APPLICATION IN AN AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT REAL TIME FOD DETECTION
When deployed for automatic FOD detection, the LCMS is mounted on an inspection vehicle which is driven along the airfield surface at high-speed. As the inspection vehicle is being driven, 3D data scans are transferred in real-time to an onboard processing computer. The following FOD-related reporting features are available:
• GPS coordinates, height, width, and volume reported for each piece of FOD
• FOD severity can be automatically assessed and detected FOD can be highlighted onscreen using colours to indicate low (green), moderate (orange) and high (red) severity FOD based on size
• Audio alarms can be triggered upon detection of severe FOD
FOR TUNNEL AND RAIL INSPECTION
A multi-sensor array is deployed for a tunnel scanning application which allows a tunnel to be inspected in just two passes; the first in one direction of travel and the other in the opposite direction of travel.
Data collection can be performed at speeds up to 100 km/h, but for more detailed inspections a traveling speed of 20 km/h is utilized. Images from each pair of sensors are subsequently merged to produce a complete image of the tunnel surface and to permit condition rating.
Rail can also be inspected using either a single pair of sensors or two pairs of sensors simultaneously depending on the desired field of view of the rail. Automated algorithms for inspecting rails can report a variety of conditions such as, but not limited to:
• Rail profile
• Rail cant
• Rail gauge
• Rail alignment
• Cracked concrete ties
• Missing fasteners
Richard Fox-Ivey Principal Consultant
Pavemetrics Systems Inc
