Osama Abudayyeh

PCA-Based algorithm for unsupervised bridge crack detection

Abstract Principal Component Principles (PCA) based algorithm to extract cracks in concrete bridge decks for the purpose of automating inspection is presented. PCA will be used to identify clusters using a database of bridge images. Results from three different PCA approaches are presented in this work. The first approach employs PCA by itself on raw data. In the second approach, a linear structure modeling is implemented prior to PCA processing in an effort to enhance the results since cracks can be detected as linear structures. Several convolution-processes with masks designed to identify linear structure in the data are used. In both cases, attempts to detect cracks in a global framework were used. The third approach, on the other hand, used local information (neighborhoods) instead of global. That is, each image is segmented into small blocks where each block is processed as an individual entity. Experimental results show enhancement in the local detection with linear modeling over the global.

An intranet-based cost control system

Abstract Information plays a key role in construction project management. In order for a construction project to be well managed, data from past projects, stored in a historical database, as well as data from the project at hand, must be readily available. It is an essential and valuable resource for project planning, control, reporting, and decision-making tasks. In each of these tasks, effective management of information is an integral part of a successful project management system, whose primary objective is completing the project on time and within budget limitations while meeting established quality requirements and other specifications. This paper describes the design and implementation of an Intranet-based cost control system. The Internet is utilized as a mechanism for communicating project control data and information.

A decision support system for concrete bridge deck maintenance

Innovations in the area of transportation infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation are keys to the health and wellness of this valuable national asset. A major component of maintenance and rehabilitation is the ability to accurately assess the condition of the transportation infrastructure and to provide appropriate mitigation strategies. This can be accomplished in part by using decision support systems that provide accurate and detailed information about repair materials and methods. In this paper, an extensive literature review, interviews with bridge maintenance experts, and a national survey were used to develop a decision support system for bridge maintenance. The proposed decision support system has the ability to suggest repair and rehabilitation strategies for common problems in concrete bridge decks.

A multimedia construction delay management system

The need for acquiring, storing, processing, and presenting quality data in a timely manner in support of construction project management is well recognized. Therefore, a properly developed information system that manages the required data is crucial to the success of project management. However, one type of useful data and information, namely, multimedia (pictures, videos, and audio), has not been appropriately acquired and/or managed in construction. Researchers are just beginning to explore and evaluate the benefits of multimedia information in construction applications. This paper discusses some of the potential applications of multimedia in construction and describes the implementation of a prototype multimedia information system for construction delay management. The system tracks a variety of data types related to delays, including pictures, videos, and audio.

Audio/visual information in construction project control

Abstract The proper design of an information system in support of project management is crucial to the successful and effective management of the construction process. Particularly, the need for quality data and information pertaining to the performance of a construction project is well recognized. However, one such type of information, namely audio/visual (voice, pictures, videos), has not yet received adequate attention in the construction industry. Researchers have just begun to evaluate the role of such non-conventional data in construction applications. This paper discusses the development of a prototype system that deals with audio/ visual information along with other types of data in support of project management.

An image segmentation algorithm for the detection of rebar in bridge decks from GPR scans

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) scans of rebar embedded in concrete structures produce distinct hyperbolic signatures. These signatures can be removed from the data as a preprocess to the identification of other embedded objects. This work is a step towards achieving an unsupervised detection of defects in concrete bridge decks. The proposed algorithm detects the signature of rebar(s) in a GPR scan through image segmentation, arc detection, and a thresholding process. The position and depth of the rebar(s) and the dielectric properties of the concrete are derived.

The design and implementation of a maintenance information model for rural municipalities

Maintenance Management is an orderly and systematic approach to planning, organizing, monitoring and evaluating maintenance activities and their costs. The decaying conditions of rural roads are often attributed to the absence of a formal maintenance system and lack of resources. However, rural municipalities are constantly looking for ways to reduce cost and increase productivity in maintaining their infrastructure. Typically, rural road municipalities are directed by urban road agencies to use the same maintenance management process used by them. However, because of the differences in the type and amount of maintenance work done by rural and urban municipalities, it is hard to use the same kind of a system for both. Rural road municipalities require a more centralized information system fully controlled by them. In this paper, a rural maintenance information system will be presented. The system was developed to facilitate the maintenance process for rural road public works using modern database management systems. In addition, a case study to implement the information system in a rural municipality in the United States (Calhoun County, Michigan) will be discussed.

Road sign detection and shape recognition invariant to sign defects

This paper proposes an automated method for road sign detection and shape recognition based on the color of the road sign and its geometric attributes. Our proposed shape recognition algorithm can be part of a driver assistant system (DAS), autonomous vehicles, or road sign maintenance system to improve both recognition and processing time efficiency by categorizing road sign database to smaller groups according to their colors and shapes. The method consists of three stages: 1) the color based segmentation stage; 2) the detection of the region of interest (ROI) using geometric means; and 3) the shape recognition of the road sign stage using geometric dimensions of symmetrical sign shape outlines. Our results show that this method has the ability to detect and recognize rectangular, octagonal, triangular, diamond, and pentagonal shapes. The significance of this work is in its ability to detect and recognize the shapes of signs that are defective such as when the sign is partially occluded, scaled, or tilted.

Ground-Penetrating Radar, Chain Drag, and Ground Truth : Correlation of Bridge Deck Assessment Data

Determining the degree of degradation of a bridge can be one of the most difficult problems that infrastructure inspectors face. While traditional bridge inspection methods such as visual and chain drag will always play a role in bridge condition assessment, more sophisticated and accurate techniques such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) are gradually gaining acceptance by departments of transportation. GPR is a nondestructive evaluation method that can be used to assess the integrity of roads, pavements, bridges, and buildings. It uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves at the microwave or radio frequency range to examine the subsurface condition. This technique is used to detect features, such as cracks, voids, and delamination. An evaluation was made of GPR effectiveness in condition assessment compared with effectiveness of chain drag and ground truth method (cores) of two concrete bridge decks. Results show that the GPR method has potential as a practical and economically viable means for bridge assessment.

USING NON-DESTRUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND METHODS IN BRIDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

There are over 570,000 bridges in the United States, with 12% of those located in urban areas. Of the urban bridges, 10% are structurally deficient and 22% are functionally deficient. As the thousands of bridges are an important component of the automotive transportation infrastructure, their maintenance is of utmost importance. This paper has emphasizes the importance of bridge maintenance systems (BMS) in keeping the U.S. inventory of bridges well maintained and functional. Also highlighted is the value of non-destructive evaluation technologies and methods, and the role they can play in BMS. Some of the issues and concerns associated with using NDS methods to assess the condition of bridges are highlighted.