PMARLab

DEVELOPMENT OF A TELE-OPERATED CLIMBING ROBOT FOR SLOPE CONSOLIDATION AND LANDSLIDE MONITORING

European research project 5th FP (CRAF-1999-70796) launched in March 2002 with duration of 2 years
The objective of this project is the development of a tele-operated climbing robotic system (ROBOCLIMBER) for slope consolidation and monitoring, to remotely and automatically perform deep drilling, thus reducing lowering the operation operating costs and working time, while avoiding the human presence in unsafe and harsh environments. ROBOCLIMBER will be composed of a climbing module, capable of moving on irregular and rocky steep walls and of an automatic drilling unit. The continuous monitoring of the drilling process, through the control system, will collect data about ground morphology and stratification, thus allowing the monitoring of unstable slopes.

Modularity in leg design
Requirements about the maximum obstacle size to overcome (500*500*500 mm) suggested to adopt a leg made by two identical groups: a first one for foot’s extension/retraction (500 mm stroke), a second for thigh’s extension/retraction (500 mm stroke).
Modularity was a bit relaxed due to:
stress: thigh, other than bending transmitted by first limb, has a high torque load;
need to have a compact lateral size: the 500 mm step may be completed with a thigh having a smaller stroke (300 mm) by exploiting the co-ordinated action of thigh rotation and stretching
previous adjustment reduced also the arm of forces and so bending and torque and loads on the legs’ anchor points

Modularity in frame design
The mesh was built by minimizing the number and kind of profiles (mainly square tubes, using C shapes for facing high loads). In addition the frame is symmetric about two planes (only a quarter part has to be specified), apart the anchoring of the drilling cage and of the tirfors.