Application of Fused Laser Scans and Image Data—RGB+D for Displacement Monitoring

A novel method for displacement monitoring by using RGB+D data has been recently proposed. RGB+D data is created by fusing image and laser scan data, where the D channel represents the distance, interpolated from laser scanner data. RGB+D image combines the advantages of the two measuring methods. Laser scans for distance changes in the line of sight and high-resolution image data for displacements perpendicular to the viewing direction of the camera. Image feature detection and matching algorithms detect and match discrete points within RGB+D images from different epochs. 3D coordinates of the points can be easily calculated from RGB+D images. In this paper, implementation of this method is proposed for measuring displacements and monitoring the behavior of structural elements under constant load in field conditions. Displacements measured with a high precision LVDT sensor will be used as a benchmark for displacement calculated from RGB+D images.