An Image-Based Measurement System for Quality Control in Civil Engineering

In the past, high-precision on-line 3D measuring required artificial targets defining the points on the objects to be monitored. For many tasks like monitoring of displacements of buildings, artificial targets are not desired. Today's image assisted measurement systems can perform their measurements even without targeting. Such systems use the texture on the surface of the object to find "interesting points" which can replace the artificial targets. However, well-trained "measurement experts" are required to operate such a measurement system. In order to make such systems easy to use even for non-experts, it can be extended by an appropriate decision system which supports the operator. At the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics of Vienna University of Technology a new kind of image-based measurement system is to be developed (research project "multi-sensor deformation measurement system supported by knowledge-based and cognitive vision techniques"). This system can be used for measuring, analysing and interpreting deformations for the task of quality control in civil engineering. The workflow is based on new techniques originally developed in the area of artificial intelligence.