Proof-of-Concept: Three Dimensional Pipe Surface Reconstruction from 2D Laser Scanned Image
Matthew Altman
A simulation of three-dimensional models of pipe defect detection systems has been performed. The primary goal is to inspect internal pipe structures for corrosion damage, structural damage, and buildup by driving a video-capture pipe inspection system through the pipe, processing the video, and creating a computer model of the pipe. The software system extracts frames from .avi-format movie files, renders up to thirty frames into a data cube and provides several different methods of visualization. Using commercial-off-the-shelf- technology and components, a simple model for the robotics and optics necessary to scan the interior structure was created. Illumination techniques, extraction algorithms, and fault analysis have been explored. The system has not been tested in-situ in actual pipes; however, computer models show that cracks and abnormalities have distinct signatures after transformation.