Conference proceeding
Investigation on Bridge Assessment Using Unmanned Aerial Systems
STRUCTURES CONGRESS 2015, pp 404-413
01 Jan 2015
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The U.S. currently spends tens of billions of dollars annually to inspect infrastructures and collect subjective, qualitative data that can often be unreliable or largely irrelevant. Inspections also require adequate access to remote locations, for example, appropriate scaffolding, lifting and additional protective equipment, which might increase the associated personal safety risk and add costs. The use of unmanned vehicles has experienced a tremendous growth primarily in military and homeland security applications. However, it is a matter of time until Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) will be widely accepted as platforms for implementing monitoring and inspection procedures. Researchers at Drexel University are exploring the use of quadcopters as vehicles to carry a set of remote sensors with the ultimate goal to perform bridge condition assessment. While the accuracy of remote sensing systems is somewhat limited compared to the one of contact sensing systems, the ability to quickly and periodically scan/inspect a structure without the need for scaffolding, ropes, or cherry pickers currently used during bridge inspections could transform the way the industry performs periodic bridge inspections. The Drexel team owns a number of UAS with different payload, flight time and range capabilities. In this paper, recent results obtained from preliminary testing on small mock-up concrete bridge decks as well as on small/medium size bridges are presented. One of the main efforts is to explore how multispectral imaging can provide a preliminary assessment of the deck condition of common highway bridges. Among future goals, Drexel's team plans to develop and validate computer vision approaches leveraging data collected using UAS to permit geometric characterization (quantification of bearing position, girder deformations) and condition assessment (e.g. quantification of spalling and corrosion areas).
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Investigation on Bridge Assessment Using Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Creators
- F. Khan - Drexel UniversityA. Ellenberg - Drexel UniversityM. Mazzotti - Drexel UniversityA. Kontsos - Drexel UniversityF. Moon - Drexel UniversityA. Pradhan - Drexel UniversityI. Bartoli - Drexel University
- Contributors
- N Ingraffea (Editor)M Libby (Editor)
- Publication Details
- STRUCTURES CONGRESS 2015, pp 404-413
- Conference
- STRUCTURES CONGRESS 2015
- Publisher
- Amer Soc Civil Engineers
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- American Aerospace Advisors, Inc Trillion Quality Systems
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering; Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000392737000035
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84929255083
- Other Identifier
- 991019170403004721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Construction & Building Technology
- Engineering, Civil
- Engineering, Mechanical