Spatially integrated aerial photography for bridge, structure, and environmental monitoring

• US 9,014,415 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of North Carolina At Charlotte (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: University of North Carolina At Charlotte (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Chen, Shen-En, Hauser, Edwin W., Boyle, Charles G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koziol, Stephen R
• Assistant Examiner(s): GILLIARD, DELOMIA L
• Application Number:
  US13/092,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20120033851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30184 Infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection

Abstract

Spatially Integrated Small-Format Aerial Photography (SFAP) is one aspect of the present invention. It is a low-cost solution for bridge surface imaging and is proposed as a remote bridge inspection technique to supplement current bridge visual inspection. Providing top-down views, the airplanes flying at about 1000 feet can allow visualization of sub-inch (large) cracks and joint openings on bridge decks or highway pavements. On board Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to help geo-reference images collected and allow automated damage detection. A deck condition rating technique based on large crack detection is used to quantify the condition of the existing bridge decks.

Claims

1. A computerized method of inspecting a structure, the method comprising:

aerially photographing from a fixed-wing aircraft the structure with a camera having a computer processor connected to a small format digital image sensor;

retrieving multiple still images of the structure from the camera, wherein each of the still images of the structure have a ground resolution of not greater than one inch;

providing a computer configured for processing the still images;

creating a composite image of the structure from a combination of the still images using the computer; and

automatically marking physical attributes of the structure on the composite image using the computer, including by altering the appearance of the physical attributes.

2. A computerized method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of scaling the composite image.

3. A computerized method according to claim 2, wherein the step of scaling the image comprises spatially integrating the composite image onto a map.

4. A computerized method according to claim 3, wherein the step of spatially integrating the composite image comprises matching and aligning common structures on the composite image and the map.

5. A computerized method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of converting the composite image from a raster image to a vector image.

6. A computerized method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of identifying the physical attributes of the structure with an automated process that distinguishes portions of the vector image representing the physical attributes of the structure.

7. A computerized method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of automatically marking the physical attributes as the automated process identifies the distinguished portions of the composite image.

8. A computerized method according to claim 1, wherein the step of automatically marking physical attributes comprises marking physical attributes selected from the group consisting of cracks, spalls, joints, effluorescence, mineralization, stressed regions, and delamination.

9. A computerized method according to claim 1, wherein the step of photographing the structure comprises photographing a bridge.

10. A computerized method according to claim 1, wherein the step of photographing the structure comprises photographing a bridge with a digital single lens reflex camera.

11. A computerized method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of mounting a digital single lens reflex camera in an aircraft prior to photographing the structure.

12. A computerized method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a flight plan for the aircraft to position a camera in the aircraft to a predetermined location for photographing the structure.

13. A computerized method according to claim 1, wherein the step of photographing the structure comprises creating a video of the structure.

14. A computerized method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of overlaying the composite image onto a tomography image that comprises ground penetrating radar data.

15. A computerized method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of rating the structure by assessing the physical attributes of the structure.

16. A computerized method of inspecting a structure, the method comprising:

creating multiple still images of the structure using aerial photography conducted using a small-format digital camera and a fixed-wing aircraft, wherein each of the still images of the structure have a ground resolution of not greater than one inch;

providing a computer configured for processing the still images;

creating a composite image of the structure from a combination of the still images;

automatically marking physical attributes of the structure on the composite image, including by altering the appearance of the physical attributes;

organizing the physical attributes into image layers.

17. A computerized method according to claim 16, wherein the step of marking physical attributes comprises marking physical attributes selected from the group consisting of cracks, spalls, joints, effluorescence, mineralization, stressed regions, and delamination.

18. A computerized method according to claim 16, wherein respective image layers display each occurrence of a respective physical attribute on the structure.

19. A computerized method according to claim 16, wherein the step of creating multiple still images comprises the step of creating a small format image of the structure.

20. A computerized method according to claim 19, wherein the step of creating a small format image comprises creating a raster image of the structure.

21. A computerized method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of converting the raster image to a vector image.

22. A computerized method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of utilizing an automated procedure for identifying and marking the physical attributes of the structure on the vector image.

23. A computerized method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of scaling the composite image before marking physical attributes.

24. A computerized method according to claim 23, wherein the step of scaling the composite image comprises spatially integrating the composite image onto a map.

25. A computerized method according to claim 24, wherein the step of spatially integrating the composite image comprises matching and aligning common structures on the composite image and the map.

26. A computerized method according to claim 23, wherein:

the step of creating multiple still images comprises creating a raster image of the structure and converting the raster image to a vector image; and

the step of scaling the composite image comprises overlaying the vector image onto a map.

27. A computerized method according to claim 16, wherein the step of creating multiple still images comprises photographing the structure with a digital single lens reflex camera.

28. A computerized method according to claim 16, wherein the structure is a bridge.

29. A computerized method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of rating the structure by assessing the physical attributes of the structure.

30. A computerized method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of distinguishing cracks, spalls, and stressed regions from structural joints and drainage patterns.

31. A computerized system of inspecting a structure using small format aerial photography, the system comprising:

a camera installed in a fixed-wing aircraft with a flight path allowing the camera to aerially photograph the structure;

an image sensor within the camera creating a small format aerial photograph of the structure, wherein the small format aerial photograph has a ground resolution of not greater than one inch;

a computer processor receiving the small format aerial photograph; and

software stored on the computer processor for marking physical attributes of the structure, including by altering the appearance of the physical attributes.

32. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the aircraft travels over the structure via a flight path with a pre-determined GPS point for photographing the structure.

33. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the computer processor comprises software for displaying marked physical attributes on separate layers of the photograph.

34. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the marked physical attributes comprise physical attributes selected from the group consisting of cracks, spalls, joints, effluorescence, mineralization, stressed regions, and delamination.

35. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the software for marking physical attributes comprises software with tools for tracing the physical attributes.

36. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the software for marking physical attributes comprises software with artificial intelligence programmed to identify and mark the physical attributes.

37. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the computer processor comprises image processing software for overlaying the vector image onto a GIS map for scaling the vector image.

38. A computerized system according to claim 37, wherein the image processing software provides a size of the marked physical attributes.

39. A computerized system according to claim 31, wherein the physical structure is a bridge.

40. A computerized method of inspecting a structure using aerial photography, the method comprising:

receiving at least one small format digital image of the structure created by aerial photography conducted using a fixed-wing aircraft, wherein the at least one small format digital image of the structure has a ground resolution of not greater than one inch;

providing a computer configured for processing the at least one small format digital image of the structure; and

automatically marking physical attributes of the structure on the at least one small format digital image, including by altering the appearance of the physical attributes.