Demonstration of Snow Removal Work by Wheel Loader in an Environment Surrounded by Obstacles

Abstract

Snow removal work using construction equipment faces problems such as a shortage of skilled operators owing to the declining birthrate and aging population, work in dangerous areas, and accidents caused by a lack of concentration during long work hours. To improve the working environment, research and development of automation of construction equipment are actively conducted. Therefore, in this study, we aim to generate a driving path for wheel loaders for snow removal work in a work environment surrounded by obstacles, such as walls and fences. Furthermore, the proposed method considers the changing shape of the snow piles during the removal. We experimentally verified that snow removal could be performed using an actual wheel loader on the route generated by the proposed simulation.