Patent Publication Number: US-9903077-B2

Title: System and method for performing a compaction operation

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a system and a method for performing a compaction operation, and in particular, to a system and a method for performing a compaction operation by a compactor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Preparation of roadways, building sites, embankments and other surfaces often requires compaction to produce desired material properties. To facilitate material compaction, compactors (also referred to as compacting machines) are often employed to compact soil, gravel, asphalt, and other materials. Compactors may include, for example, a rotating drum having one or more rotatable drum assemblies which roll over the material to be compacted. The rotating drum may be a static roller system in which the weight of the compactor and the drum produces the compaction. Some compactors also include a vibratory mechanism which provides a compaction effort to enhance the compaction process, generally, based on the characteristics of the material to be compacted and stage of compaction operation. 
     Compaction operation generally includes driving one or more compactors over a work area multiple times until it is compacted to target. Material being compacted is normally initially soft and of low density before compaction begins. After each pass, the level of compaction of the material incrementally increases and therefore, the subsequent passes should be performed with a different compaction effort. Usually, this effect is achieved by using two or more distinct compactors in series with each one of the compactors set at a different compaction effort. 
     Current approaches for deciding and changing the setting of the vibratory mechanism rely mostly upon operator judgment and perception, which require substantial operator training and preparation time. These approaches have the potential for human error and tend to be inconsistent in quality. Accordingly, when constructing long roads and highways, a significant number of pavement and rolling deficiencies appear. These deficiencies tend to increase construction time and cost. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,236,923 (hereinafter referred to as “the &#39;923 patent”) describes a method and apparatus for controlling the inflation pressure on a pneumatic compactor. The &#39;923 patent describes that the method and apparatus includes means for dynamically determining a level of density of a material to be compacted, a control system for determining a desired inflation pressure as a function of the density, and an inflation pressure system for adjusting the inflation pressure in response to the desired inflation pressure. In one example, the &#39;923 patent describes that the control system determines the level of density of material as a function of the number of passes of the pneumatic compactor over a compaction area. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for compacting a work area is provided. The system includes a compactor having a variable vibratory mechanism for providing a compaction effort to the work area. The system further includes a location sensor to generate a location data for the compactor. The system further includes a controller in communication with the location sensor and the variable vibratory mechanism. The controller is configured to determine a pass count for the work area based on the location data. The controller is further configured to determine a target compaction effort for the work area based on the pass count. The controller is further configured to modify the compaction effort to the target compaction effort. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating a compactor providing a compaction effort over a work area is provided. The method includes generating a location data for the compactor. The method further includes determining a pass count for the work area based on the location data. The method further includes determining a target compaction effort for the work area based on the pass count. The method further includes modifying the compaction effort to the target compaction effort. 
     In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a compactor is provided. The compactor includes a frame and a compacting drum operably connected to the frame. The compactor also includes a variable vibratory mechanism coupled to the compacting drum. The variable vibratory mechanism is configured to provide a compaction effort to a work area. The compactor further includes a control system. The control system includes a location sensor configured to generate a location data for the compactor. The control system further includes a controller in communication with the location sensor and the variable vibratory mechanism. The controller is configured to receive the location data. The controller is further configured to determine a pass count for work area based on the location data. The controller is further configured to determine a target compaction effort for the work area based on the pass count. The controller is further configured to modify the compaction effort to the target compaction effort. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a planar diagrammatic view of a compactor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic view of a control system in connection with a variable vibratory mechanism of the compactor of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic view of a control system in connection with a variable vibratory mechanism of the compactor of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a display device of the compactor of  FIG. 1  showing a map, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to specific aspects or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary representation of a system  10 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In  FIG. 1 , a diagrammatic planar view of a compactor  100  (also referred to as compacting machine) is shown. The compactor  100  may refer to any type of machine for compacting a paving material, such as, for example, soil, sand, gravel, loose bedrock, asphalt, recycled concrete, bituminous mixtures, or any other compactable material. For example, the compactor  100  may include a rolling compactor, a plate compactor, a self-propelled compactor, a compactor towed behind a paving machine, or any compaction device known in the art. In the illustration of  FIG. 1 , the compactor  100  is shown as an asphalt compactor. However, those of skill in the art will recognize that any type of compactor may be used, such as a soil compactor, landfill compactor, utility compactor, etc. 
       FIG. 1  also illustrates a representation of a work area  12 , shown in the form of a strip, layered with a paving material  14  to be compacted. The work area  12  may be a part of a larger worksite (shown in  FIG. 4 ) in which multiple compactors  100  may be operating to complete the compaction operation. That is, the larger worksite may be divided into multiple work areas  12 . The work areas  12  may be of any size, but are usually sized to allow accurate measurement of the compaction state of the entirety of the work area  12  and display of the compaction state of work areas  12  to the operator of the compactor  100 . A work area  12  sized too large would have multiple compaction states, whereas a work area  12  too small would complicate compaction of the worksite since the operator would not be able to control the compaction state of a specific work area  12  without affecting surrounding work areas  12 . In one example, each work area  12  may be an area ⅓ meter by ⅓ meter. The work areas  12  may be displayed to operator of the compactor  100  as a map (shown in  FIG. 4 ), indicating a pass count state of the work area  12 , what work areas  12  are at the desired compaction state, and which work areas  12  continue to need compaction effort applied to reach the desired compaction state. 
     The compactor  100  may include a frame  104 , and an operator cab  106  supported on the frame  104  and having an operator input device such as a steering wheel  108  or similar control device for controlling a travel direction of the compactor  100 . The compactor  100  may further include an engine  110 . The engine  110  may by supported on the frame  104  and may be configured to provide mechanical and/or electrical power to the compactor  100 . The engine  110  may include a variety of suitable engine types. For example, the engine  110  may include an internal combustion engine, an electric generator, a fluid pump, or any other suitable device configured to propel the compactor  100 . In one example, the engine  110  may be configured to provide power to components of the compactor  100 , such as a first motor  112 , a second motor  114 , and other systems of the compactor  100 . The motors  112 ,  114  may be operably coupled to the engine  110  via electrical wires, fluid conduits, or any other suitable connection. For example, where the engine  110  provides electrical power, the motors  112 ,  114  may be electric motors. Alternatively, where the engine  110  provides hydraulic power, the motors  112 ,  114  may be fluid motors. 
     The compactor  100  may include various components to facilitate the compaction operation, and further prevents de-compaction and crushing of the paving material  14  during the compaction operation. The compactor  100  may include one or more compacting elements, such as a first compacting drum  116  and a second compacting drum  118 . The first compacting drum  116  and the second compacting drum  118  may be rotatably mounted on the frame  104 . The first compacting drum  116  and the second compacting drum  118  may be operatively connected to the first motor  112  and the second motor  114 , respectively, such that the first motor  112  may drive the first compacting drum  116  and the second motor  114  may drive the second compacting drum  118 . 
     In an embodiment, the compactor  100  may further include a variable vibratory mechanism  120 . The variable vibratory mechanism  120  may be disposed in connection with the compacting drums  116 ,  118 . Specifically, the variable vibratory mechanism  120  may include a first vibratory mechanism  122  and a second vibratory mechanism  124  coupled to the first compacting drum  116  and the second compacting drum  118 , respectively. In one example, the first vibratory mechanism  122  and the second vibratory mechanism  124  may also be operatively connected to the first motor  112  and the second motor  114 , respectively. The variable vibratory mechanism  120  may be configured to provide a compaction effort to the work area  12 . In particular, the variable vibratory mechanism  120  may be configured to make the compacting drums  116 ,  118  vibrate with a predetermined frequency and amplitude depending on the requirements of the compaction operation. It may be contemplated that the compaction effort is directly proportional to the amplitude of vibration, and usually inversely proportional to the frequency of vibration. Therefore, an increase in compaction effort demands an increase in amplitude of vibration, and vice-versa. 
     It may be understood that the term “variable vibratory mechanism” may not be limited to mechanisms providing compaction effort using only vibrations of the compacting elements, but may also apply to other type of mechanisms which provide compaction effort using, for example, oscillatory or reciprocating movement of the compacting elements. In the subsequent paragraphs, the functioning of the variable vibratory mechanism  120  has been described in terms of the first vibratory mechanism  122 . However, it may be contemplated that the same description applies to the second vibratory mechanism  124  as well. In some examples, the first vibratory mechanism  122  may include one or more weights (not shown) disposed inside an interior volume of the first compacting drum  116 . The one or more weights may be disposed at a position off-center from a common axis (not shown) around which the first compacting drum  116  rotates. That is, the weights are eccentrically positioned with respect to the common axis and are typically movable with respect to each other about the common axis to produce varying degrees of imbalance during rotation of the weights. As the first compacting drum  116  rotates, the off-center or eccentric positions of the weights induce oscillatory or vibrational forces to the first compacting drum  116 , which in turn are imparted to the work area  12  being compacted. 
     The amplitude of the vibrations produced by such an arrangement of eccentric rotating weights may be varied by changing the positioning of the eccentric weights with respect to each other about their common axis. This varies the average distribution of mass, that is, the centroid, with respect to the common axis of the weights. It may be contemplated that the amplitude in such an arrangement increases as the centroid moves away from the common axis of the weights and decreases toward zero as the centroid moves toward the common axis. Further, varying the rotational speed of the weights about their common axis may change the frequency of the vibrations produced by such an arrangement of rotating eccentric weights. In some examples, the eccentrically positioned weights are arranged to rotate inside the first compacting drum  116  independently of its rotation so as to have more control over changing the amplitude and/or frequency of the vibration of the first compacting drum  116  during the compaction operation. 
     Both, amplitude and frequency of vibration are typically controlled to vary the degree of compaction. By altering the distance of the eccentric weights from the common axis in variable vibratory mechanism  120 , the amplitude portion of the compaction effort is modified. By altering the speed of rotation of the eccentric weights about the common axis, the frequency portion of the compaction effort is modified. Additionally, both the amplitude portion and the frequency portion of the compaction effort of the variable vibratory mechanism  120  may be modified by changing both, the distance of the eccentric weights and the speed of rotation of the eccentric weights with respect to the common axis, at the same time. The present disclosure is not limited to such arrangement of eccentric weights, as described above. In some examples, other types of variable vibratory mechanism that modifies the compaction effort of the compactor  100  may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Further, it may be understood that the compactor  100  may include fewer or additional components designed to compact the paving material  14 , and still achieve the desired compaction effort over the work area  12 . For example, the compactor  100  may include only one compacting element, such as the first compacting drum  116  and includes tires in place of the second compacting drum  118 . Further, the compacting drums  116 ,  118  may include various surface configurations to facilitate compaction of the paving material  14 , such as the surface of the compacting drums  116 ,  118  may be generally smooth and/or include a studded surface. 
     As schematically depicted in  FIG. 1 , the compactor  100  may include a control system  126  for controlling the compaction operation over the work area  12 . In another embodiment, the control system  126  may be located remote of the compactor  100 , being a part of the system  10 . The terms “control system  126 ” and “system  10 ” have been interchangeably used in view of such embodiment. The control system  126  controls the power supplied from the engine  110  to the motors  112 ,  114 , and thus controls the compaction effort produced by the variable vibratory mechanism  120 .  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the control system  126 . The blocks, as shown in  FIG. 2 , represent various components of the control system  126 , and further various lines represent the signal lines configured for data communication between the various components of the control system  126 . The directional arrows represent the transmission of data from one component to other component of the control system  126 . 
     In an embodiment, the control system  126  may include a location sensor  200 . The location sensor  200  may be configured to determine the location of the compactor  100 , specifically, with respect to the work area  12 . In one example, the location sensor  200  may be disposed on the compactor  100 . The location sensor  200  may include one or more of a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), a laser-based positioning system, a trilateration/triangulation based system using cellular or Wi-Fi networks, a pseudo-satellite, a ranging radio, and a perception sensor. In other examples, the location sensor  200  may be an external component configured to track the movement of the compactor  100  using radar or similar tracking systems. However, other location determining systems, for example, dead reckoning or the like, could be used as well. The location sensor  200  may be configured to generate a location data ‘X’ indicative of the movement of the compactor  100 . 
     In some examples, the control system  126  may also include a compaction sensor  202 . The compaction sensor  202  may be located on one or both of the compacting drums  116 ,  118  of the compactor  100 . The compaction sensor  202  may be configured to generate compaction data ‘C’ corresponding to the density of the paving material  14  being compacted as the compactor  100  traverses the work area  12 . The compaction sensor  202  may be of a type known in the art, and include one or more of accelerometers, ground penetrating radar sensors, sonic sensors, gage wheels, nuclear density sensors, vibratory sensors, and the like. Alternatively, the compaction sensor  202  may use indirect technologies, for example, machine power usage indicators, temperature indicators, motion resistance indicators, or any combination of these technologies for the purpose. 
     In some examples, the control system  126  may also include a temperature sensor  204  configured to generate a temperature data ‘T’ of the work area  12 . In one example, the temperature sensor  204  may be a non-contact type of temperature sensor capable of remotely sensing the temperature of the paving material  14  layered over the work area  12 , without the need for any portion of the temperature sensor  204  to make physical contact with the work area  12 . For example, the temperature sensor  204  may be one of a thermal imager or a thermal scanner operating in “line-scan” mode. In other examples, the temperature sensor  204  may be an appropriate contact type of temperature sensor, such as, for example, a thermocouple with a sensing junction placed on one of the compacting drums  116 ,  118 . 
     Further, in some examples, the control system  126  may also include a moisture sensor  206  configured to generate a moisture data ‘M’ of the work area  12 . In one example, the moisture sensor  206  may be a microwave sensor configured to scan moisture content of the paving material  14  without contacting it, as the compactor  100  traverses over the work area  12 . In other examples, the moisture sensor  206  may measure the moisture content indirectly by using some other property of the paving material  14 , such as electrical resistance, dielectric constant, or interaction with neutrons, as a proxy for the moisture content. 
     In one example, the control system  126  may also include a sensor hub  208  disposed in signal communication with various sensors  200 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206  associated with the compactor  100 . The sensor hub  208  may be configured to collect the data from the sensors  200 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206 . In particular, the sensor hub  208  may collect the location data ‘X’ from the location sensor  200 , the compaction data ‘C’ from the compaction sensor  202 , the temperature data ‘T’ from the temperature sensor  204  and the moisture data ‘M’ from the moisture sensor  206 . The sensor hub  208  may act as a communication channel between the sensors  200 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206  and other components of the control system  126 . It may be contemplated that the sensor hub  208  may utilize any known communication standard, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared, or any combination thereof. 
     In an embodiment, the control system  126  may further include a controller  210 . The controller  210  may be a logic unit using one or more integrated circuits, microchips, microcontrollers, microprocessors, all or part of a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other circuits suitable for executing instructions or performing logic operations. It will be appreciated that other peripheral circuitry such as buffers, latches, switches and so on may be implemented within the controller  210  or separately as desired. Various other circuits may also be associated with the controller  210 , such as power supply circuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, solenoid driver circuitry, and other types of circuitry. 
     Further it may be understood that the controller  210  may be associated with a software product stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory (not shown) and comprising data and computer implementable instructions, which when executed by the controller  210  cause the compactor  100  to perform compacting operation. The non-transitory computer readable medium may include a memory, such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, a hard drive, etc. The computer readable memory may also be configured to store electronic data associated with operation of the compactor  100 . 
     Information from the sensor hub  208 , including the location data ‘X’, the compaction data ‘C’, the temperature data ‘T’ and the moisture data ‘M’ may be transmitted to the controller  210 , via wired or wireless communication systems. In one example, the location data ‘X’, the compaction data ‘C’, the temperature data ‘T’ and the moisture data ‘M’ may be temporarily stored in the memory of the controller  210 . In one example, the controller  210  may include a first module  212  and a second module  214 , and configured to process the received data to control compaction operation. It may be contemplated that the first module  212  and the second module  214  are algorithms configured to process data based on predefined instructions. 
     In an embodiment, the first module  212  may configure the controller  210  to process the location data ‘X’ to determine a pass count ‘N’ indicative of the number of passes made by the compactor  100  over the work area  12 . The algorithms to determine the number of passes using the location data are well known in the art and have not been described herein for the brevity of the disclosure. It may be contemplated by a person skilled in the art that each pass made by the compactor  100  over the work area  12  is correlated to a level of density of the material in the work area  12 , and as the number of passes increases, the density of the paving material  14  changes by a predetermined amount. Therefore, there is a need to change the compaction effort for a subsequent pass of the compactor  100 , in view of the change in the density of the paving material  14  with the previous pass. The second module  214  may configure the controller  210  to determine a target compaction effort ‘V’ for the subsequent pass of the compactor  100  over the work area  12  based on the determined pass count ‘N’. 
     The target compaction effort ‘V’ corresponds to at least one of an amplitude value and a frequency value for the variable vibratory mechanism  120  of the compactor  100 . In one example, the controller  210  may receive real time information about the location data ‘X’ during the compaction operation. Further, the controller  210  determines the pass count ‘N’ in real time, and dynamically determines the target compaction effort ‘V’ for the compaction operation. 
     In some examples, the second module  214  may also configure the controller  210  to adjust the target compaction effort ‘V’ specifically in response to the change in the density of the paving material  14  with each pass of the compactor  100  over the work area  12 . That is, the controller  210  adjusts the target compaction effort ‘V’ based on the compaction data ‘C’, received from the sensor hub  208 . In other examples, the controller  210  may also consider, in part, the temperature data ‘T’ and the moisture data ‘M’ in order to adjust the target compaction effort ‘V’ for each subsequent pass of the compactor  100  over the work area  12 . 
     In an embodiment, the controller  210  may transmit the target compaction effort ‘V’ to the variable vibratory mechanism  120 . Further, the variable vibratory mechanism  120  adjusts at least one of the amplitude and the frequency of vibration for one or both of the first vibratory mechanism  122  and the second vibratory mechanism  124  to the amplitude value and the frequency value corresponding to the target compaction effort ‘V’. For this purpose, the first vibratory mechanism  122  and the second vibratory mechanism  124  adjusts the position and/or the speed of rotation of the eccentric weights disposed inside the compacting drums  116 ,  118 , as discussed above. Thus, in one example, the compactor  100  may traverse over the work area  12  with first amplitude and/or first frequency for one pass or set of passes, and second amplitude and/or second frequency value for a subsequent pass or subsequent set of passes, and so on. 
     In an embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the control system  126  may also include an operator control device  300  disposed in signal communication with the controller  210 . It may be seen that some of the components of the control system  126 , such as sensors  200 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206  and the sensor hub  208  have not been shown for simplification. The operator control device  300  may include a display device  302  configured to receive the data corresponding to the target compaction effort ‘V’ from the controller  210  and notify an operator of the compactor  100  about the amplitude value and the frequency value, in numerical or some other forms, corresponding to the target compaction effort ‘V’. Further, the operator control device  300  may include an input device  304  configured to receive an input ‘I’ from an operator of the compactor  100 . In such embodiments, the control system  126  may modify the compaction effort to the target compaction effort ‘V’ in response to receiving the input ‘I’, that is, the compaction effort is modified only after the operator accepts the target compaction effort ‘V’. It may be contemplated that the display device  302  and the input device  304  may be a single unit in the form of a touch sensitive display screen or the like. 
     In some examples, the control system  126  may further include a terrain map of the worksite to be compacted.  FIG. 4  illustrates a representation of the display device  302  showing an exemplary map  400  of the worksite  402  for the operator. The map  400  may be stored in the onboard memory, or some cloud server in communication with the control system  126  via conventionally known communication systems. As shown, the worksite  402  may be divided into a number of grids  404  of a desired resolution. In one example, each grid  404  may represent the work area  12 . However, in other examples, the work area  12  may only be a portion of one grid  404  or spread to multiple grids  404 . It may be understood that the shown size and shape of the grids  404  are exemplary only. The location sensor  200  may be configured to determine the location of the compactor  100  with respect to the work area  12  as the compactor  100  traverses the worksite  402 . Further, the controller  210  may be configured to update each grid  404  or the work area  12 , in the map  400 , with the pass count ‘N’ information. In the illustration, the grids  404  are represented with different hatch patterns indicating the pass count ‘N’ for the respective grid  404  or the work area  12 , in the map  400 . The display device  302  may also show a scale or legends to relate the hatch pattern with the pass count ‘N’. The information shown by the display device  302  may be used by the operator to visually inspect the compaction operation. 
     It may be contemplated that for at least certain compaction operations, where two or more compactors  100  are involved to complete the compaction operation over the work area  12 ; in such system  10 , the control systems  126  of each of the two or more compactors  100  may be in sync with each other. Alternatively, all of the involved compactors  100  may have a common external control system  126  which is in communication with the variable vibratory mechanisms  120  of all of the involved compactors  100 , in order to modify their compaction efforts to achieve the target compaction efforts ‘V’. The second compactor (not shown) may have a second variable vibratory mechanism for providing a second compaction effort to the work area  12 , and a second location sensor generating a second location data for the second compactor. The controller  210  is in communication with the second location sensor and the second variable vibratory mechanism, and configured to determine the pass count ‘N’ for the work area  12  based on the location data ‘X’ and the second location data. 
     Therefore, a first compactor  100  may traverse over the work area  12  with first amplitude and/or first frequency for one pass or set of passes. Then, a second compactor may traverse over the work area  12  with second amplitude and/or second frequency, for a subsequent pass or set of subsequent passes, and so on. It may be understood that one compactor  100  may complete multiple passes with same compaction effort and then a second compactor may be engaged to complete another round of multiple passes with different compaction effort. In such case, the control system  126  may also serve as an alternative or supplemental command center where the operator can monitor the progress of the compaction operation, view maps of the work area, etc. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present disclosure finds potential application in, among other potential applications, any compaction operation which involves a compaction machine having a variable vibratory mechanism to provide a compaction effort. In particular, the present disclosure assists in minimizing de-compaction and crushing of paving material, and further preventing damage to the compactor, from high compaction effort during the compaction operation. The present disclosure achieves this by determining a pass count of the compactor over a particular work area to be compacted, and thereby determining a target compaction effort for the variable vibratory mechanism to compact the paving material over that work area. 
     In a compaction operation, each pass made by the compactor over the work area changes the density of the paving material in that work area, and as the number of passes increases, the density of the paving material increases. Therefore, it would be more efficient to incrementally change the compaction effort, decrease the amplitude and/or increase the frequency of vibration of the compacting elements, each time a subsequent pass over the work area is initiated. Generally before the compaction operation starts, the contractors prepare a “test strip” where a short road is constructed, and results from this test strip provides the contractor with the information such as, the number of passes needed and required compaction effort for each pass, to attain the desired compaction of the paving material. For example, the contractor may decide that the compaction operation requires six passes with the first two passes to be performed at “high” compaction effort, the next two passes to be performed at “medium” compaction effort, and the last two passes to be performed at “low” compaction effort. 
     Conventionally, such compaction operation is completed by using two or more distinct compactors in series with successive compactors set at a reduced compaction effort. For example, three compactors may be used for above case, with the first compactor completing the first two passes at “high” compaction effort, the second compactor completing the next two passes at “medium” compaction effort, and the third compactor completing the last two passes at “low” compaction effort, as required. In some cases, the operator may utilize only one compactor with variable vibratory mechanism which could perform the passes, as required. However, such approaches are cumbersome as the operator(s) or the site manager needs to keep track of the number of passes that had been made over the same work area, and thus has the potential for human error. Errors, such as using a higher compaction effort than prescribed could result in crushing of the paving material, or a lower compaction effort than prescribed could lead to requiring more number of passes, and thus makes the overall job to be inefficient and inconsistent in quality. 
     Therefore, it would be advantageous to automate this function of modifying the compaction effort in consideration of the pass count without much human intervention. The control system  126  of the present disclosure takes into consideration the information about the pass count ‘N’, that is, the number of passes that has already been made by the compactor  100  over the same work area  12 , and thereby determine the target compaction effort ‘V’ for the subsequent pass based on that information. The control system  126  is further capable to automatically modify the compaction effort to the target compaction effort ‘V’. The present disclosure thereby assists in automating the compaction operation and leads to reduced labor costs and helping the contractors reduce potentially costly errors in the compaction operation. The present disclosure allows proactively altering the compaction effort of the compactor  100  for the work area  12 , before the compactor  100  arrives at the work area  12 , based on pass count ‘N’. 
     While the present disclosure primarily uses the information about the pass count ‘N’ for determining the target compaction effort ‘V’ of the variable vibratory mechanism  120 , in operation, many other characteristics and data parameters known to a person skilled in the art go into determining the compaction effort put out by the variable vibratory mechanism  120 . The present disclosure contemplates the use of other factors such as the compaction data ‘C’, the temperature data ‘T’ and the moisture data ‘M’, in addition to the pass count ‘N’, for determining the compaction effort. In one example, if the control system  126  determines that the compactor  100  is performing the first pass, based on the pass count ‘N’, and the compaction data ‘C’ suggests that the paving material  14  is already substantially compacted; then the control system  126  may complete the pass with relatively lesser compaction effort in contrast to the compaction effort it would have used otherwise. In other example, if the control system  126  determines that the compactor  100  is performing the first pass, based on the pass count ‘N’, and the temperature data ‘T’ suggests that the paving material  14  is “hot”, the control system  126  may complete the pass with high compaction effort. However, if the control system  126  determines that the compactor  100  is performing the first pass, based on the pass count ‘N’, and the temperature data ‘T’ suggests that the paving material  14  is “cold”, the control system  126  may complete the pass with relatively lesser compaction effort as compared to the previous case. 
     While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.