A fuzzy based automatic bridge detection technique for satellite images

Abstract

Automatic detection of artificial objects from satellite images are important source of information in many applications such as terrain mapping by remote sensing and GIS (Geographic Information System) applications. In this paper, a fuzzy based integrated algorithm for automatic detection of bridges over water is proposed. In the first step, the multispectral satellite image is given to a fuzzy based thresholding method to segment water regions from the background. Then candidate bridge pixels are extracted according to area analysis and bridge extraction algorithm developed. The algorithm is formulated in such a way that, the method can be applied to any complexity levels and any spatial resolutions. The approach in this paper has been implemented and tested with different types of satellite images to validate the superior performance of the algorithm. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.