Investigation of rapid remote sensing techniques for forensic wind analyses

Authors

Yijun Liao, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Richard L. Wood, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Mohammad Ebrahim Mohammadi, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Peter J. Hughes, West Texas A&M UniversityFollow
J. Arn Womble, Insurance Institute for Business & Home SafetyFollow

Date of this Version

2018

Citation

Liao Y, Wood RL, Mohammadi ME, Hughes, PJ, Womble JA. (2018). Investigation of Rapid Remote Sensing Techniques for Forensic Wind Analyses. 4^th American Association for Wind Engineering Workshop, Miami, FL, August 14-16, 2018, 8pp.

Abstract

Perishable damage data resulting from severe windstorms require efficient and rapid field collection techniques. Such datasets permit forensic damage investigations and characterization of civil infrastructure. Ultimately, observed structural damage serves as a proxy approach to estimate wind speeds for storms that include hurricanes, tornadoes, straight-line winds, etc. One of the more common methods to collect, preserve, and reconstruct three-dimensional damage scenes is the use of an unmanned aerial system (UAS), commonly known as a drone. Onboard photographic payloads permit scene reconstruction via structure-from-motion; however, such approaches often require direct site access and survey points for accurate results, which limit its efficiency. In this presentation, the use of UAS platforms with and without surveyed ground control points is investigated to understand the accuracy if site access is not possible. UAS datasets will be compared to lidar data of various structures collected following the 2017 Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, TX.