Soil transport experiment with a multi-unit peristaltic transport machine for compact automatic transportation of excavated soil

In recent years, the heights of urban buildings have increased to make more efficient use of available urban space. Consequently, substructures supporting the building weight have become larger. Currently, the vertical transport of the excavated soil is conducted by a clamshell. However, the clamshell is a large construction machine, and its operation entails physical and time restrictions. This study focused on the intestinal tract that transports various fluids by contracting and relaxing the wall muscles. The aim was to downsize and automate the technology involved in the vertical transport of excavated soil with a peristaltic transport machine that simulates an intestine. The trend of transport performance was evaluated with artificial soil to understand the relation between the vertical-transport performance and driving condition of the multi-unit peristaltic transport machine. The changes in conveying performance were examined via an upload test using artificial soil. In addition, the weight of the lifted sand was measured by calculating the amount of sediment and water in the lifted sample.