Automated rockmass discontinuity mapping from 3-dimensional surface data

Remote sensing technologies, specifically terrestrial-based static LiDAR and photogrammetry, are transforming from state-of-the-art to state-of-practice tools for engineering geologists. The complexity of available software packages to perform standard geomechanical analyses is slowing the widesprea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Engineering geology Vol. 164; pp. 155 - 162
Main Authors: Vöge, Malte, Lato, Matthew J., Diederichs, Mark S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 17.09.2013
Elsevier
Subjects:
algorithms
Applied sciences
Automated algorithms
Buildings. Public works
computer software
engineering
Exact sciences and technology
Feature extraction
Geologic structure
geology
Geotechnics
LiDAR
Measurements. Technique of testing
Photogrammetry
PlaneDetect
remote sensing
Soil investigations. Testing
PlaneDetect
Feature extraction
Automated algorithms
Geologic structure
Photogrammetry
LiDAR
Cartography
Discontinuity
Geology
Site analysis
Rock mass
Algorithm
Remote sensing
Lidar
Automatic system
Pattern extraction
Method study
ISSN:0013-7952, 1872-6917
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Remote sensing technologies, specifically terrestrial-based static LiDAR and photogrammetry, are transforming from state-of-the-art to state-of-practice tools for engineering geologists. The complexity of available software packages to perform standard geomechanical analyses is slowing the widespread adoption of these technologies within the geotechnical community. The development of automated processing tools for feature extraction and data interpretation is aimed at eliminating the need for complex software and manual analysis. This paper presents the development of the algorithms used in the software program PlaneDetect for the automated identification and mapping of planar discontinuities within a 3-dimensional surface model of a jointed rockmass. The software employs a five stage procedure of: surface smoothing, edge detection and masking, blast damaged detection and masking, discontinuity identification, and discontinuity set clustering. The software outputs a stereonet of discontinuity orientations colored by joint set family, an image of the 3-dimensional model with each mapped discontinuity colored by the set family, and a text file of discontinuity orientations. The results of the geomechanical analyses computed by PlaneDetect in comparison to the manual mapping results are more statistically reliable based on less user bias. The time saving realized through using PlaneDetect for mapping discontinuities is approximately ten times compared to the manual mapping approaches. •Development of a new algorithm for automated fracture mapping•Mathematics of the algorithm is explained in detail.•Example liDAR data processed within 2degrees of manual methods•Algorithms developed are 10× more efficient than manual methods.
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ISSN:0013-7952
1872-6917
DOI:10.1016/j.enggeo.2013.07.008