Automatic segment assembly method of shield tunneling machine based on multiple optoelectronic sensors

Shield tunneling machine is a kind of special engineering equipment used for underground construction, which plays an important role on city development. Automatic segment assembly can significantly improve the operation efficiency and ensure the safety of workers. In this paper we present an automatic segment assembly method of shield tunneling machine based on multiple optoelectronic sensors, which includes laser displacement sensors (LDSs) and smart cameras. The LDSs are used to get the level difference information by measuring the distance between the erector and the corresponding segments, and the gap of the segments is achieved through sense the mating surfaces of both the under assembly and previously assembled segments by the smart cameras. Experiments were conducted to confirm the performance of the proposed method. The results demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the method.