Technical Papers
Jul 18, 2018

Automatic Horizontal Curve Identification and Measurement Using Mobile Mapping System

Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 4

Abstract

This study presents an automatic method for horizontal curve identification and measurement using a mobile mapping system (MMS) with consideration of the impacts of vehicle wandering on the measurement. The hierarchical cluster model combined with the linear fit analysis achieved the automatic point of curvature (PC) and point of tangent (PT) station detection. The arc length method and chord offset method combined with the vehicle trajectory data were utilized for curve radius calculation. Finally, according to the adjacency patterns of the single curves, the types of curve were detected. A case study on a 9.756-km road section is provided, and on the test section, 21 single curves were detected and measured. Among them, 12 single curved segments were the simple curves, and nine single curved segments formed four reverse curves. A validation test based on the field measurement was conducted. The test results showed that the average errors for automatic PC/PT station detection, curve length measurement, and curve radius measurement were 2.15, 3.07, and 4.93%, respectively, which demonstrated that the presented method had a high accuracy for horizontal curve measurement. The significance of the proposed method was threefold. First, it solved the common problems of vehicle wandering on mobile survey. Second, it detected the curve types and the PC station of two adjacent single curves. Third, it had high accuracy, effectiveness, and automaticity, and can be used for roadway survey at network level.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 51608123) and the Fujian Natural Science Foundation, China (Grants 2017J01682 and 2017J01475).

References

Ai, C., and Y. Tsai. 2015. “Automatic horizontal curve identification and measurement method using GPS data.” J. Transp. Eng. 141 (2): 04014078. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)TE.1943-5436.0000740.
Bassani, M., G. Marinelli, and M. Piras. 2016. “Identification of horizontal circular arc from spatial data sources.” J. Surv. Eng. 142 (4): 04016013. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000186.
Chin, A., and M. J. Olsen. 2015. “Evaluation of technologies for road profile capture, analysis, and evaluation.” J. Surv. Eng. 141 (1): 04014011. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000134.
Dong, H., S. Easa, and J. Li. 2007. “Approximate extraction of spiralled horizontal curves from satellite imagery.” J. Surv. Eng. 133 (1): 36–40. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(2007)133:1(36).
Easa, S. 1994. “Simple numerical method for solving horizontal circular curves.” J. Surv. Eng. 120 (1): 44–48. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(1994)120:1(44).
Easa, S., H. Dong, and J. Li. 2007. “Use of satellite imagery for establishing road alignments.” J. Surv. Eng. 133 (1): 29–35. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(2007)133:1(29).
Findley, D. J., J. E. Hummer, W. Rasdorf, and B. T. Laton. 2013. “Collecting horizontal curve data: Mobile asset vehicles and other techniques.” J. Infrastruct. Syst. 19 (1): 74–84. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IS.1943-555X.0000107.
Garach, L., J. de Oña, and M. Pasadas. 2014. “Mathematical formulation and preliminary testing of a spline approximation algorithm for the extraction of road alignments.” Autom. Constr. 47: 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2014.07.002.
Gu, Z., M. Saberi, M. Sarvi, and Z. Liu. 2017. “A big data approach for clustering and calibration of link fundamental diagrams for large-scale network simulation applications.” Transp. Res. Part C: Emerging Technol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2017.08.012.
Imran, M., Y. Hassan, and D. Patterson. 2006. “GPS–GIS-based procedure for tracking vehicle path on horizontal alignments.” Comput.-Aided Civ. Infrastruct. Eng. 21 (5): 383–394. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8667.2006.00444.x.
Luo, W., K. C. P. Wang, and L. Li. 2014. “Surface drainage evaluation for rigid pavements using an inertial measurement unit and 1-mm three-dimensional texture data.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2457: 121–128. https://doi.org/10.3141/2457-13.
Marinelli, G., M. Bassani, M. Piras, and A. M. Lingua. 2017. “Mobile mapping systems and spatial data collection strategies assessment in the identification of horizontal alignment of highways.” Transp. Res. Part C: Emerging Technol. 79: 257–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2017.03.020.
Moreno, F. A., G. J. Javier, J. L. Blanco, and A. Esteban. 2013. “An instrumented vehicle for efficient and accurate 3D mapping of roads.” Comput.-Aided Civ. Infrastruct. Eng. 28 (6): 403–419. https://doi.org/10.1111/mice.12006.
Olsen, M. J. 2011. “Linking surveying, engineering, GIS, and computer science into geomatics through a digital terrain modeling course.” J. Surv. Eng. 137 (2): 37–39. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000051.
Pratt, V. 1987. “Direct least-squares fitting of algebraic surfaces.” In Proc., Conf. on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, 145–152. New York: Association for Computing Machinery.
Soler, T., and R. J. Fury. 2000. “GPS alignment survey and meridian convergence.” J. Surv. Eng. 126 (3): 69–82. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(2000)126:3(69).
Taubin, G. 1991. “Estimation of planar curves, surfaces, and nonplanar space curves defined by implicit equations with applications to edge and range image segmentation.” IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell. 13 (11): 1115–1138. https://doi.org/10.1109/34.103273.
Tsai, Y., C. Ai, Z. Wang, and E. Pitts. 2013. “Mobile cross-slope measurement method using LiDAR technology.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2367: 53–59. https://doi.org/10.3141/2367-06.
Tsai, Y., J. Wu, Z. Wang, and Z. Hu. 2010. “Horizontal roadway curvature computation algorithm using vision technology.” Comput.-Aided Civ. Infrastruct. Eng. 25 (2): 78–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8667.2009.00622.x.
Vatankhah, A. R., S. E. Easa, and A. Mahdavi. 2013. “Alternative solutions for horizontal circular curves by noniterative methods.” J. Surv. Eng. 139 (3): 111–119. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000100.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Surveying Engineering
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144Issue 4November 2018

History

Received: Sep 21, 2017
Accepted: Mar 9, 2018
Published online: Jul 18, 2018
Published in print: Nov 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Dec 18, 2018

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

Wenting Luo [email protected]
Assistant Professor, College of Transportation and Civil Engineering, Fujian Agriculture Forestry Univ., Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350108, People’s Republic of China (corresponding author). Email: [email protected]
Assistant Professor, College of Transportation and Civil Engineering, Fujian Agriculture Forestry Univ., Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350108, People’s Republic of China. Email: [email protected]
Kelvin C. P. Wang [email protected]
Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078. Email: [email protected]

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

Cited by

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share