Detecting, locating, and characterizing voids in disaster rubble for search and rescue
Detecting, locating, and characterizing voids in disaster rubble for search and rescue
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DOI：
10.1016/j.aei.2019.100974
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发表时间：
2019-10-01
影响因子：
8.8
通讯作者：
Kamat, Vineet R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hu, Da;Li, Shuai;Kamat, Vineet R.
在发生地震、飓风和爆炸等自然灾害和人为灾害后，受害者可能会在倒塌结构中自然形成的空隙中生存。急救人员需要识别并定位这些关键空隙，以便进行快速搜救行动。由于灾区遮挡情况复杂且非结构化，目视和手动搜索既耗时又容易出错。在这项研究中，我们提出了一种使用探地雷达（GPR）自动检测、定位和表征灾难废墟中埋藏的空隙的新方法。对收集到的雷达图进行预处理后，根据雷达信号模式对潜在空洞的边界进行分割，并在分割边界周围构建 95% 置信区间以考虑不确定性。为了提高检测精度，检查检测边界的几何关系及其信号特征以确认空隙的存在。然后，根据校准的雷达波速度及其传播时间来估计空隙位置和尺寸。该方法的有效性和效率通过其在实验室和现场实验中的表现得到了证明。这项研究的贡献是双重的。首先，通过实验检验了利用探地雷达探测、定位和表征倒塌结构中空洞的可行性，创新地将探地雷达的应用扩展到搜救行动中。其次，开发算法来处理非直观的雷达图，以向急救人员提供可操作的信息。
After natural and man-made disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and explosions, victims may survive in voids that are formed naturally in collapsed structures. First responders need to identify and locate these critical voids for rapid search and rescue operations. Due to the complex and unstructured occlusions in disaster areas, visual and manual search is time-consuming and error-prone. In this study, we proposed a novel method to automatically detect, locate, and characterize voids buried in disaster rubble using ground penetrating radar (GPR). After preprocessing the collected radargrams, the boundaries of potential voids are segmented based on radar signal patterns, and the 95% confidence intervals are constructed around the segmented boundaries to account for uncertainties. To improve the detection accuracy, the geometric relations of the detected boundaries and their signal characteristics are examined to confirm the void existence. Then, the void location and dimension are estimated based on calibrated velocity of radar wave and its travel time. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method were manifested by its performance in laboratory and field experiments. The contribution of this study is twofold. First, the feasibility of using GPR to detect, locate, and characterize voids in collapsed structures is experimentally tested, innovatively extending the application of GPR to search and rescue operations. Second, algorithms are developed to process non-intuitive radargrams to provide first responders actionable information.