Stability-constrained operation planning for multi-support construction equipment under load and configuration variations

For multi-support construction equipment operating in complex environments, load and configuration variations can induce significant whole-equipment CoM fluctuations that directly affect operational stability. Existing stability analysis methods are generally unable to simultaneously accommodate multiple constraints or explicitly account for CoM fluctuations, limiting their applicability to operation planning. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a multi-constraint three-dimensional quasi-static stability analysis and operation planning framework for multi-support construction equipment. The CoM fluctuation region induced by load and configuration variations is first characterized and regularized using a minimum enclosing sphere. A three-dimensional quasi-static stability boundary is then constructed by jointly considering force and moment equilibrium, kinematic constraints, actuation constraints, support conditions, and ground conditions. Together, these formulations transform equipment stability analysis into a feasibility problem of the CoM position and enable stability to be directly incorporated into operation planning. The proposed operation planning framework is applied to support-layout evaluation for static-support equipment, and to support-point feasibility evaluation, mobile-body target position and trajectory planning for the walking transition of mobile-support equipment. Simulations and prototype experiments on flat, uneven, and sloped terrain show that a quasi-static stability boundary and a trajectory between two target positions can be generated in approximately 2 s and 3.5 s, respectively, while achieving zero boundary violations under the adopted discrete verification. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, which has the potential to further enhance the practicality, robustness, and autonomy of multi-support construction equipment operating in complex environments.