Filtering of non-terrain points in urban areas combining geometric and radiometric airborne laser scanning data

• Grant number: 12/13440-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geodesy
• Principal Investigator: Aluir Porfírio Dal Poz
• Grantee: Raphaela Leli Cardoso Fernandez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Many laser scanning data filtering algorithms for digital terrain model generation have been proposed in the last 15 years. Usually, these filtering algorithms do not perform well for all kinds of landscapes, mainly because the terrain structure hypotheses do not always reflect reality. As a result, this theme continues to be worthy of research effort. In this research project, a method for filtering laser scanning point clouds is proposed. It takes into account an initial approximation of terrain obtained through points detected along urban roads by using a laser pulse intensity image. The main hypothesis of the proposed method is that the terrain within the urban squares is smooth. Consequently, the laser scanning point samples collected along urban roads would allow an adequate representation of the terrain within the urban squares, i. e., the terrain laser points within these areas would be near to the approximate surface. The basic principle of the proposed filtering method consists of checking the proximity between the laser points and the approximate surface. The differential of this proposal in relation to the existing literature refers to the way the approximate terrain surface is generated. The proposed method will be experimentally evaluated by using radiometric and geometric airborne laser scanning data.(AU)