Method for planning and implementation of soil compacting processes, especially for asphalt compacting

Abstract

A method for planning and implementation of soil compacting processes using at least one soil compactor resulting in an efficient use of compactors and an improved compacting result. Under the method, a base region (B) to be compacted is defined, the relevant aspects of a soil compacting process are planned, and only then is the process implemented by moving at least compactor in the base region (B), according to the plan. The plan for the soil compacting process may include the quantity and course of compactor passes in the base region.

Claims

1. A method for planning and implementation of a compacting process for building a road, by means of at least one compactor, comprising the following steps: a) defining a base region to be compacted, wherein the base region is defined between two edge regions extending in a base region longitudinal direction of the road and wherein at least one of said edge regions is determined by an asphalt finisher applying asphalt material to be compacted by at least one compactor onto the base region while moving the asphalt finisher along the base region to be compacted in the base region longitudinal direction and thereby prepares it preparing the base region; b) based on the base region defined in step a), defining a compacting plan with quantity and course of compactor passes in the base region, wherein at least a portion of compacting passes are defined to extend in the base region longitudinal direction; wherein, in association with at least one of the edge regions, at least one of the compactor passes is defined such as to extend flush or overlapping with and along this edge region, and c) moving the at least one compactor in the base region defined in step a) according to the compacting plan defined in step b).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step a) further comprises specification of at least one compactor to be employed for compacting the base region and that in step b), the compacting plan is also defined on the basis of the at least one compactor to be employed for compacting.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one compactor to be employed for compacting of the base region is selected from a group of compactors which differ in at least one of the following parameters: Compactor roller width, Compactor weight, Compacting mode, and Crab steering capability.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the base region to be compacted is defined in step a) with respect to a base region width.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein in step b), the compacting plan is defined with at least one group of compactor passes, wherein at least one group of compactor passes comprises a plurality of adjacent compactor passes in the base region width direction, and wherein at least two adjacent compactor passes have mutually overlapping compacting paths.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in at least one group of compactor passes, all adjacent compacting paths each have a substantially equal amount of overlap.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein for at least one group of compactor passes, the adjacent compacting paths have a different amount of overlap with respect to at least one other group of compactor passes.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least two groups of compactor passes are defined with different numbers of compactor passes and/or with different positions of the compacting paths.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein for at least one group of compactor passes, at least one compacting path is defined substantially flush along an edge region of the base region to be compacted.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein for at least one group of compactor passes, one compacting path is defined substantially flush along a first edge region, and an additional compacting path is defined substantially flush along a second edge region of the base region to be compacted, and that for at least one group of compactor passes a compacting path is defined substantially flush along the first edge region, and/or for at least one group of compactor passes one compacting path is defined substantially flush along the second edge region.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the base region to be compacted is defined in step a) with respect to a base region width; and wherein in step b) a minimum number of compactor passes is determined on the basis of the width of the base region, the width of the compactor roller, and a minimum amount of overlap of adjacent compacting paths.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the minimum number of compactor passes (n) is determined such that the following relation is substantially satisfied:
BB(VWBMCA)5nVWB(n1)MCAGUST<BB, wherein: n is the minimum number of compactor passes and is a whole integer, BB is the width of the base region, VWB is the width of the compactor roller, MUA is the minimum amount of overlap, GUST is the total edge overhang.

13. The method according to claim 3 wherein the base region to be compacted is defined in step a) with respect to a base region width; and wherein in step b) a maximum number of compactor passes is determined on the basis of the width of the base region, the width of the compactor roller, and the minimum amount of overlap of adjacent compacting paths.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the maximum number of compactor passes (N) is determined such that the following relation is substantially satisfied:
BB<NVWB(N1)MCAGUST<BB+VWB, wherein: N is the maximum number of compactor passes and is a whole integer, BB is the width of the base region, VWB is the width of the compactor roller, MUA is the minimum amount of overlap, GUST is the total edge overhang.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the base region to be compacted is defined in step a) with respect to a base region width; wherein that in step b) a maximum number of compactor passes is determined on the basis of the width of the base region, the width of the compactor roller, and the minimum amount of overlap of adjacent compacting paths; wherein the maximum number of compactor passes (N) is determined such that the following relation is substantially satisfied:
BB<NVWB(N1)WAGUST<BB+VWB, wherein: N is the maximum number of compactor passes and is a whole integer, BB is the width of the base region, VWB is the width of the compactor roller, MUA is the minimum amount of overlap, GUST is the total edge overhang; wherein the following relation applies:
N=n+1.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein for one group of compactor passes with a maximum compactor pass number, one compacting path is defined substantially flush along a first edge region and an additional compacting path is defined substantially flush along a second edge region of the base region to be compacted, and that the amount of overlap of adjacent compacting paths of this group of compactor passes is determined such that the following relation substantially applies:
BB+GUST=NVWB(N1)UA, wherein: UA is the amount of overlap, GUST is the total edge overhang.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein at least one compactor pass comprises a movement of at least one compactor used for compacting the base region moved forward in a first movement direction and back in a second movement direction opposite to the first movement direction.

Description

(1) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached figures. Wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is basically a side view of a compactor with two compactor rollers;

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of a base region to be compacted, with three mutually overlapping compacting paths;

(4) FIG. 3 is an example of a group of compactor passes with mutually overlapping compacting paths that cover the base region to be compacted over its entire width;

(5) FIG. 4 is a depiction corresponding to FIG. 3 with two groups of compactor passes, neither of which entirely covers the base region to be compacted in the direction of the base region width;

(6) FIG. 5 is a depiction according to FIGS. 3 and 4 with overhang in the edge region.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a basic representation and side view of a compactor represented in general by reference number 10, which is moving along a base region B to be compacted, in order to compact the soil material M of the base region B in one or several compactor passes. This material B can be, for example, asphalt material used in road construction, which is applied with an asphalting machine in one or several layers in a flowable state and is to be compacted by one or several compactors 10 before it fully hardens.

(8) The compactor 10 in the illustrated example comprises two compactor rollers 12, 14, generally also termed drums. The compactor roller 12 is mounted on a front compactor frame 16 in a rotatable manner and can also be driven to rotate. Compactor roller 14 is mounted on a front compactor frame 18 in a rotatable manner and can also be driven to rotate. The front frame 16 and the rear frame 18 are mounted on a middle frame 20 so as to be pivotable about vertical axes A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 by means of a pivot drive (not shown). First of all this allows directional control, and secondly allows the use of so-called crab steering. In this regard, the front roller 12 and the rear roller 14 are turned in the side direction, that is, offset with respect to one another orthogonally to the plane of the illustration in FIG. 1, but still with an approximately parallel roller axis of rotation. In this crab steering, therefore, the surface area of the base region to be compacted and covered in the forward movement of the compactor 10 is enlarged, wherein a partial area of this covered surface area is rolled by two compactor rollers 12, 14, whereas on both sides there are partial areas that are covered or rolled by only one of the two compactor rollers 12, 14. It should be pointed out that quite obviously this adjustability of the crab steering can also be attained by a different design of the compactor. For instance, the entire compactor frame can be intrinsically rigid and the pivot drive for the two compactor rollers 12, 14 can be implemented by vertical pivot axes where the rollers are attached to the intrinsically rigid compactor frame.

(9) A driver's cab denoted by reference number 22 is provided on the middle compactor frame 20 with a seat 24 and a display 26. Via the display 26, information relevant to the compacting process can be displayed for the operator seated on the seat 24.

(10) By means of a radio unit denoted in general by reference number 28, the compactor 10 can send information to and/or receive information from a central station or another compactor. Furthermore, the radio unit 28 can also be designed as a GPS unit and in this manner can receive information about the positioning of the compactor 10 in space.

(11) It should be pointed out here that when implementing a compacting process, even differently configured compactors can be employed. For example, they can be designed without the crab steering feature. The compactors can also differ in the number of compacting rollers used, and if a compactor has only one compactor roller, it can in general have wheels in the rear area of the frame for propulsion. Compactors can also differ in the width of the one or several compacting rollers, likewise also in the compactor weight or weight distribution on the two rollers.

(12) One essential aspect in which these compactors may differ is the compaction modes that they can use. This includes various physical aspects in addition to the surface load applied by the intrinsic weight, by which the compacting result attained by a compactor pass can be affected or adjusted. One such compacting mode, for example, is the vibration mode in which a vibration mechanism located in one particular compactor roller causes the compactor roller to perform an oscillating movement essentially in the vertical direction. Another compacting mode can comprise an oscillation operation in which a compactor roller is driven by an oscillation drive to perform an oscillating movement in the circumferential direction about its roller axis of rotation. Of course, these different operating modes can also differ in their particular oscillation frequency or amplitude. In this context it is basically also possible to provide an oscillation mode and a vibration mode in one and the same compactor roller. The compacting modes can also include a static compacting mode, that is, rolling with one or more compactor rollers without additional generation of oscillating movements. In this regard it should be pointed out that the expression Global Positioning System (GPS) here represents a plurality of different, generally satellite-based systems which allow real-time determination of the position of a device equipped with one such unit, that is for example, a compactor or an asphalt finisher or similar equipment, and accordingly to provide the data representing this position or the motion sequence, or to use such data to control forward movement, for example. In this regard it is also possible, in particular, to interpret several grouped rubber wheels, possibly offset or overlapping one other, in their entirety as one or several compactor rollers.

(13) With the use of one or several compactors, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a base region B and/or the material M located therein, asphalt for example, as depicted in the top view in FIG. 2, can be compacted by means of the procedure described below. First, the base region B to be compacted is defined with respect to various parameters. One important parameter is the width of the base region BB. Also, the length of the base region BL plays a substantial role, especially in the compacting of asphalt material, since it is an important determining factor for the surface of the base region to be compacted and it must be taken into account that the compacting process must be essentially completed before the compacting material reaches a state, for example due to cooling, in which additional compacting is virtually no longer possible. Depending on the area to be compacted, that is, depending on the length of base region BL and the width of the base region BB, a decision can be made about how many compactors are to be used to implement a compacting process and how quickly these must be driven forward. Also, the selection of the compactor to be used is governed by the various compacting modes, the compactor weight, and/or the compactor roller width, and of course also by the crab steering feature.

(14) When selecting the compactor(s) to be used, in general the structure of the material M to be compacted also has to be taken into account, or the compacting result desired after completion of the compacting process. In particular in road construction, an asphalt model can be prepared, in a known manner, in which the desired degree of compaction can be specified with allowance for asphalt layering. With allowance for this desired degree of compaction, one or several employed compactors can be selected from among a group of compactors which differ in at least one of the parameters specified and mentioned above. When selecting several compactors from the group, of course compactors having the same design can also be used. This means that in the group of fundamentally different compactors, several compactors of the same type can also be grouped together. In addition, with allowance for this asphalt model or a model in general which represents the compacting result, it can be specified how many passes are needed with the selected compactor(s) in order to achieve the desired degree of compaction.

(15) Based on these criteria, that is, the criteria which, on the one hand, define the base region to be compacted, for example in terms of its geometric characteristics and the desired compacting success, and on the other, based on the selected compactor(s) and/or their design, are used to devise a compacting plan that specifies how the compactor(s) are to move in the base region being compacted in order to ensure that the desired success, namely a particular degree of compaction, can be attained. This preparation of a compacting plan is described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

(16) FIG. 3 shows a basic representation of the base region B to be compacted, which features the two edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 extending in the base region longitudinal direction R.sub.L, that is to say, the edge regions of a road under construction. Between these two edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 the base region B extends by its base region width BB, wherein a base region width direction R.sub.B runs, for example, essentially orthogonally to the base region longitudinal direction R.sub.L.

(17) The course of the base region B to be compacted in the base region longitudinal direction R.sub.L, which is indicated primarily also in FIG. 2, is fundamentally determined by the course of the two edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2. Therefore, to prepare the compacting plan in the manner described below, it can be advantageous to first define these edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 with respect to their course and also their particular end in the base region longitudinal direction R.sub.L. This can be done, for example, based on mapping information generated by means of a survey, which contains the course of the base region to be compacted, for example, for a road under construction. In an alternative procedure, the course of the edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 and/or the course of at least one of these two edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 can be determined in a work step preceding a compaction process. In this regard a device can be used which moves in such a preceding work step in the base region B to be subsequently compacted. In preparation of a road, for example, an asphalt finisher can be used which applies asphalt material onto the base region B for subsequent compaction. By means of the two lateral end regions of the asphalt finisher and/or of the asphalt mat applied thereon, the edge regions BR.sub.1, BR.sub.2 can be defined. Thus it is possible, for example, to provide one or several GPS units on at least one side area of said device or asphalt finisher at a position which essentially coincides with the side edge of an applied asphalt layer. During the advance of this device, these GPS units can detect the spatial position of the side edge of the applied asphalt layer and thus also the position in space of the particular edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 of the base region B to be compacted. These data can be transmitted to a unit which prepares a compacting plan, for example to a central processing unit, and can be used there to define the edge regions BR.sub.1, BR.sub.2 and thus also to define the base region B to be compacted.

(18) If the total width of the base region B to be compacted, that is, the lateral separation of the two edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2, exceeds the working width of one such device, that is for example, an asphalt finisher, then at the two side areas of this device, GPS units can be provided which detect the assigned edge region BR.sub.1 and/or BR.sub.2 so that in a prior movement step, both edge regions BR.sub.1, BR.sub.2 are detected and/or the data defining their position in space are determined and can be processed for preparation of the compacting plan. Alternatively, it is also possible to detect by measurement only the position of a single edge region and then to calculate the location of the other edge region by using knowledge of the width of the base region B. In particular when the base region B is so wide that prior processing is not possible with a single device, such as with a single asphalt finisher, then several such finishers can be operated side by side, at somewhat of an offset in the production direction, in order to apply several asphalt layers which in their totality define the base region B to be compacted. Then the GPS units detecting the two edge regions BR.sub.1, BR.sub.2 can be located on each of the different devices moving along the particular edge region.

(19) In particular when preparing the base region B for compacting with several devices, asphalt finishers for example, the total base region processed by all these devices can be used in its totality as the base region B to be compacted in order to prepare the compacting plan, especially when using the edge regions bordering this total region. Alternatively, it is possible to define a separate base region B, with particular edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 to be allocated to each of the individual devices, wherein several such base regions B, each to be provided with its own compaction plan, can lie next to one another, and then the edge region BR.sub.1 of the one base region B will substantially correspond to the edge region BR.sub.2 of the adjacent base region B.

(20) To prepare a compacting plan, for example a first group G.sub.1 of compactor passes BV can be defined. Each compactor pass BV is assigned to a compacting path S, along which a compactor 10 such as that illustrated for example in FIG. 1 moves in a particular compactor pass BV. For example, according to definition, in a compactor pass BV the base region compactor 10 moves forward once in a first movement direction R.sub.1 and once back in an opposing, second movement direction R.sub.2. In each compactor pass BV, in this definition of a compactor pass BV, the compactor 10 thus moves twice along the intended compacting path S, so that when using the compactor 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, the result is that the surface area covered by a particular compacting path S is rolled four times by a compacting roller, namely twice by the compacting roller 12 and twice by the compacting roller 14.

(21) The first group G.sub.1 of compactor passes BV illustrated in FIG. 3 thus combines a total of four compactor passes BV.sub.1a, BV.sub.1b, BV.sub.1c, and BV.sub.1d located at an offset to each other in the base region width direction R.sub.B, and each with compacting paths S.sub.1a, S.sub.1b, S.sub.1c and S.sub.1d. In this context each compacting path S corresponds to a width of the compactor roller area VWB of the compactor roller 12 or 14 moving along the base region B.

(22) From FIG. 3 it is evident that in the first group G.sub.1 of compactor passes BV, one compacting path S.sub.1a or S.sub.1d is defined for each of the edge regions BR.sub.1 and/or BR.sub.2. Here a particular side edge of the compactor roller 12 or 14 can be controlled such that it is defined approximately exactly along the edge region BR.sub.1 or BR.sub.2. Also, some overhang can be provided to ensure that, allowing for unavoidable imprecision during movement of the compactor 10, no surface area is produced in which the material M is not, or is not sufficiently, compacted at any particular edge region BR.sub.1 or BR.sub.2.

(23) It is further evident that the compacting paths S.sub.1a to S.sub.1d are placed so that adjacent compacting paths S overlap each other with a certain amount of overlap A.sub.1. This amount of overlap A.sub.1 is the same for all three of the overlap areas .sub.1ab, .sub.1bc, and U.sub.1cd here between adjacent compacting paths S, so that a uniform distribution of the compacting paths S is obtained in the base region width direction R.sub.B.

(24) FIG. 4 shows two alternatively defined groups G.sub.2 and G.sub.3 of compactor passes BV. Each of these two groups G.sub.2 and G.sub.3 has one fewer compacting path S and/or compactor pass BV than the first group G.sub.1 of compactor passes. For example, the second group G.sub.2 of compactor passes BV has three compactor passes BV.sub.2a, BV.sub.2b, and BV.sub.2c, each with one compacting path S.sub.2a, S.sub.2b, and S.sub.2c. The compacting path S.sub.2a visible in the left of FIG. 4 is defined such that it is located either essentially exactly, or with some overhang along the edge region BR.sub.1. The individual compacting paths S.sub.2a, S.sub.2b, and S.sub.2c overlap one other with an amount of overlap A.sub.2 which can be selected such that it corresponds to a minimum amount of overlap, but at least is not smaller. The minimum amount of overlap can be specified, for example, such that with allowance for the unavoidable imprecision in the advancing movement of a compactor, a condition in which adjacent passes no longer overlap one another or have an non-compacted area between them is avoided.

(25) In the second group G.sub.2, it is evident for example that under the proviso that the amount of overlap A.sub.2 is in the vicinity of the minimum amount of overlap, the three specified compactor passes BV.sub.2a, BV.sub.2b, and BV.sub.2c cannot cover the total width of base region BB of the base region B to be compacted. A non-rolled edge strip N.sub.2 remains.

(26) The third group G.sub.3 of compactor passes BV likewise has three compactor passes BV.sub.3a, BV.sub.3b, and BV.sub.3c, with compacting paths S.sub.3a, S.sub.3b, and S.sub.3c respectively. The compactor passes BVU of the third group G.sub.3 are configured such that the compacting path S.sub.3c of the compactor pass BV.sub.3c shown in the far right in FIG. 4 or close to the edge region BR.sub.2, runs either substantially exactly or with an overhang along this edge region BR.sub.2.

(27) The amount of overlap A.sub.3 provided in this third group G.sub.3 of compactor passes BV can also be selected at or near a minimum amount of overlap, in order to cover the largest possible surface area in the base region width direction R.sub.B with the three defined compactor passes BV.sub.3a, BV.sub.3b and BV.sub.3c. Nonetheless here too there is an edge strip N.sub.3 in which the base region B is not rolled in the third group G.sub.3 of compactor passes in the base region width direction BB and is thus not compacted.

(28) For example, the positioning of the second group G.sub.2 of compactor passes BV in a base region B is depicted in a top view in FIG. 2. One can identify the compacting path S.sub.2a defined along the edge region BR.sub.1, as well as the area N.sub.2 formed between the compacting path S.sub.2c and the second edge region BR.sub.2 and not covered by this second group G.sub.2 of compactor passes BV. Also evident are the overlap areas .sub.2ab and .sub.2bc between the compacting paths S.sub.2a and S.sub.2b on the one hand, and the compacting paths S.sub.2b and S.sub.2c on the other.

(29) If necessary, several such groups G.sub.1, G.sub.2, and G.sub.3 can be laid one over the other to prepare a compacting plan, that is, they can be executed one after the other. For example, the sequence could be such that first the group G.sub.1 is executed, then group G.sub.2, and then group G.sub.3. The result will be that, disregarding the overlap areas .sub.1ab, .sub.1bc, .sub.1cd, .sub.2ab, .sub.2bc, .sub.3ab, and .sub.3bc between adjacent compacting paths S, in the base region width direction BB nearly every surface area of base region B is covered by three passes. If one also considers that in each of the groups G.sub.1, G.sub.2, G.sub.3, the overlap areas .sub.1ab, .sub.1bc, .sub.1cd, .sub.2ab, .sub.2bc, .sub.3ab, and .sub.3bc are present, in which a double pass occurs, and if one further considersas a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 clearly showsthat the overlap areas .sub.1ab, .sub.1bc, .sub.1cd, .sub.2ab, .sub.2bc, .sub.3ab, and .sub.3bc formed in the various groups G.sub.1, G.sub.2, G.sub.3 are each offset to each other in the width direction R.sub.B, this leads to a compacting plan in which, in addition to the three compactor passes per surface unit discussed above, for nearly all surface areas an additional compactor pass occurs owing to the totality of the overlap areas .sub.1ab, .sub.1bc, .sub.1cd, .sub.2ab, .sub.2bc, .sub.3ab, and .sub.3bc, so that after execution of the three groups G.sub.1, G.sub.2, and G.sub.3, a larger surface area of the base region B is compacted by four compactor passes BV, whereas in particular near the edge regions BR1 and BR2 a smaller number of compactor passes occur, and likewise in a few intermediate regions, which are not covered by overlap areas .sub.1ab, .sub.1bc, .sub.1cd, .sub.2ab, .sub.2bc, .sub.3ab, and .sub.3bc. But basically very uniform processing or compacting of the material M in the base region B is obtained.

(30) Based on two groups G.sub.2 and G.sub.1 of compactor passes BV, FIG. 5 shows the provision of an overhang ST in one or in both edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2 of base region B. This overhang can be chosen such that with allowance for the unavoidable movement imprecision when driving a compactor, the entire surface in base region B is covered, even to the particular edge area BR.sub.1 or BR.sub.2, in one group of compactor passes. For example, the overhang could be selected such that it corresponds to the minimum amount of overlap.

(31) With respect to group G.sub.2, which otherwise corresponds to the group G.sub.2, it is evident that the compactor pass BV.sub.2a on the far left, that is, near the edge region BR.sub.1, extends laterally over the edge region BR.sub.1 with an overhang ST which is defined here by the total overhang GST. The result is that the otherwise equally formed group G.sub.2 of compactor passes BV is shifted to the left, that is, in the direction of edge region BR.sub.1. The result of this is that the uncovered edge area N.sub.2 is larger than in the case when the compactor pass BV.sub.2a runs as precisely as possible along the edge region BR.sub.1 without the overhang ST.

(32) With regard to group G.sub.1, which is also depicted in FIG. 5 and which otherwise basically corresponds to the group G.sub.1 and has a number of compactor passes BV such that they can cover the entire width area of the base region B, the two compactor passes BV.sub.1a and BV.sub.1d are defined such that they each overlap the assigned edge region BR.sub.1 or BR.sub.2 respectively with an overhang ST. Here too, the particular overhang ST can be selected such that it corresponds to the minimum amount of overlap. Thus a total overhang GST is formed, which thus substantially corresponds to 2 times the overhang ST present at one particular edge region BR.sub.1 and/or BR.sub.2, and thus for example also corresponds to 2 times the minimum amount of overlap. The result of providing this total overhang GST is that the amount of overlap A.sub.1 occurring in the particular overlap areas is less than in the case of group G.sub.1 of FIG. 3, in which the compactor passes BV.sub.1a and BV.sub.1d are defined essentially with no overhang along the edge regions BR.sub.1 and BR.sub.2. In calculating the particular amount of overlap in one groupdepending on whether an overhang ST is provided or notthis quantity can be set either to zero, namely when essentially no overhang is used, or its specific value can be allowed for, namely when a particular value of overhang is to be used.

(33) As already disclosed above, in accordance with the asphalt model cited above, the number of compactor passes and/or of the individual passes referred to the compactor rollers can be specified and then combined into a compacting plan through the corresponding overlay of said groups of compactor passes. In this context it is self-evident that the compactor passes or groups of compactor passes combined into one such compacting plan can be positioned or configured differently than depicted in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. For example, one group of compactor passes could be selected in which none of the compacting paths runs directly along an edge region BR.sub.1 and/or BR.sub.2. Furthermore, obviously one or a number of these groups could be multiply provided in a compacting plan, wherein advantageously a group defined with a different location of compacting paths lies between a multiply repeated group of compactor passes in order to ensure that the overlap areas formed after two directly sequential passes do not lie exactly on the same surface area of the base region.

(34) After preparation of this kind of compacting plan with the corresponding definition of the location of the compacting paths in the base region B to be processed, this plan can be converted into a geodata model. This means that the initially abstract compacting paths S running in the base region B are converted into geodata which describe the actual course of a particular compacting path in space. These data can then be transmitted to the specific compactor that is to be used, so that the potential is created in the compactor itself to move it along the compacting paths now present in geodata. This can be implemented fully automatically, for example in that, by allowing for the GPS signals received over the radio receiver 28 and comparing the geodata of a particular compacting path stored in the compactor 10, the compactor 10 is steered automatically with no significant interaction required on the part of the operator. In an alternative procedure, the course of compacting paths could be displayed on the display 26, just as the position of the compactor 10 or its path, so that an operator 10 is able to move the compactor 10 along the compacting path indicated on the display 26 with the smallest possible deviation. In this regard the course of movement of the compactor 10 can then be recorded and maintained as backup data so as to check subsequently that the compactor 10 was in fact moved with the necessary precision along the compacting paths specified in the compacting plan. Of course, data can also be stored that further specifies the completed compacting process, for example data relating to the compacting mode of a specific compactor or even possible errors, for example the failure of a system needed for setting a compactor mode, such as a vibration mechanism or an oscillation mechanism.

(35) The entity preparing the compacting plan, for example, the central station optionally receiving data regarding the course of the edge regions, need not necessarily be separated from a compactor employed for soil compaction. For example, it can also be located on a compactor and can use the information generated by conversion of the particular compacting paths into geodata to guide a compactor along a particular, defined compacting path, or to display relevant information. Furthermore, it is also possible that such a central station provided on a compactor also communicates with other compactors operating in this or in another base region being compacted, in order to transmit the geodata to them regarding the compacting paths necessary for a particular compacting step based on the compacting plans prepared for the particular compactor.