Automatic creation of structural models from point cloud data: The case of masonry structures

Abstract

One of the fields where 3D modelling has an important role is in the application of such 3D models to structural engineering purposes. The literature shows an intense activity on the conversion of 3D point cloud data to detailed structural models, which has special relevance in masonry structures where geometry plays a key role. In the work presented in this paper, color data (from Intensity attribute) is used to automatically segment masonry structures with the aim of isolating masonry blocks and defining interfaces in an automatic manner using a 2.5D approach. An algorithm for the automatic processing of laser scanning data based on an improved marker-controlled watershed segmentation was proposed and successful results were found. Geometric accuracy and resolution of point cloud are constrained by the scanning instruments, giving accuracy levels reaching a few millimetres in the case of static instruments and few centimetres in the case of mobile systems. In any case, the algorithm is not significantly sensitive to low quality images because acceptable segmentation results were found in cases where blocks could not be visually segmented.