Earthwork Surface Creation and Volume Computation Using UAV 3D Mapping

The scope of earthworks in the heavy civil projects represents a substantial risk that might cause a schedule delay and cost overrun. The high uncertainty in the outcomes of the risk arises from the several dynamic variables that impact earthwork operations. Past experiences showed such complex and dynamic interactions of variables are hard to control once occurred. A proactive approach would contribute to anticipating these interactions and support a timely decision-making process. This paper presents an approach that utilizes unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to estimate earthwork volume compared to prior known surveying methods when tracking earthwork volume. The process involves collecting georeferenced images using UAVs, then processing them through a photogrammetry cloud computing platform to generate a 3D point cloud model and used to create the surface for the respective site. The model will be utilized to conduct a cut/fill analysis using a computational algorithm to create a volumetric map. The proposed method is expected to provide a better understanding of the earthmoving fleet planning and the distribution of the work scope on the volumetric map. Using this method can provide operations a more efficient means to creating a real-time surface models as opposed to having traditional time-consuming methods involved.