A Cyber-Physical System for Multi-Roller Control in Mega Infrastructure Projects

In mega civil and infrastructure projects such as dams, airports, and expressways, multiple rollers are usually used to simultaneously compact the same work zone to accelerate the construction progress. Quality control in such a multi-roller compaction scenario is a demanding task because it requires collaborative control of the roller fleet to enable the right type of roller to compact the right position at the right time with the right compaction parameters. Traditional intelligent compaction is mainly devised for single roller, and hence falls short of multi-roller control that requires real-time information sharing between rollers. To enable the collaborative control of a roller fleet, a cyber-physical system has been developed for multi-roller compaction monitoring. This paper systematically illustrates the system architecture by dividing the system into five modules, i.e., data collection module, wireless communication module, cloud-based data processing module, feedback control module, and monitoring client. The corresponding managerial mechanism based on the system is explained, which can enable effective information sharing between multiple rollers and different project stakeholders. Two case studies have been carried out respectively in a concrete slab rockfill dam project and an asphalt expressway project in China. In each case, the specific implementation workflow is introduced, and the results are analyzed. The results demonstrate effectiveness of the developed cyber-physical system in compaction process control and thus ensuring compaction quality.