Asphalt delivery and compaction method

Abstract

A dynamic asphalt paver comprising a plurality of gates for distributing the asphalt on the surface of the sub-base, at least one memory, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory(s) and the gates. Each gate is configured to independently change the position relative to the surface and distribute asphalt on the surface based on the position. The processor(s) is configured to: receive a digital model of a portion of the sub-base that is to be paved that includes a plurality of cells that correspond to the portion of the sub-base; compare each cell of the digital model to a corresponding desired cell of a plurality of desired cells of a desired digital model of the portion of the sub-base; and adjust a position of each gate in response to comparing each cell of the digital model to a corresponding desired cell of the desired digital model.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a plurality of gates for dynamically paving a surface of a sub-base with aggregate material, the method comprising:
 receiving a digital model of a portion of the sub-base that is to be paved with the aggregate material, wherein the digital model includes a plurality of cells that correspond to the portion of the sub-base;   comparing each cell of the digital model to a corresponding desired cell of a plurality of desired cells of a desired digital model of the portion of the sub-base; and   adjusting a position of each gate in response to comparing each cell of the digital model to a corresponding desired cell of the desired digital model, wherein each gate is configured to
 independently change the position of the gate relative to the surface of the sub-base and 
 distribute aggregate material on the surface of the sub-base based on the position of the gate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate material is selected from a group consisting of asphalt, concrete, asphalt-concrete, bituminous pitch with sand, and bituminous pitch with gravel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the position is selected from a group consisting of a height position relative to the surface of the sub-base, an angled position relative to the surface of the sub-base, a pitched position relative to the surface of the sub-base, and a yaw position relative to the surface of the sub-base. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 distributing the aggregate material on to the surface of the sub-base to produce a pre-compacted surface that includes a combination of the surface of the sub-base and the distributed aggregate material,   wherein the desired digital model includes a desired final surface of a final combination of the surface of the sub-base and a final amount of the aggregate material.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further including compacting the pre-compacted surface to produce an actual final surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further including
 comparing the pre-compacted surface to the desired final surface,   adjusting the position of each gate in response to comparing the pre-compacted surface to the desired final surface.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further including receiving sensor data from a sensor that is configured to measure the pre-compacted surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further including
 comparing the actual final surface to the desired final surface,   adjusting the position in response to comparing the actual final surface to the desired final surface.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including receiving sensor data from a sensor that is configured to measure the actual final surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the portion of the sub-base of the digital model is located ahead of the plurality of gates along a forward direction of travel of the plurality of gates, and   receiving the digital model of the portion of the sub-base includes
 receiving sensing data of the portion of the sub-base from a sensor located ahead of the plurality of gates along the forward direction of travel of the plurality of gates, and 
 creating the digital model of the portion of the sub-base from the sensing data. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein creating the digital model of the portion of the sub-base includes
 determining a first cell boundary of the at least a first cell relative to a position of the at least a first gate to produce a first gate offset between the at least first cell and the at least first gate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein creating the digital model of the portion of the sub-base further includes
 determining a second cell boundary of a second cell relative to a position of a second gate of the plurality of gates that corresponds and aligns to second cell, and   determining whether the second cell boundary overlaps at least part of the first cell boundary.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further including
 determining an average sub-base height in the at least a first cell,   wherein
 comparing each cell of the plurality of cells to the desired cell of the plurality of desired cells includes
 determining a cell height difference that is equal to a difference between a finished cell height of the at least first cell and the average sub-base height, and 
 determining whether the cell height difference is less than a threshold value, and 
 
 the finished cell height is a desired cell height of the first desired cell of the plurality of desired cells of the desired digital model. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein adjusting a position of each gate includes adjusting the first height based on the cell height difference. 
     
     
         15 . A dynamic asphalt paver (DAP) for paving a surface of a sub-base with aggregate material, the DAP comprising:
 a plurality of gates for distributing the aggregate material on the surface of the sub-base, wherein each gate of the plurality of gates is configured to independently move in a vertical direction that is normal to the surface of the sub-base;   at least one memory; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one memory and the plurality of gates, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 receiving a digital model of a portion of the sub-base that is to be paved with the aggregate material, wherein the digital model includes a plurality of cells that correspond to the portion of the sub-base; 
 comparing each cell of the digital model to a corresponding desired cell of a plurality of desired cells of a desired digital model of the portion of the sub-base; and 
 adjusting a position of each gate in response to comparing each cell of the digital model to a corresponding desired cell of the desired digital model, wherein each gate is configured to 
 independently change the position of the gate relative to the surface of the sub-base and 
 distribute aggregate material on the surface of the sub-base based on the position of the gate. 
   
     
     
         16 . The DAP of  claim 15 , wherein the aggregate material is selected from a group consisting of asphalt, concrete, asphalt-concrete, bituminous pitch with sand, and bituminous pitch with gravel. 
     
     
         17 . The DAP of  claim 15 , wherein the position is selected from a group consisting of a height position relative to the surface of the sub-base, an angled position relative to the surface of the sub-base, a pitched position relative to the surface of the sub-base, and a yaw position relative to the surface of the sub-base. 
     
     
         18 . The DAP of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to
 distribute the aggregate material on to the surface of the sub-base to produce a pre-compacted surface that includes a combination of the surface of the sub-base and the distributed aggregate material,   wherein the desired digital model includes a desired final surface of a final combination of the surface of the sub-base and a final amount of the aggregate material.   
     
     
         19 . The DAP of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compact the pre-compacted surface to produce an actual final surface. 
     
     
         20 . The DAP of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to
 compare the pre-compacted surface to the desired final surface,   adjust the position of each gate in response to comparing the pre-compacted surface to the desired final surface.   
     
     
         21 . The DAP of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive sensor data from a sensor that is configured to measure the pre-compacted surface. 
     
     
         22 . The DAP of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to
 compare the actual final surface to the desired final surface,   adjust the position in response to comparing the actual final surface to the desired final surface.   
     
     
         23 . The DAP of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive sensor data from a sensor that is configured to measure the actual final surface. 
     
     
         24 . The DAP of  claim 15 , wherein
 the portion of the sub-base of the digital model is located ahead of the plurality of gates along a forward direction of travel of the plurality of gates, and   receiving the digital model of the portion of the sub-base includes
 receiving sensing data of the portion of the sub-base from a sensor located ahead of the plurality of gates along the forward direction of travel of the plurality of gates, and 
 creating the digital model of the portion of the sub-base from the sensing data. 
   
     
     
         25 . The DAP of  claim 24 , wherein creating the digital model of the portion of the sub-base includes
 determining a first cell boundary of the at least a first cell relative to a position of the at least a first gate to produce a first gate offset between the at least first cell and the at least first gate.   
     
     
         26 . The DAP of  claim 25 , wherein creating the digital model of the portion of the sub-base further includes
 determining a second cell boundary of a second cell relative to a position of a second gate of the plurality of gates that corresponds and aligns to second cell, and   determining whether the second cell boundary overlaps at least part of the first cell boundary.   
     
     
         27 . The DAP of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to
 determine an average sub-base height in the at least a first cell,   wherein
 comparing each cell of the plurality of cells to the desired cell of the plurality of desired cells includes
 determining a cell height difference that is equal to a difference between a finished cell height of the at least first cell and the average sub-base height, and 
 determining whether the cell height difference is less than a threshold value, and 
 
 the finished cell height is a desired cell height of the first desired cell of the plurality of desired cells of the desired digital model. 
   
     
     
         28 . The DAP of  claim 27 , wherein adjusting a position of each gate includes adjusting the first height based on the cell height difference.