Current infrastructure maintenance relies on manual inspections which are the basis for decision making in asset management. In most cases photos are taken to document damages or deterioration processes. It is clear that at remote places the arm length manual inspection is hardly possible. Furthermore, it is advantageous to have a comprehensive visual documentation of infrastructure objects that can undergo a desktop analysis. This visual documentation can include a full 3D model of a infrastructure object.
Technologies such as drones and AI can contribute to establish a comprehensive documentation. Their application contribute to the speed, quality, and safety of inspections and give engineers deeper insights into a structure’s condition—including the precise size and location of defects that require attention. Armed with these insights, stakeholders can focus the maintenance activities that yield the highest benefit .
Infrastructure Management Consultants GmbH is deploying the state-of-the-art drone (UAS) technology for infrastructure inspections.
This video shows the “digital twin” of a retaining wall on the Swiss highway A1 in canton St. Gallen.
In collaboration with Federal Roads Office FEDRO a photogrammetry-assisted inspection is performed and based on the obtained point cloud a BIM model is created to be used in planning of maintenance interventions.
Further steps will be presented in a future post.
Bridge Inspections via UAS (Part 2)
