Horizontal steering control on a soil compactor delivers demonstrable savings in cost, labor, and environmental impact, according to a study from Trimble.
The field study compared fuel burned, pass count, and total time required to complete a compaction operation performed manually with that using the Horizontal Steering Control functionality for Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform for Soil Compactors. The platform automatically steers a soil compactor using a 3D model or compaction pass line.
Intelligent compaction also boosts job site safety.
The goal of the study, “Quantifying Productivity and Sustainability,” was to quantify the impact of horizontal steering control on compaction overlap and its relationship to overall carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
“[W]e wanted to put our own technology to the test in the field to determine exactly what improvements were possible, especially when it comes to carbon emissions and the environmental impact of a job,” said Michael Granruth, director, business development, Trimble Civil Infrastructure Solutions, in a statement.
The study team established control variables that included area to be compacted, machine type, and soil composition. Compared to manual operation, assisted steering functionality results included:
- Reduced time to complete the task by an average of 29.36 percent
- Reduced fuel consumption by 26.46 percent
- Potential carbon savings of 15,262 pounds, or an average of 26.46 percent
- Potential labor savings of up to 40 percent
Source: Trimble
