Underwater Construction Robots
~Empowering Underwater Construction of the Future~
Rising global temperatures are fueling the increasing severity and frequency of powerful storms and heavier rainfall.
One tragic impact of climate change-driven natural disasters is flooding.
Moreover, accumulation of sand, silt and even debris in our rivers, harbors and near dams can make flood damage even worse.
Dredging is vital to lessening harm, but current technology and measures are not enough to meet the challenge.
The world urgently needs a solution.
What is an underwater construction robot?
No matter the terrain, weather, or other worksite conditions, the "underwater construction robot" under development at Komatsu is our powerful answer to the challenges of safe, efficient dredging of large areas.
Specifically designed for stable and effective operations on wetland environments and soft sea or riverbeds, the robot features a long and wide crawler-tracked undercarriage that ensures high mobility and performance even on soft, unstable underwater ground.
In addition to dredging operations, the "underwater construction robot" can also assist in the creation of blue carbon ecosystems through tidal flat and seaweed bed cultivation.
Fields of activity for
underwater construction robots
River flood prevention measures
Underwater construction such as channel excavation plays a major role in prevention of river flooding by clearing riverbeds and freeing the flow of water.
River improvement work is vital to protect lives and livelihoods from flood damage.
Earthquake, flood, and landslide recovery
In the aftermath of disasters, underwater construction plays a major role in a wide variety of recovery efforts such restoration of coastal protection measures and the rapid removal of soil and debris carried into rivers by earthquakes, floods, and landslides.
Sediment removal near hydroelectric dams
When dams stop the flow of water and create reservoirs, they also block sand and other debris carried with the water, which accumulates on the reservoir floor.
Collectively called sediment, they reduce dam capacity and functionality to store water, prevent flooding, and generate power, functionality.
Underwater construction robots are expected to play an active role in removing this sediment.
Conservation and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems
“Blue carbon” is recently in the spotlight as a mechanism to mitigate global warming.
Compared with rain forests and other land-based “green carbon” ecosystems, blue carbon marine ecosystems more effectively capture and store carbon.
For the conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems such as eelgrass beds and tidal flats, underwater construction robots will certainly play an active role in the future.
In rivers and oceans
around the world,
underwater construction robots
will be on the job.
Heat waves, more typhoons…abnormal weather conditions of recent years are not unique to Japan.
Climate change, decarbonization and the environment are issues that must be tackled from a global perspective.
That’s why the future will see underwater construction robots active in rivers and oceans around the world.
Core technologies of underwater construction robots:
Automatic control and ICT construction
Industry-leading ICT-driven automatic control technology
Komatsu’s originally developed technologies are blazing a trail in the smart construction industry.
Honed over years of development, cutting-edge ICT functions and automatic control technology equipped in our underwater construction robot enable the completion of entire work sites according to plan and specification with high precision.
Moreover, it does the job underwater, even in zero visibility conditions.
Robot travel data and other information are displayed in real time on a remote-controlled monitor, enabling the operator to work safely from a location far from the site.
Underwater construction has demanded highly skilled operators in a world facing a shortage of qualified labor.
The robot is expected to solve this problem by opening operation to unskilled labor.
Underwater construction robot functions
Intelligent machine control
Vertical positioning of the blade is automatically controlled according to the load.
In addition, the blade automatically tilts according to the terrain and machine movement.
With this smart capability, the machine smoothly follow a straight path, performing efficient excavation and earth moving operations even underwater.
Environmentally-friendly battery power
Equipped with a large-capacity battery for extended continuous operation, the underwater construction robot is an environmentally friendly electric machine.
Underwater maneuverability
Designed for underwater construction work in wetlands and on soft seabed or riverbed conditions, the robot’s long, wide undercarriage provides a highly stable platform, even on soft and unstable underwater ground.
Its blade with aprons (side wings) enables optimal movement of sediment underwater without spillage, ensuring effective operation in challenging environments.
Development is focused on enhancing reliable performance in soft terrain and improving capabilities for diverse underwater construction tasks.
Development of underwater construction robots
The underwater construction robot we have recently designed and manufactured is a concept machine developed to demonstrate key concepts such as easier remote operation through ICT functionality and automated equipment control, as well as greater efficiency and accuracy in dredging work for rivers and dams.
This concept has received high praise from customers and companies involved in underwater construction.
Going forward, we are committed to realizing the "future of underwater construction" and contributing to society by introducing underwater construction robots for infrastructure maintenance and disaster response.
