JP7526078B2 - Pile driver display system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a display system for a pile driver, and more specifically, to a display system for a pile driver that has a function to assist the operator in operating the pile driver.

In general, pile drivers used for burying piles and improving ground are equipped with a construction management device that stores a construction management program for controlling various construction methods. When driving construction materials such as steel pipe piles and hollow rods into the ground, the construction management device executes the construction management program using a control device (control box) installed in the driver's cab to obtain data from multiple sensors installed in various parts such as the leader and auger, such as a depth sensor using an encoder, a torque sensor that detects the torque of the auger by pressure or current, and a rotation sensor that detects the rotation pulse of the auger, and calculates depth, speed, torque, rotation speed, etc. from each data, displays them on the display, and records them in memory while carrying out construction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the pile construction method using the above-mentioned construction management device, a boring survey is conducted in advance to determine the position and depth of the supporting layer that will serve as the foundation, but from a cost perspective, it is difficult to conduct this at all locations where piles are to be constructed. Therefore, with the recent development of information technology, a pile construction method has been proposed in which supporting layer data created from a small number of ground survey points is updated by adding supporting layer reach depth information obtained sequentially during pile driving work, and subsequent pile driving work can be performed based on the highly accurate updated results (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2005-213937 A JP 2019-100082 A

The pile construction method described in Patent Document 2 can minimize the number of ground investigation points, even at large-scale sites, and thus reduce the time and costs required for ground investigation. However, ground conditions vary from construction point to construction point, even at the same site, and if construction is carried out at the bearing layer reach depth determined by the design, there may be unanticipated changes in the ground layer, such as a state in which the bearing layer is inclined or part of the bearing layer remains in the soft ground. Therefore, the fewer the number of ground investigation points, the more of a gap will be created between the depth determined by the design and the actual depth. As long as a method is used to eliminate such gaps based on the construction results, the operator of the pile driver will be forced to operate in accordance with unpredictable ground conditions.

The present invention aims to provide a display system for a pile driver equipped with a support function that can predict when a buried pile will reach the supporting layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the display system for a pile driver of the present invention is implemented in a pile driver equipped with a working device at the front of a base machine, and is equipped with a memory unit that stores construction plan data that sets the planned buried position of the pile at the construction site and the corresponding target depth, a control unit that executes a construction management program for operation control, and a display that displays the actual construction data created by the control unit on a display screen in a format that can be compared with the target depth. The actual construction data is stored in the memory unit in association with construction load information indicating the construction load for each depth and the pile number included in the construction plan data, and the control unit, in response to a request from a driver who starts operating the working device, reads out from the memory unit a plurality of pieces of construction load information corresponding to a plurality of pile numbers specified by the driver, obtains estimated construction load information by statistical processing from the read out plurality of pieces of construction load information, creates graph display data, and keeps the graph display data displayed on the display screen during the driving operation.

According to the pile driver display system of the present invention, when construction begins, construction load information corresponding to the pile number requested by the operator is read out, and the read out construction load information is displayed in graph form on the display screen while the driver is operating the machine. This makes it possible to present the anticipated construction load to the operator in a form that is easily comprehensible, using the load information of adjacent piles that have already been constructed as a clue. This makes it possible to predict when the pile to be buried will reach the supporting layer, which contributes to the operator's safe and secure work.

1 is a side view of a pile driver to which a display system showing one embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a pile selection screen displayed on a display. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first display on the construction screen displayed on the display. FIG. FIG. FIG. 11 shows a fourth display. FIG. 11 shows the fifth display.

Figures 1 to 7 show an example of the present invention applied to a small pile driver. As shown in Figure 1, the pile driver 11 is equipped with a base machine 14 consisting of a lower running body 12 equipped with crawlers and an upper rotating body 13 rotatably mounted on the lower running body 12, a leader 15 mounted on the front of the upper rotating body 13 so as to be able to rise and fall, and a leader raising and lowering cylinder 16 that supports the leader 15 from the rear. In addition, a front bracket 17 that supports the leader 15 so as to be able to rise and lower is provided on the front of the upper rotating body 13, and a pipe support member 18 that supports the pipes is provided above the front of the upper rotating body 13. In addition, a driver's cab 19 is provided on the right side of the upper rotating body 13, and an equipment room 20 that houses an engine and a hydraulic unit is provided on the left side.

The leader 15 is made up of multiple leader members detachably connected to each other, with a top sheave 21 attached to the upper end and a lower guide 22 attached to the lower end, and an auger 23, which is an example of a working device, attached to the front of the leader 15 so that it can be raised and lowered. The auger 23 grips the drive rod 24 inserted into the gear case 23a and applies a rotational force to it. Specifically, the angular shaft of the drive rod 24 is engaged with a chuck device 23b provided on the underside of the auger 23 to restrict the axial movement of the drive rod 24, and in this state the output mechanism is driven by an auger drive hydraulic motor to rotate the drive rod 24.

A lifting chain 27 is attached to the top and bottom of the auger 23, with both ends stretching between a drive sprocket 25 at the bottom end of the leader 15 and a driven sprocket 26 at the top end, forming a chain-type lifting device. The lifting device drives the drive sprocket 25 with an auger lifting hydraulic motor, and moves the lifting chain 27, which is stretched around the drive sprocket 25 and driven sprocket 26, in the vertical direction, thereby lifting and lowering the auger 23 along the front of the leader 15.

When the pile driver 11 is used for the purpose of burying steel pipe piles, a steel pipe pile 28 is used as the construction member. The steel pipe pile 28 is connected via a cap rod 29 attached to the lower end of the drive rod 24, and is pressed into the ground by lowering the auger 23 while rotating the drive rod 24. When the pile driver 11 is used for the purpose of ground improvement, a hollow rod (not shown) is used as the construction member. The upper end of the hollow rod is connected to a swivel above the auger 23, and the lower end is connected to a stirring rod. While the hollow rod is being rotated, a ground improvement agent such as cement milk is sprayed from the tip of the stirring rod through the hollow rod and injected into the ground.

In order to carry out various construction methods such as burying piles and ground improvement, inside the cab 19, devices such as operating levers and pedals for driving, turning, raising and lowering the auger 23, operating the rotation drive, push button switches, and a touch panel display are concentrated near the driver's seat for ease of use. In addition, a construction management device is installed that is electrically connected to these devices and the pile driver 11's operation detection means.

The construction management device is composed of a control unit (CPU) that executes construction management programs for controlling various construction methods and performs calculations such as data processing and judgment. It also includes a flash ROM that stores the construction management programs, a RAM that temporarily stores various data during processing, a memory unit (hard disk) that stores various data on the construction plan, such as the planned buried positions and target depths of piles at the construction site, and actual construction data created by executing the construction management program, and a display device (display) that allows the operator to check the results of the execution of the construction management program on a display screen and input data by operating a touch panel.

The multiple sensors constituting the operation detection means of the auger 23 include a torque sensor, a depth sensor, and a rotation sensor. The torque sensor is a sensor that measures the torque of the workpiece gripped by the auger 23, and pressure sensors are provided on the supply side of the hydraulic circuit of the auger drive hydraulic motor and the secondary side of the hydraulic circuit of the solenoid proportional valve, respectively, and each pressure sensor detects the operating pressure and control pressure of the auger drive hydraulic motor. The detected signal is transmitted to the control unit, and the construction torque is calculated as the construction load based on the pressure and the capacity of the auger drive hydraulic motor. The depth sensor also detects the rotation angle of the driven sprocket 26 with an encoder. The detected signal is transmitted to the control unit, and the depth and lifting speed are calculated based on the rotation angle and sprocket diameter. The rotation sensor detects the gear teeth of the output mechanism with a proximity sensor and counts the pulse signal. The detected signal is transmitted to the control unit, and the integrated rotation number and rotation speed are calculated based on the cumulative count.

The construction management device can also download construction management programs and construction plan data via a communication connection. The construction plan data is input in advance into a computer in the office based on a construction plan created based on the results of a boring survey (an example of a ground survey) at the construction site, and includes pile numbers as well as the construction sequence associated with the pile numbers, and various construction target values such as the target depth, feed speed, rotation speed, and cement milk flow rate. The construction plan data is input by inputting pile position data in comparison with the construction drawings. Specifically, the construction point (the planned location for burying the pile) is specified in two-dimensional coordinates as a relative position (distance) from the origin on the coordinate system.

The created construction plan data is uploaded to a data server on the network with the addition of location information such as the address of the construction site and the model number of the pile driver 11 that will be used for construction. In addition, a construction management program for the construction method to be implemented based on the construction plan data, such as the prefabricated pile method, and data on the setting parameters of the construction management program are also created and uploaded to the data server in the same manner.

The construction management device configured in this manner executes an additionally incorporated control program to function as a display system that supports the operation of the pile driver 11, particularly the operation of the auger 23. The specific operation of the display system will be described below with reference to the display screens shown in Figures 2 to 7.

First, when the power supply of the construction management device is turned on at the construction site, the basic program is executed in the control unit, and the login screen is displayed on the display. Here, when the worker logs into the system using his/her worker ID and sets conditions according to the purpose from the menu screen, the necessary construction management program and construction plan data are downloaded, and the construction plan pile placement screen (pile selection screen) is displayed on the display, as shown in Figure 2.

The construction plan pile placement screen is a display screen whose scale has been adjusted so that the entire construction site is displayed graphically in two-dimensional coordinates. Multiple pile display bodies P, represented as circles, indicate construction locations, the numbers inside the circles (0-22) indicate the construction order, and the four-digit numbers on the outside (0000-0022) indicate the pile numbers. In addition, boring survey results have already been obtained for the pile display bodies with grey interiors at two diagonal points, namely pile numbers "0000" and "0012," and construction plan data has been created based on the results of these surveys. In other words, the ground conditions at these two points, such as the position and depth of the supporting layer and soil quality, are known.

For example, when constructing pile number "0001", the pile driver 11 is aligned with the construction site (pile core) and the No. 1 pile display body P is selected by operating the touch panel. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, with the display switched to the construction screen, pile driving work proceeds as planned until the target depth is reached while creating actual construction data. On the screen, along with various numerical data such as "pile number", "target depth", and "construction torque", a two-dimensional coordinate line graph is displayed as graph display data showing depth on the vertical axis and the magnitude of construction load information (construction torque, integral torque, etc.) on the horizontal axis. The construction load information is visually recognized as a change in waveform on a graph with a color determined for each type, and the waveform change can be interpreted as a change in soil type (sand, gravel, clay), for example, to determine the composition of the ground to some extent.

The created construction data is displayed in real time as the current construction data in numerical and graphical form on the construction screen in accordance with the operation of the auger 23, and at the same time, the construction torque (construction load information) indicating the construction load for each depth is associated with the pile number "0001" and sequentially stored in the memory unit of the construction management device. After construction is completed, the same procedure is followed when constructing the adjacent pile number "0002". The pile display body P No. 2 is selected from the pile selection screen by operating the touch panel as shown in Figure 2, and operation and data processing are performed with the display switched to the construction screen. The pile driving work is carried out as planned to the target depth, while the position of the supporting layer is predicted to some extent from the target depth displayed on the screen and the construction result of the previous pile number "0001".

However, since the composition of the ground underground does not necessarily change uniformly between boring survey points, the fewer the number of boring survey points, the more likely it is that a gap will occur between the target depth at the time of design and the actual depth, and this gap becomes more pronounced the farther away from the boring survey points. In this case, the operator of the pile driver 11 is forced to operate according to unpredictable ground conditions, and in the unlikely event that the pile length is too long or too short during the process, this requires effort in non-routine tasks such as interrupting work and reporting to the manager.

For example, when constructing pile number "0003" at a location away from the boring survey location, the adjacent previous pile number "0002" is specified from the construction history acquisition menu, and pile display body P No. 3 is selected in this specified state. At this time, at the request of the driver, the control unit reads out the value of the construction torque (construction load information) corresponding to pile number "0002" specified by the driver from the memory unit, creates graph display data with this as the actual construction torque (actual construction load information), and displays it on the construction screen. In this case, the actual construction torque is displayed as a line graph on the same coordinate axis as the current construction torque, etc., as the waveform change shown by the dashed line in Figure 4 during the operation of the auger 23, and is displayed on the screen until the end operation or display switching operation is performed.

For example, the displayed actual construction torque increases significantly at around 8m compared to the target depth of 8m (Figure 4). This allows the driver who starts driving to foresee that construction torque will be required from a depth of around 8m, and allows the driver to drive while preparing for that load. In addition, while driving, the current construction torque is displayed superimposed on the same coordinate axis, so the driver can drive carefully while checking the degree of overlap between the graphs of the actual construction torque and the current construction torque.

A display system configured in this way can respond to various ground conditions at the same site. For example, even if the displayed actual construction torque rises at around 5m from the target depth of 8m, as in the waveform change shown by the dashed line in Figure 5, it can be determined that this is due to the presence of a hard intermediate layer. Also, even if the supporting layer is actually at a depth of around 6m from the target depth of 8m, as in the waveform change shown by the dashed line in Figure 6, it can be determined that the drilling should be stopped at a depth shallower than the original plan. Conversely, if the supporting layer is actually at a depth of around 8m from the target depth of 6m, as in the waveform change shown by the dashed line in Figure 7, it can be determined that it is necessary to extend the drilling depth by another 2m from the display of the actual construction torque.

As construction work is carried out at subsequent construction sites in the same way, the number of pile numbers that can be read out increases accordingly. Therefore, the display system is capable of estimating the construction torque required at the current construction site based on the construction results at multiple construction sites, and displaying this in a graph. For example, when constructing pile number "0021" located in the center of the construction site, multiple pile numbers "0018", "0019", and "0020" are specified from the construction history acquisition menu, and pile display body P number 9 is selected in this specified state.

At this time, in response to the request of the driver, the control unit reads out from the memory unit the values of multiple construction torques (construction load information) corresponding to the multiple pile numbers "0018", "0019", and "0020" designated by the driver, and calculates the estimated construction torque (estimated construction load information) from these actual construction torques (actual construction load information) by statistical processing. In the statistical processing, a process is performed to estimate one representative value from multiple values by applying the average, least squares method, etc., and in particular, the positional relationship (distance) between the current construction point and the multiple reference construction points may be taken into consideration. In this way, for example, the inclination and undulation of the supporting layer at the construction site can be read from the construction results obtained at each point, and highly accurate estimated construction load information can be calculated based on this. The estimated construction torque value calculated by statistical processing is created as graph display data and displayed in the same format (line graph) as the waveform changes shown by the dashed lines in Figure 4, etc.

In this way, the display system of the pile driver 11 of the present invention reads out the construction load information corresponding to the pile number requested by the operator at the start of construction, and the read-out construction load information is displayed in a graph on the display screen while the driver is operating the machine. This makes it possible to present the expected construction load to the driver in a form that is easy to understand, using the load information of adjacent piles that have already been constructed as a clue. This makes it possible to predict when the pile to be buried will reach the supporting layer, contributing to the driver's safe and secure work.

In addition, even if the operator of the pile driver 11 is replaced, the person who takes over operation midway can take the necessary driving operations and measures based on the construction load information of the existing piles, which is an indicator obtained from the display screen. This driving support function of the pile driver 11 not only achieves a safe and efficient pile construction method, but also contributes to extending the life of the pile driver 11 by eliminating the unstable driving operations that have traditionally relied on experience and intuition, i.e., causes of breakdowns in the working equipment, etc.

Furthermore, since the graph display data is created using estimated construction load information obtained by statistical processing of multiple pieces of construction load information, highly accurate predictions of when the load will reach the supporting layer can be made as construction progresses, even at large-scale construction sites, and the pile construction method using the pile driver 11 can be achieved more efficiently. In particular, since almost no hardware changes are required for the construction management device, and only software changes are required, it can be easily applied to existing construction management systems. In this case, it is possible to promote data utilization, such as by sharing construction data created by multiple pile drivers 11 with each other.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the displayed construction load information includes various data such as construction torque, integral torque, current value, and integral current value. The screen configuration of the display system is merely an example, and numerical data and graph display data may be created individually from multiple pile numbers, and the display area may be divided from various viewpoints or configured as one area. Furthermore, the pile number designation and various processing may be automated, for example, by equipping the pile driver with a GPS function and performing them based on the position information obtained by the GPS. In addition, although the embodiment has been described using a small pile driver as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to large pile drivers such as three-point pile drivers. In this case, construction load information can be obtained based on the electrical load resistance of the electrically driven working device.

11...pile driver, 12...lower running body, 13...upper rotating body, 14...base machine, 15...leader, 16...drilling cylinder, 17...front bracket, 18...pipe support member, 19...operator's cab, 20...equipment room, 21...top sheave, 22...lower guide, 23...auger, 23a...gear case, 23b...chuck device, 24...drive rod, 25...driving sprocket, 26...driven sprocket, 27...lifting chain, 28...steel pipe pile, 29...cap rod

Claims (1)

A display system for a pile driver is provided on a base machine equipped with a work device at the front thereof, the display system including a memory unit for storing construction plan data that sets the planned buried positions of piles at a construction site and the corresponding target depths, a control unit for executing a construction management program for controlling the operation of the pile driver, and a display for displaying on a display screen the actual construction data created by the control unit in a format that can be compared with the target depths.
The execution construction data is stored in the storage unit in association with construction load information indicating the construction load for each depth and the pile number included in the construction plan data,
The control unit, in response to a request from a driver who begins operating the work equipment, reads out from the memory unit a number of pieces of construction load information corresponding to a number of pile numbers specified by the driver, obtains estimated construction load information from the read out number of pieces of construction load information by statistical processing, creates graph display data, and displays the graph display data on the display screen during the operation of the pile driver.

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