Establishment of Path Planning Method Suitable for Earthmoving Work of Large-scale Dump Trucks

Abstract

There is an urgent need to automate earthmoving works for large-scale six-wheeled dump trucks. At actual sites, a dump truck stops at a loading position, informed by the backhoe's backet, with its bed facing the backhoe. Therefore, it is necessary to plan a path including a turning back and rapidly replan according to the goal position change. However, there is no suitable path-planning method for earthmoving works of a large-scale six-wheeled dump truck. Here we propose a path-planning method that moves the dump truck forward and then backward to the working position. According to the goal position change, it also rapidly generates a path from the turning position to the new goal position. We confirmed the proposed path resembled the trajectory of human-operated dump trucks, and the time required for replanning was shortened. We also confirmed the autonomous dump truck could do earthmoving works in cooperation with a human-operated backhoe.