Construction

Scientists’ automated new asphalt 3D printer paves the way for safer roads

Scientists from莫纳什大学andChang’an Universityhave built a novel asphalt 3D printer that’s capable of automatically detecting and filling cracks in pavements or roads.

By mounting a camera onto a customized FDM 3D printer, and equipping it with a novel image-processing algorithm, the team has created a bot with independent gap-sealing capabilities. According to the researchers, their automated platform could now provide local authorities with a more rapid means of repairing roads, and protecting people from the hidden dangers of unkempt infrastructure.

The scientists’ 3D printing platform is capable of automatically filling gaps in concrete or asphalt. Photo via the International Journal of Pavement Engineering.

Revolutionizing road maintenance

裂缝最常见发生在沥青路面或道路网络中,通常是由于过度交通,散热和天气变化等日常发生引起的。尽管在许多主要城市中,这种损害仍然很普遍,但它有可能导致更广泛的旅程延误,甚至伤害较少观察的人。

现金短缺的政府并没有取代不大的基础设施,而是倾向于使用裂纹密封剂进行人行道和道路维修,但手动过程是费力的且可能危险的,使工人接触了即将来临的交通。结果,最近对替代方案进行了研究,并开发了各种AI控制的平台。

A team based at the加利福尼亚大学戴维斯大学例如,已经创建了两个不同的仿生臂安装系统,但它们都证明与某些裂纹类型不相容。由于环境的变化,其他类似的机器也很容易发抖,使其不准确并泄漏。

相比之下,已取得相当大的进展ith automated 3D printing technologies recently, opening up the possibility that a correctly-modified system could take on the role of pre-programmed construction worker. In order to test this theory, the joint research team has therefore built a unique 3D printer that’s capable of depositing with precision, regardless of what’s occurring in its vicinity.

The researchers’ novel setup (pictured) allowed them to repair a set of concrete slab specimens. Image via the International Journal of Pavement Engineering.

Building a paving repair bot

The scientists built their novel platform around aPrusa I3 3D printer, featuring an upgraded mainboard, and a mounted Arduino-compatible module. Once fitted with a camera, the system essentially works by sending captured images via microcontroller to a path-planning algorithm, which independently identifies where and when sealant will be needed.

UsingMATLAB软件,团队还能够配置单独的图像处理算法,该算法自动消除背景噪声。实际上,该程序通过细分其像素将破解图像转换为二进制形式,仅留下多余的黑色正方形和可识别的白色间隙,从而加快了机器的计算速率。

Putting their rapid new platform to the test, the researchers then attempted to repair a set of cement paving slab lab specimens. During operation, the system proved capable of precisely filling simple gaps with a cold bitumen compound, but it did take 30 seconds to process each image, significantly longer than the average construction worker.

The custom machine was also guilty of over-filling at times, something that could cause accidents if used within end-use scenarios. As a result, the scientists conceded that in future, their prototype algorithm could be further optimized using deep learning methods, to produce a faster and more accurate platform with on-site field testing capabilities.

加载的3D打印机

Although several different asphalt 3D printers have been developed in recent years, none of them have proved efficient enough to warrant their end-use application.

As long ago as 2015,Advanced Paving Technologies推出了一个Kickstarter来资助其小说Asphalt Paving Machine。该设备采用LiDAR 3D扫描技术采用,使其能够以比传统的手动方法更快,更便宜和更平坦的方式在道路上检测到即将发生的裂缝。

最近,利兹大学试图发展tarmac 3D printing robots,在查找和维修之前,使用UGV捕获的数据来识别坑洼。将来,紧凑型平台也可以安装在无人机上,以此作为在崇高的地方修复难以访问的基础架构的一种手段。

In a similar vein, researchers fromUniversity College London(UCL) have created acustomized asphalt 3D printerthat’s specifically designed to repair potholes. Using their portable new platform, the team have been able to precisely control the parameters of 3D printed asphalt, and optimize the overall extrusion process.

The researchers’ findings are detailed in their paper titled “A laboratory prototype of automatic pavement crack sealing based on a modified 3D printer” The paper was co-authored by Jingwei Liu, Xu Yang, Xin Wang and Jian Wei Yam.

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特色图像显示沥青破裂,导致坑洼。通过自修理城市的照片。