Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
The effect of short ground vegetation on terrestrial laser scans at a local scale. / Fan, Lei; Powrie, William; Smethurst, Joel A. et al.
In: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vol. 95, 09.2014, p. 42-52.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of short ground vegetation on terrestrial laser scans at a local scale
AU - Fan, Lei
AU - Powrie, William
AU - Smethurst, Joel A.
AU - Atkinson, Peter M.
AU - Einstein, Herbert
PY - 2014/9
Y1 - 2014/9
N2 - Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) can record a large amount of accurate topographical information with a high spatial accuracy over a relatively short period of time. These features suggest it is a useful tool for topographical survey and surface deformation detection. However, the use of TLS to survey a terrain surface is still challenging in the presence of dense ground vegetation. The bare ground surface may not be illuminated due to signal occlusion caused by vegetation. This paper investigates vegetation-induced elevation error in TLS surveys at a local scale and its spatial pattern. An open, relatively flat area vegetated with dense grass was surveyed repeatedly under several scan conditions. A total station was used to establish an accurate representation of the bare ground surface. Local-highest-point and local-lowest-point filters were applied to the point clouds acquired for deriving vegetation height and vegetation-induced elevation error, respectively. The effects of various factors (for example, vegetation height, edge effects, incidence angle, scan resolution and location) on the error caused by vegetation are discussed. The results are of use in the planning and interpretation of TLS surveys of vegetated areas.
AB - Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) can record a large amount of accurate topographical information with a high spatial accuracy over a relatively short period of time. These features suggest it is a useful tool for topographical survey and surface deformation detection. However, the use of TLS to survey a terrain surface is still challenging in the presence of dense ground vegetation. The bare ground surface may not be illuminated due to signal occlusion caused by vegetation. This paper investigates vegetation-induced elevation error in TLS surveys at a local scale and its spatial pattern. An open, relatively flat area vegetated with dense grass was surveyed repeatedly under several scan conditions. A total station was used to establish an accurate representation of the bare ground surface. Local-highest-point and local-lowest-point filters were applied to the point clouds acquired for deriving vegetation height and vegetation-induced elevation error, respectively. The effects of various factors (for example, vegetation height, edge effects, incidence angle, scan resolution and location) on the error caused by vegetation are discussed. The results are of use in the planning and interpretation of TLS surveys of vegetated areas.
KW - Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS)
KW - Vegetation
KW - Error
KW - DEM/DTM
KW - Point cloud
KW - Resolution
U2 - 10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2014.06.003
DO - 10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2014.06.003
M3 - Journal article
VL - 95
SP - 42
EP - 52
JO - ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
JF - ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
SN - 0924-2716
ER -