The use and result of coherent laser radar as a noncontact method for the dimensional measurement of a ship hull is described. The hull, keel, and deck of a halfscale notional glass-reinforced plastic (fiberglass) composite hull test specimen are measured to submillimeter accuracy and then compared to the computer-aided design (CAD) model for conformance validation. Positives and negatives of this technology are the subject of this paper and include the high accuracy potential of the coherent laser radar, the minimal manpower requirements needed to achieve accurate results, and the limitation of the equipment's digital focal length and its effects on setup and data acquisition.
Coherent laser radar for vibrometry: robust design and adaptive signal processing
