Three Dimensional Modelling Using Terrestrial Laser Scanner Data, with Applications on Water Structures

Abstract

At the last decade, the terrestrial laser scanning technique became a suitable alternative to create a 3D model for any object instead of the (image-based technique). This suitability is related to different factors; simplicity, high progress of data acquisition, and direct recovering of interest points on the object without more measurements or processing. Although the TLS is recommended as a highly accurate instrument which is adequate for various applications, maintaining high accuracy of acquired huge data in the presence of some errors (instrumental, object-related, environmental, methodological, and scanning geometry) is a major challenge. Therefore, the main objective of this research work is the investigation of the sources which could be controlled, these sources are; - Scanning geometry which is the orientation (angle and range) of the object related to the scanner. - Methodological errors which includes; the chosen registration or geo-referencing techniques, survey method, used soft wares and user experience. The applied work methodology was depending on; the accuracy assessments of the output product whether they are point clouds or models to fulfil the required objective. In this context; two experiments (Outdoor and Indoor) were implemented using two designed calibrated targets to evaluate the geometric accuracy of the distances on the scanned targets under different geometric conditions. On the other side, the registration and geo-