management system 120. The ground information management system 120 is a system that acquires information from ground information acquisition systems 101A-C arranged at multiple work sites, stores the acquired information, and manages it. The ground information management system 120 includes multiple ground information acquisition systems 101A-C and a management device 121.

The ground information acquisition systems 101A-C have the same configuration as the ground information acquisition system 101 described above. The shovel 100A of the ground information acquisition system 101A is placed on ground G1, the shovel 100B of the ground information acquisition system 101B is placed on ground G2, and the shovel 100C of the ground information acquisition system 101C is placed on ground G3. The shovel 100 has the same configuration as the shovel 100 described above. The shovels 100A-C are an example of a first work machine and a second work machine. The striking positions of the grounds G1-G3 are an example of a first position and a second position.

The management device 121 includes a CPU 122 and a storage unit 130. The storage unit 130 includes a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory. The storage unit 130 stores a program for operating the CPU 122. The storage unit 130 stores various data input by the management device 121.

The memory unit 130 stores a ground shape database 131 and a ground information database 132. The ground shape database 131 stores data related to the ground shape transmitted from the ground information acquisition system 101. The ground shape database 131 stores information acquired by the above-mentioned ground shape information acquisition unit 33.

The ground information database 132 stores data on the internal condition of the ground transmitted from the ground information acquisition system 101. The ground information database 132 stores the information acquired by the ground information acquisition unit 35 described above.

The memory unit 130 stores the information stored in the ground shape database 131 and the information stored in the ground information database 132 in association with each other. The memory unit 130 can store data on the ground shape and data on the internal state of the ground based on the position information. The memory unit 130 stores information on the ground shape of the area Kn excavated by the shovel 100 and information on the interior of the ground below the area Kn in association with each other. The position information of the area Kn is position information measured by the positioning device M2 of the shovel 100.

The ground information management system 120 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of shovels 100A-B arranged at different positions, and includes a measuring instrument 111 capable of measuring elastic waves transmitted to the ground G1 by the bucket 6 of the shovel 100A and propagating through the inside of the ground G1, a measuring instrument 111 capable of measuring elastic waves transmitted to the ground G2 by the bucket 6 of the shovel 100B and propagating through the inside of the ground G2, and a measuring instrument 111 capable of measuring elastic waves transmitted to the ground G3 by the bucket 6 of the shovel 100C and propagating through the inside of the ground G3. The ground information management system 120 includes a memory unit 130 that stores the measurement results measured by the measuring instrument 111 of the ground information acquisition system 101A, the measurement results measured by the measuring instrument 111 of the ground information acquisition system 101B, and the measurement results measured by the measuring instrument 111 of the ground information acquisition system 101C. The measuring instruments 111 of the ground information acquisition systems 101A-C are examples of the first measuring instrument and the second measuring instrument.

Such a ground information management system 120 can integrate and manage data related to the internal state of ground G1 to G3 at multiple sites. The ground information management system 120 can centrally manage information related to the ground shape and information related to the internal state of the ground for multiple sites. The ground information management system 120 can effectively utilize information related to the internal state of the ground acquired by the ground information acquisition system 101, and can grasp information about the ground and take measures. By utilizing the data stored in the ground information management system 120 to implement disaster prevention measures in advance, effective land use can be promoted.

The above describes in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The above-mentioned excavator 100 may be operated by an operator in the cabin 10, or may be capable of remote operation or automatic excavation operation (unmanned operation), for example.

The imaging device M5 of the shovel 100 is a device that captures images of the periphery of the shovel. The imaging device M5 may be a camera attached to the upper rotating body 3 of the shovel, and can recognize the distance to the ground around the shovel based on the captured images to obtain topographical information of the work site. The imaging device M5 may be a stereo camera, a distance imaging camera, a three-dimensional laser scanner, etc.

The imaging device M5 may also be attached to the outside of the shovel. In this case, the external computing device 30E may acquire the terrain information output by the imaging device M5 via the communication device M1. Specifically, the imaging device M5 may be attached to an aerial photography multicopter, a steel tower installed at the work site, or the like, and may acquire the terrain information of the work site based on an image of the work site viewed from above. When the imaging device M5 is attached to an aerial photography multicopter, it may acquire the terrain information of the work site by capturing an image of the work site viewed from above at a frequency of about once an hour or in real time. The terrain information acquired by the imaging device M5 is used to update the terrain database. When the acquisition interval of the terrain information is one hour or more, the update interval is longer than the update interval of the terrain database based on the signal from the attitude detection device M3.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the external calculation device 30E is described as a separate calculation device external to the controller 30, but it may be integrated into the controller 30.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the ground information acquisition system 101 is illustrated as including a shovel 100 having a bucket 6 as the impact part, but the impact part is not limited to the bucket 6. The impact part may be any other part that moves in the vertical direction and can impact the ground. For example, the shovel 100 may strike the ground by lowering a hook (impact part) provided on the attachment AT.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the ground information acquisition system 101 including the shovel 100 as the work machine is exemplified, but the work machine is not limited to the shovel 100. The work machine may be, for example, a bulldozer. For example, the bulldozer may strike the ground by raising the bucket and then lowering the bucket.

The ground information acquisition system 101 may use multiple measuring instruments 111 to measure elastic waves that have traveled inside the ground, or may use one measuring instrument 111 to measure elastic waves. The measuring instrument 111 may be placed at any position as long as it is located at a position where it can measure elastic waves. The measuring instrument 111 may be placed in front of the shovel 100, behind the shovel 100, or to the side of the shovel 100. The measuring instrument 111 may be placed above the shovel 100, or below the shovel 100.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the shovel 100 having the engine 11 as the driving source is exemplified, but the driving source is not limited to the engine 11. The shovel 100 may have a motor as the driving source, or may have an engine and a motor. The power supplied to the motor may be power generated by the engine, or may be power stored in a battery.

101, 101A-C Ground information acquisition system 100, 100A-C Shovel (work machine, first work machine, second work machine)
1 Lower traveling body 3 Upper rotating body 6 Bucket (impact part)
35 Ground information acquisition unit 37 Risk level determination unit 38 Fuel consumption calculation unit 40 Display device (notification unit)
111 Measuring instrument (first measuring instrument, second measuring instrument)
120 Soil information management system (soil information acquisition system)
AT Attachment G1-G3 Ground M2 Positioning device

Claims (7)

A work machine having a striking unit;
A ground information acquisition system comprising: a measuring instrument capable of measuring vibrations transmitted to the ground by striking with the striking part and propagating through the ground. The ground information acquisition system according to claim 1, which determines a risk level of the ground below the work machine based on the measurement results obtained by the measuring device, and notifies the risk level of the ground. The ground information acquisition system according to claim 1, which determines the condition of the ground below the work machine based on the measurement results obtained by the measuring device, and calculates the fuel consumption of the work machine according to the condition of the ground. The work machine includes:
A lower running body;
An upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body;
an attachment attached to the upper rotating body and having the impact portion;
Equipped with
The ground information acquisition system according to claim 1 , wherein the ground condition around the work machine is determined based on the measurement results obtained by the measuring instrument, and the attitude of the attachment is changeable according to the ground condition. The work machine includes:
A lower running body;
An upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body;
An attachment attached to the upper rotating body and having a bucket as the impact part;
A positioning device that measures the position of the work machine;
Equipped with
The ground information acquisition system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a calculating section for calculating an actual impact position of the bucket on the ground based on a position of the work machine and a change in attitude of the bucket. The work machine includes:
a first work machine disposed at a first location;
a second work machine disposed at a second location;
The measuring instrument is
a first measuring device capable of measuring vibrations that are transmitted to the ground at the first position by the impact unit of the first work machine and that travel through the ground;
a second measuring device capable of measuring vibrations that are transmitted to the ground at the second position by the impact unit of the second work machine and that travel through the ground,
The ground information acquisition system according to claim 1 , further comprising a memory unit that stores the measurement results measured by the first measuring instrument and the measurement results measured by the second measuring instrument. A step of striking the ground using a work machine;
A ground information acquisition method comprising the step of measuring vibrations that are transmitted to the ground by striking the ground and that propagate through the ground.

Images