Utilizing UAV and 3D Computer Vision for Visual Inspection of a Large Gravity Dam

Abstract

Dams are a critical infrastructure system for many communities, but they are also one of the most challenging to inspect. Dams are typically very large and complex structures, and the result is that inspections are often time-intensive and require expensive, specialized equipment and training to provide inspectors with comprehensive access to the structure. The scale and nature of dam inspections also introduce additional safety risks to the inspectors. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have the potential to address many of these challenges, particularly when used as a data acquisition platform for photogrammetric three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and analysis, though the nature of both UAV and modern photogrammetric methods necessitates careful planning and coordination for integration. This paper presents a case study on one such integration at the Brighton Dam, a large-scale concrete gravity dam in Maryland, USA. A combination of multiple UAV platforms and multi-scale photogrammetry was used to create two comprehensive and high-resolution 3D point clouds of the dam and surrounding environment at intervals. These models were then assessed for their overall quality, as well as their ability to resolve flaws and defects that were artificially applied to the structure between inspection intervals. The results indicate that the integrated process is capable of generating models that accurately render a variety of defect types with sub-millimeter accuracy. Recommendations for mission planning and imaging specifications are provided as well.

Structural engineering from an inverse problems perspective

“…For example, researchers in [216,217] applied UAVs and vision algorithms to leverage effective approaches for postearthquake building safety inspections. Similar efforts have been reported for inspecting dams [218,219], tunnels [220] and railways [221]. Other researchers adopted satellite images to examine damage status over a larger scope of work (i.e.…”

Aplicación de la fotogrametría con drones al control deformacional de estructuras y terreno

“…En primer lugar, se encuentran con seis artículos cada uno, Italia (13,14,15,16,17,18) y Austria (19,20,21,22,23,24), aunque bien es cierto que en el caso de Italia varios de ellos son referentes a la Presa Ridracoli (13,16,17). A continuación se sitúan China (25,26,27,28,29) y EEUU (30,31,32,33,34), siendo los norteamericanos los únicos que cuentan con un documento oficial "Monitoring Levees" (30) en el que se hace referencia explícita al uso de drones en la seguridad de presas.…”

ARCog: An Aerial Robotics Cognitive Architecture

“…More specifically about dam inspection using UAV, the literature shows several kinds of research. For instance, [7] presents potential applications of UAV along with photogrammetry to perform assessment and inspection of large structures. The approach generates points with sub-millimeter accuracy.…”