Assignment photogrammetry

Terrestrial photogrammetry is an important branch of the science of

photogrammetry. It deals with photographs taken with cameras located on the
surface of the earth. The cameras may be handheld, mounted on tripods, or
suspended from towers or other specially designed mounts. The term close-range
photogrammetry is generally used for terrestrial photographs having object
distances up to about 300 m. With terrestrial photography the cameras are usually
accessible, so that direct measurements can be made to obtain exposure station
positions, similar to airborne GPS control with aerial photography.

With some terrestrial cameras, angular orientation can also be measured or

set to fixed values, so that all elements of exterior orientation of a terrestrial photo
are commonly known and need not be calculated. These known exterior orientation
parameters are a source of control for terrestrial photos, replacing in whole or in
part the necessity for locating control points in the object space.

Terrestrial photography may be static (photos of stationary objects) of

dynamic (photos of moving objects). For static photography, slow, fine-grained,
high-resolution films may be used and the pictures taken with long exposure times.
Stereopairs can be obtained by using a single camera and making exposures at both
ends of a baseline. In taking dynamic terrestrial photos, fast films and rapid shutter
speeds are necessary. If stereopairs of dynamic occurrences are required, two
cameras located at the ends of a baseline must make simultaneous exposures.

Terrestrial photogrammetry and close-range photogrammetry:

By common definition, the term terrestrial photogrammetry is applied to projects
in which photographs are taken from the ground, and the object distance is about
1000 ft. (300m) or greater. Close-range photogrammetry (CRP) applies to projects
in which the object distance is shorter than 1000 ft. As generally applied, terrestrial
photogrammetry is used as a terrain mapping tool, whereas close-range
photogrammetry can be employed to “map” or measure practically any surface or
object.

Apllications used:

Surveyors, as expert measures, are often called on to make measurements of

unusual shapes and objects. The expert measurer must be aware of measuring tools
that can be applied for unusual applications such as close-range photogrammetry.
This method has been used successfully to model surfaces and shapes such as ship
hulls and propellers, aircraft fuselages and wings, and architectural works.

It has been used to monitor retaining wall movement, deformation of large

structures, erosion from earth slopes, and to “map” sculptures, the anatomy of live
bodies, and the surfaces of teeth. The potential if close-range photogrammetry to
map, model, or measure shapes and surfaces appear to be virtually unlimited. Of
course, several of the examples cited are primarily of academic interest, but they
indicate the potential. Prime applications are those concerned with structural,
industrial and architectural fields.

Terrestrial photogrammetry used for topographic mapping and non topographic

mapping:
Historically the science of photogrammetry had its beginning with terrestrial
photography. The topographic mapping was among its early applications.
Terrestrial photos were found especially useful for mapping rugged terrain which
was difficult to map by conventional field-surveying methods. Although it was
known that topographic mapping could be done more conveniently using aerial
photos, no practical method was available for taking aerial photographs until the
airplane was invented. Following the invention of the airplane, emphasis in
topographic mapping shifted from terrestrial to aerial methods.

Terrestrial photogrammetry is still used in topographic mapping, but its

application is usually limited to small areas and special situations such as deep
gorges or rugged mountains that are difficult to map from aerial photography.
Other topographic applications of terrestrial photogrammetry are in mapping
construction sites, areas of excavation, borrow pits, material stockpiles, etc.

Through the years terrestrial photogrammetry has continued to gain prominence in

numerous diversified nontopographic applications. Examples of nontopographic
applications occur in such areas as aircraft manufacture, shipbuilding,
telecommunications, robotics, forestry, archeology, anthropology, architecture,
geology, engineering, mining, nuclear industry, criminology, oceanography,
medicine, dentistry, and many more. In the field of medicine, X-ray
photogrammetry has been utilized advantageously for measuring sizes and shapes
of body parts, recording tumor growth, studying the development of fetuses,
locating foreign objects within the body.

Terrestrial photogrammetry has been used to great advantage as a reliable

means of investigating traffic accidents. Photos that provide all information
necessary to reconstruct the accident may be rapidly obtained. Time-consuming
sketches and ground measurements, which all too often are erroneous, are not
needed, and normal traffic flow can be restored more quickly. Terrestrial
photogrammetry has been widely practiced in accident investigation for many
years in several European countries.

The 3D mapping of traffic accident scenes, which is commonly termed Accident

Reconstruction (AR), is employed for a number of reasons. These range from the
support of technical investigations, such as vehicle speed determination and
analysis of vehicle collision event dynamics, to the provision of evidence in court
hearings. Whereas a vehicle manufacturer or traffic engineer might need a detailed
3D reconstruction, a local police force may only require simple 2D documentation
in recognition of the fact that if the accident does not result in subsequent legal
proceedings, then the AR data will likely never be used. Irrespective of the
comprehensiveness of the required ‘mapping’, the essential first step in the process
is to accurately characterize the dimensions of the accident scene. The final
outcome of the AR process is typically a CAD drawing in the first instance, which
may be further developed into a 3D model or even a computer animation.

For example, from the accident scene shown in Fig. 1, a simple 2D ‘diagramming’
is first performed, as shown in Fig. 2, after which 3D views, as exemplified by Fig.
3, may or may not be required. It is noteworthy that limited sophistication is
required in AR; the aim is to obtain a dimensionally accurate 3D representation of
the scene, rather than a comprehensively rendered or textured model. The CAD
software that produced Figs. 2 and 3. Both of the drawings shown could be
adequately accomplished with 2D surveying, at its simplest represented by the
measurement of distances along and offset from a ‘baseline’ (e.g. road edge or
centreline), as was traditionally done. However, with the enhanced scrutiny of any
evidence in a court, and the need for the AR data collection process to be as least
disruptive to traffic as possible, the requirement has arisen for more complete and
accurate data to be recorded in the shortest time possible.
Figure 1. Example accident scene to be reconstructed (note that traffic cones serve as object
feature points).

Figure 2. Example CAD drawing of accident of Fig. 1, illustrating object features of interest.

Figure 3. View of 3D model of accident of Fig. 1.

 Terrestrial photogrammetry also can be used for dentistry. Dentistry is a
field which has a need for accurate information about teeth shape, their relative
position and their appearance in the face. This information is essentially important
for various dentistry fields such as orthodontia, teeth treatment, denture production.
Existing methods for analyzing mutual teeth arches position (occlusion) use plaster
teeth arches casts and a special mechanical tools which allow registering occlusion.
For investigation and visualization of exterior appearance of teeth arches only 2D
images are used which do not provide full and adequate presentation. So existing
means do not give required accuracy and are not convenient for a dentist.

Photogrammetric approach gives solution for all described problems with

appropriate accuracy of measurements and high quality data for investigation,
documentation and presentation. A set of new techniques for teeth occlusion
registration and analysis is proposed based on applying teeth arch 3D model
instead of a plaster mould. The developed photogrammetric techniques are used for
automated patient face and teeth arch 3D models generation, for occlusion
registration, treatment planning and documenting.

To meet dentist requirements for dentistry analysis, treatment planning and

documenting it is needed to obtain accurate high resolution teeth arch 3D models
and textured 3D models of patient face. Due to different requirements to those two
types of models two photogammetric systems is developed.

A photogrammeric system for automated teeth arch 3D model generation (Figure

1.) includes two digital high resolution cameras, high resolution structured light
projector and PC controlled rotation positioning stage. It allows producing high
resolution 3D of teeth arch in automated mode.
 Figure 1. Photogrammetric system for teeth arch 3D model reconstruction

A system for patient face 3D model acquisition is also based on digital cameras
and structured light projector. For minimizing the acquisition time cameras and
projector work in synchronized mode allowing to get required set of images in a
short time period of about 0.5 sec.
References:

Russell C. Brinker, Roy Minhick, The Surveying Handbook, Volume II, Second
Edition, Springer-Science+Business Media, B.v, Page 505.

Paul R.Wolf, Ph.D., Bon A.Ewitt, PhD., Benjamin E.Wilkinson, Ph.D., Elements
of photogrametry with Applications in Gis, Fourth Edition, Mc Graw Hill
Education, Page 485-486.

http://www.asprs.org/a/publications/proceedings/reno2006/0040.pdf

http://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXVII/congress/5_pdf/138.pdf