• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.162-163
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• 2016

This paper presents a mathematical model for optimizing earthwork allocation plan that minimizes earthwork cost. The model takes into account operational constraints in the real-world earthwork such as material-type (i.e., quality level of material) and quantities excavated from cut-sections, required quality of material and quantities for each embankment layer, top-down cutting and bottom-up filling constraints, and allocation orders. These constraints are successfully handled by assuming the rock-earth material as the three dimensional (3D) blocks. The study is of value to project scheduler because the model identifies the optimal earth allocation plan (i.e., haul direction (cut and fill pairs), quantities of soil, type of material, and order of allocations) expeditiously and is developed as an automated system for usability. It is also relevant to estimator in that it computes more realistic earthworks costs estimation. The economic impact and validity of the mathematical model was confirmed by performing test cases.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1191-1202
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• 2013

The former researches on earthwork automation were mainly focused on GPS and sensor application, environment modelling, equipment path planning, work information management, and remote control etc. Recently, reducing $CO_2$ emission becomes one of main focuses for an automation research. In the case of earthwork operations, many kinds of construction machines or robots are involved, which can cause high level of $CO_2$ in a construction site. An effective earthwork plan and construction machine operation can both increase productivity and safety and decrease $CO_2$ emission level. In this research, some automation concepts for green earthworks are suggested such as a 3D construction site model, a 3D earthwork distribution based on two different earthwork methods, and an earthwork package construction method. A excel-based simulator is developed to generate the 3D earthwork distribution and to estimate the level of $CO_2$ emission for the given earthwork.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.429-439
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• 2021

In order to cope with the decrease of construction manpower caused by the aging population and to improve construction productivity, Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has been promoting construction methodology using ICT (Information & Communication Technology) since 2016. The ministry has established and implemented new cost estimation standards, delivery systems, and government support policies to boost automated earthwork using ICT, and is expanding the types of automated construction methodology applied at the construction sites. To utilize ICT at construction sites in Korea, as in case of Japan, laws, systems, and policies should be readjusted first. By comparing the ICT-related systems and policies between Japan and Korea, this paper scrutinizes critical benchmarking factors. As a result, we have reached the conclusion that in order to promote ICT methodology at Korean construction sites, Korean government should establish ICT-related cost estimation standards, delivery systems, and economic support policies in advance.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.71-77
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• 2008

Earthwork is very equipment-intensive task and researches related to automated excavation have been conducted. There is an issue to secure the safety for an automated excavating system. Therefore, this paper focuses on how to improve safety for semi- or fully-automated backhoe excavation. The primary objective of this research is to develop the core technology for automated object detection in excavation work. In order to satisfy the research objective, a diverse sensing technologies are investigated and analysed in terms of functions, durability, and reliability. The authors developed detecting algorithm for the objects using laser sensor and verified its performance by several tests. The results of this study would be the basis for developing the automated object detection system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.343-346
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• 2007

Recent advances in automation and robotic technologies in the manufacturing industry suggest that the greater level of automation may be extremely beneficial for the construction industry. However, only some of the high-technology advances may be applied to the construction industry due to the fast-changing construction environment in which work locations are constantly changing and material, equipment, and workers are always moving. The earthwork operation for site development is a good candidate for applying automation technology, because it is a very repetitive and tedious task and needs lots of construction equipment. This paper presents the model of a construction environment and a moving plan for an automated earthwork system, which can produce an effective moving path of an excavator platform with an Octree model. To generate the moving path, the know-how of skilled operators and construction managers is added in the proposed model.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.537-539
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• 2015

considerate operation is a major issue in the equipment-intensive operation. Identifying an optimal equipment combination is important to achieve low-energy operations. An Earthwork operation planning system, which measures the energy consumption of construction operations by taking into account construction equipments' engineering attributes (e.g., weight, capacity, energy consumption rate, etc.) and operation conditions (e.g., road condition, attributes of materials to be moved, geometric information, etc.), is essential to achieve the low-energy consumption. This study develops an automated computerized system which identifies an optimal earthmoving equipment fleet minimizing the energy consumption. The system imports a standard template of earthmoving operation model and compares numerous scenarios using alternative equipment allocation plans. It finds the fleet that minimizes the energy consumption by enumerating all cases using sensitivity analysis. A case study is presented to verify the validity of the system.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.363-375
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• 2013

Today, a shortage of the skilled operator has been intensified gradually and the necessity of an earthwork in extreme environment operators are difficult to access is increasing for the purpose of resource development and new living space creation. For this reason, an effort to develop an unmanned excavation robot for fully automated earthwork system is continuing globally. In Korea, a research consortium called 'Intelligent Excavation System' has been formed since 2006 as a part of Construction Technology Innovation Program of Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs of Korea. Among detailed technologies of the Task Planning System is one of the core technologies of IES, this paper explains research and development process of the Local Area Design Module, which provides informatization unit to create automated excavators' work command information at operation level such as location, range, target, and sequence for excavation work. Designing of Local Area should be considered various influential factors such as excavator's specification, working mechanism, heuristics, and structural stability to create work plan guaranteed safety and effectiveness. For this research, conceptual and detail design of the Local Area is performed for analyzing design element and variable, and quantization method of design specification corresponding with heuristics and structural safety is generated. Finally, module is developed through constructed algorithm and developed module is verified.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.977-982
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• 2007

There have been many efforts in automatic object recognition using computing technologies. Especially in the development of automated construction equipment, automatic object recognition is very important issue for the proper equipment maneuvering. 3D laser scanning, which uses (time-of-flight) method to construct the 3-dimensional information, is applied to the civil earth work environment for its high accuracy, quick data collection, and object recognition capability that will be developed by the authors in the future. The 3D earth model is also used as a fundamental information for intelligent earth work task planning. This paper presents the analysis of the 3D laser scanner market and selection of the most optimum 3D scanner for the intelligent earth work planning. As well as the hardware configuration for the automated 3D earth modeling is developed but also the software structure and detailed user interface are designed in this research. In addition, it is presented in this paper that the accuracy comparison test between TotalStation(R) which is a traditional survey tool and ScanStation(R). The accuracy test is done by relative distance measurement using known targets.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1063-1076
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• 2017

To improve the productivity of the earthwork, a fleet management system for construction equipment was suggested in previous studies. But there were some gaps between theory and practice. To overcome this problem, some opinions are gathered form experts and field engineers and four improvements have been proposed and reflected in the system. First, the previous system consists of one hardware module, so it is hard to install it at a control office and construction equipment at the same time. The server module for the office and the mobile module for construction equipment are separately developed. Second, the transportation algorithm that is used in the previous system can generate shortest paths for the earthwork distribution, but embankment areas are not gathered. This situation leads to a decrease in compaction productivity. A modified algorithm for earthwork distribution is suggested. Third, the automated coordinate transformation is performed to show the position of construction equipment on the 3D terrain in real-time. Fourth, construction equipment groups should be formed in the initial stage of earthwork and the number of equipment of each groups should be changed by operation status and site environment. But this functions did not work properly in the previous system. This problem is corrected in the proposed system. The improvements can make the proposed system much more realistic one and can leads to an increase in the productivity of earthwork operations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.364-367
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• 2008

Earthwork is very equipment-intensive task and researches related to automated excavation have been conducted. There is an issue to secure the safety for an automated excavating system. Therefore, this paper focuses on how to improve safety for semi- or fully-automated backhoe excavation. The primary objective of this research is to develop object detection algorithm for automated safety system in excavation work. In order to satisfy the research objective, a diverse sensing technologies are investigated and analysed in terms of functions, durability, and reliability and verified its performance by several tests. The authors developed the objects detecting algorithm for user interface program using laser sensor. The results of this study would be the basis for developing the automated object detection system.