Saving Lives and Money with Robotic Trenching and Pipe Installation

Excavation, and in particular trenching and pipe laying, represent a hazardous working environment for humans. Many hazards exist, including trench walls that can collapse, heavy objects that can be accidentally dropped into the opening, and buried utilities (e.g., power lines) that are damaged during the operation. Workplace safety has become a major concern in the construction industry over the past few decades. The main accident prevention efforts used for trench excavation and pipe installation today are the use of the trench box, appropriate sloping of trench walls, and the training of site personnel. The Construction Automation and Robotics Laboratory at North Carolina State University has developed an alternative that is using advanced technology, the prototype robotic excavation and pipe installation system. The major mechanical components are a backhoe excavator and a pipe manipulator attachment. Joystick control of hydraulic actuators, data acquisition/processing, CAD interface, and automatic as-built generation represent the main software/hardware components. The integration of an excavator with a pipe manipulator attachment, video cameras, beam-laser, spatial-positioning system, and CAD represents an innovative approach to reduce the number of terrible accidents and fatalities in this industry. The success of transferring this technology into the industry, however, will depend on how much a contractor can benefit economically. One key item is the cost associated with the efforts that are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to protect workers in an open trench. Because workers do not need to enter the trench, OSHA regulations do not have to be followed; thus a major cost factor is eliminated. This paper will not only discuss the developed hardware and software, it will also present the potential economic benefits of robotic excavation and pipe installation.