PFI-TT: Development of a Mapping and Visualization System to Inform Excavators of Buried Utility Pipes

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project seeks to capture the accurate locations of buried utility pipes and display them to the equipment operator during construction excavation. In the U.S., excavation is a $60 billion industry. Excavation using heavy equipment is the single largest cause of recurring utility strikes (e.g., a gas, water, of sewer pipe damage), causing hundreds of fatalities and billions of dollars in financial losses every year. The technology may also assist excavator operators in maintaining high work productivity, reducing their mental stress, and improving the profitability of the excavation industry. The proposed project seeks to develop a mapping and visualization system to address the root causes of recurring utility strikes: the lack of accurate and complete information regarding buried utility lines being communicated to the equipment operator in a near real-time manner. The technology has the ability to: (1) detect and map utility lines of varying size, material, and burying depth in near real-time, (2) visualize the dynamic interaction between the excavator and its surroundings, including above ground and underground scenes in multiple view angles, and (3) convey visual warnings and guidance messages to operators during excavation operations. Project objectives include determining the operation-stage requirements of utility information, aligning the model performance in ground penetrating radar (GPR) signal processing and interpretation to meet the production-stage requirements, and visualizing the utility lines during excavation operation. Ultimately, this project may improve excavation from an experience-based skill to an information-assisted practice. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.