pacific nw transportation consortium region 10 Pactrans

Bridge Structural Inspections using Bridge Information Models (BrIM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

PI: Yelda Turkan (OSU), yelda.turkan@oregonstate.edu, ORCID: 0000-0002-3224-5462

Co PIs: none

AMOUNT & MATCH: $35,000 from PacTrans; $35,000 Match

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: 8/16/2017 – 8/15/2019

STATUS: Completed

CATEGORIES: UAVs, Bridge Inspection, Modeling

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DESCRIPTION: This research project will develop a novel framework that implements Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies to improve current manual bridge inspection technique.

UAVs enable safe and rapid collection of visual bridge inspection data in the form of digital images. BrIM, on the other hand, enables storing all bridge data, including its drawings and 3D models, material specifications, inspection notes, images and others, in a central object-oriented database that can be accessed from both the office and the field. Computer vision algorithms will be used to detect cracks from UAV images automatically based on statistical learning theory. This information will be used to automate the creation or update of bridge database, i.e. 3D BrIM. Using the proposed framework would enable automated and remote assessment of bridge conditions. The framework will implement the state-of-the-art condition assessment codes and standards, and it should contribute to a) providing an improved means of accurately documenting the structural condition assessment data, b) eliminating errors resulting from data transcription, and c) providing more cost effective and safer bridge inspections. All of these factors should help assist in maintaining U.S. bridges in a state of good repair.