Demonstration Experiment Conducted for Autonomous Operation in Pneumatic Caisson Method

Oriental Shiraishi Corporation, in collaboration with DeepX Inc., conducted a demonstration experiment for an autonomous driving system for caisson shovels as part of their ongoing research and development for the pneumatic caisson method.

During this experiment, with supervisors on-site, they verified collision prevention and obstacle avoidance functions and successfully achieved six hours of continuous, simultaneous autonomous operation, equivalent to a full day of work.

Building on these results, the companies will work toward the phased introduction of the autonomous driving system across multiple construction sites and proceed with development for the full automation of the pneumatic caisson method, including soil discharge equipment.

Background The construction industry is facing significant challenges due to an aging workforce, with over 50% of workers being 50 or older. To address this, there is an increasing movement toward labor-saving and automation. Technologies such as ICT construction using digital twins and autonomous construction machinery are highly anticipated as solutions to alleviate these challenges. Oriental Shiraishi has been collaborating with DeepX on the development of autonomous caisson shovels and conducted this experiment to verify their system in an actual construction environment.

Overview The experiment was conducted at a bridge foundation construction site with a small excavation area. The team verified the "collision prevention and obstacle avoidance" functions of three caisson shovels located in the underground workspace and confirmed "six hours of simultaneous continuous operation."

1. Collision Prevention and Obstacle Avoidance When a collision risk arose between the three caisson shovels in the narrow space, the system successfully triggered an automatic stop. Furthermore, with equipment like shelves on the ceiling set as obstacles, the machines successfully avoided them automatically when approaching.

2. Achieving Simultaneous 6-Hour Continuous Autonomous Operation The team operated three caisson shovels simultaneously at an active construction site. With supervisors present, they achieved over six hours of continuous operation, equivalent to a standard daily shift.

Future Outlook The companies will continue development to improve productivity, implement safety and operational measures, and advance the phased introduction of the autonomous driving system for soil transport in the pneumatic caisson method. Furthermore, by developing full automation, including soil discharge equipment, they aim to further improve safety and productivity at construction sites.