High precision kinematic surveying with laser scanners

Abstract

The kinematic survey of roads and railways is becoming a much more common data acquisition method. The development of the Mobile Road Mapping System (MoSES) has reached a level that allows the use of kinematic survey technology for high precision applications. The system is equipped with cameras and laser scanners. For high accuracy requirements, the scanners become the main sensor group because of their geometric precision and reliability. To guarantee reliable survey results, specific calibration procedures have to be applied, which can be divided into the scanner sensor calibration as step 1, and the geometric transformation parameter estimation with respect to the vehicle coordinate system as step 2. Both calibration steps include new methods for sensor behavior modeling and multisensor system integration. To verify laser scanner quality of the MoSES system, the results are regularly checked along different test routes. It can be proved that a standard deviation of 0.004 m for height of the scanner points will be obtained, if the specific calibrations and data processing methods are applied. This level of accuracy opens new possibilities to serve engineering survey applications using kinematic measurement techniques. The key feature of scanner technology is the full digital coverage of the road area. Three application examples illustrate the capabilities. Digital road surface models generated from MoSES data are used, especially for road surface reconstruction tasks along highways. Compared to static surveys, the method offers comparable accuracy at higher speed, lower costs, much higher grid resolution and with greater safety. The system's capability of gaining 360 profiles leads to other complex applications like kinematic tunnel surveys or the precise analysis of bridge clearances.