Load Estimation during Excavating Operation of Hydraulic Excavators Using Database-Driven Modeling

The planned operation of work equipment leads to higher productivity at construction sites. Predicting breakdowns and performing maintenance in advance are important for the planned operation of work equipment. If the load applied to a machine in operation is known, breakdowns can be predicted based on the condition of the load. However, the load applied to construction machinery, such as hydraulic excavators, varies depending on the work situation and environment. The load applied during excavation operation varies depending on the excavation conditions, such as the excavation target, soil volume, and motion conditions. To estimate the load applied to attachments during excavation, it is necessary to use a load estimation model according to the excavation conditions. Excavation operations are affected by the external environment, so multiple load estimation models are needed. Therefore, it is not practical to create models in advance and switch between models. This study proposes a database-driven load estimation modeling method for excavation operations. The proposed method constructs a database containing operational data and model parameters. Then, the parameters are identified from data similar to the requirement point, and a local model is created. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through experiments using a radio-controlled excavator.