scholarly journals Automatic gbXML Modeling from LiDAR Data for Energy Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 2679
Author(s):  
Roi Otero ◽  
Ernesto Frías ◽  
Susana Lagüela ◽  
Pedro Arias

This paper proposes an efficient and simplified procedure for the 3D modelling of buildings, based on the semi-automatic processing of point clouds acquired with mobile LiDAR scanners. The procedure is designed with the aim at generating BIM, in gbXML format, from the point clouds. In this way, the main application of the procedure is the performance of energy analysis, towards the increase of the energy efficiency in the construction sector, and its consequent contribution to the mitigation of the climate change. Thus, the main contribution of the methodology proposed is its easiness of use and its level of automation, which allow its utilization by users who are experts in the use of energy in buildings but non-experts on 3D modelling. The software provides a solution for the 3D modelling of complex point clouds of various millions of points in times of execution less than 10 minutes. The system is evaluated through its application to three different real-world scenarios and compared with manual modelling. Moreover, the results are used for an example of an energy application, proving their performance against manually elaborated models.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wuming Zhang ◽  
Shangshu Cai ◽  
Xinlian Liang ◽  
Jie Shao ◽  
Ronghai Hu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The universal occurrence of randomly distributed dark holes (i.e., data pits appearing within the tree crown) in LiDAR-derived canopy height models (CHMs) negatively affects the accuracy of extracted forest inventory parameters. Methods We develop an algorithm based on cloth simulation for constructing a pit-free CHM. Results The proposed algorithm effectively fills data pits of various sizes whilst preserving canopy details. Our pit-free CHMs derived from point clouds at different proportions of data pits are remarkably better than those constructed using other algorithms, as evidenced by the lowest average root mean square error (0.4981 m) between the reference CHMs and the constructed pit-free CHMs. Moreover, our pit-free CHMs show the best performance overall in terms of maximum tree height estimation (average bias = 0.9674 m). Conclusion The proposed algorithm can be adopted when working with different quality LiDAR data and shows high potential in forestry applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2485
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Lin ◽  
Raja Manish ◽  
Darcy Bullock ◽  
Ayman Habib

Maintenance of roadside ditches is important to avoid localized flooding and premature failure of pavements. Scheduling effective preventative maintenance requires a reasonably detailed mapping of the ditch profile to identify areas in need of excavation to remove long-term sediment accumulation. This study utilizes high-resolution, high-quality point clouds collected by mobile LiDAR mapping systems (MLMS) for mapping roadside ditches and performing hydrological analyses. The performance of alternative MLMS units, including an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ground vehicle, a portable backpack system along with its vehicle-mounted version, a medium-grade wheel-based system, and a high-grade wheel-based system, is evaluated. Point clouds from all the MLMS units are in agreement within the ±3 cm range for solid surfaces and ±7 cm range for vegetated areas along the vertical direction. The portable backpack system that could be carried by a surveyor or mounted on a vehicle is found to be the most cost-effective method for mapping roadside ditches, followed by the medium-grade wheel-based system. Furthermore, a framework for ditch line characterization is proposed and tested using datasets acquired by the medium-grade wheel-based and vehicle-mounted portable systems over a state highway. An existing ground-filtering approach—cloth simulation—is modified to handle variations in point density of mobile LiDAR data. Hydrological analyses, including flow direction and flow accumulation, are applied to extract the drainage network from the digital terrain model (DTM). Cross-sectional/longitudinal profiles of the ditch are automatically extracted from the LiDAR data and visualized in 3D point clouds and 2D images. The slope derived from the LiDAR data turned out to be very close to the highway cross slope design standards of 2% on driving lanes, 4% on shoulders, and a 6-by-1 slope for ditch lines.


ITNOW ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 18-20
Author(s):  
John Booth

Abstract John Booth MBCS, Data Centre Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Consultant at Carbon3IT, explores the detrimental trajectory of data centre energy use, against a backdrop of COP26, climate change and proposed EU directives.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 961-973 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Simonson ◽  
P. Ruiz-Benito ◽  
F. Valladares ◽  
D. Coomes

Abstract. Woodlands represent highly significant carbon sinks globally, though could lose this function under future climatic change. Effective large-scale monitoring of these woodlands has a critical role to play in mitigating for, and adapting to, climate change. Mediterranean woodlands have low carbon densities, but represent important global carbon stocks due to their extensiveness and are particularly vulnerable because the region is predicted to become much hotter and drier over the coming century. Airborne lidar is already recognized as an excellent approach for high-fidelity carbon mapping, but few studies have used multi-temporal lidar surveys to measure carbon fluxes in forests and none have worked with Mediterranean woodlands. We use a multi-temporal (5-year interval) airborne lidar data set for a region of central Spain to estimate above-ground biomass (AGB) and carbon dynamics in typical mixed broadleaved and/or coniferous Mediterranean woodlands. Field calibration of the lidar data enabled the generation of grid-based maps of AGB for 2006 and 2011, and the resulting AGB change was estimated. There was a close agreement between the lidar-based AGB growth estimate (1.22 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and those derived from two independent sources: the Spanish National Forest Inventory, and a tree-ring based analysis (1.19 and 1.13 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively). We parameterised a simple simulator of forest dynamics using the lidar carbon flux measurements, and used it to explore four scenarios of fire occurrence. Under undisturbed conditions (no fire) an accelerating accumulation of biomass and carbon is evident over the next 100 years with an average carbon sequestration rate of 1.95 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. This rate reduces by almost a third when fire probability is increased to 0.01 (fire return rate of 100 years), as has been predicted under climate change. Our work shows the power of multi-temporal lidar surveying to map woodland carbon fluxes and provide parameters for carbon dynamics models. Space deployment of lidar instruments in the near future could open the way for rolling out wide-scale forest carbon stock monitoring to inform management and governance responses to future environmental change.


2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Bojda ◽  
Jing Ke ◽  
Stephane de la Rue du Can ◽  
Virginie E. Letschert ◽  
James E. McMahon ◽  
...  

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