Design of an Automatic Draft Power Controller for Bulldozers

A closed-loop control system has been designed which will adjust dozer blade penetration to maximize work rate under typical dozing conditions. This paper explains the operation and requirements of such a system referred to as the Automatic Draft Power Controller (ADPC). This system is currently being developed for the Naval Construction Engineering Laboratory for use on large scale earthmoving projects. The control system described in this paper may also be applied to other types of earthmoving equipment besides bulldozers.