{"135851":{"#nid":"135851","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GTRI Researchers Develop Prototype Automated Pavement Crack Detection and Sealing System","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESealing cracks in roadways ensures a road\u2019s structural integrity and extends the time between major repaving projects, but conventional manual crack sealing operations expose workers to dangerous traffic and cover a limited amount of roadway each day. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address these challenges, the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) developed a prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system with funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation. In road tests, the system was able to detect cracks smaller than one-eighth-inch wide and efficiently fill cracks from a vehicle moving at a speed of three miles per hour.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LTFqg6CE9Ak\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EView a video on this project\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur prototype system has proved in many ways that a commercial-scale automated crack sealing system is viable,\u201d said Jonathan Holmes, the GTRI research engineer currently leading the project, which began in 2003. \u201cWe demonstrated solutions to technical challenges -- including the high-speed firing of nozzles, automated crack detection and navigation -- in a real-time, limited-scale system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn automated crack sealing system would increase the level of safety for the workers involved, require fewer personnel and increase the amount of roadway covered per day. In addition, the system could save transportation departments money because sealing cracks extends the time before a roadway needs to be completely repaved.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe prototype system, which was mounted on a trailer, consists of a stereo camera, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of two different colors, and an assembly to provide a continuous supply of sealant to longitudinal and transverse sealant distribution systems. The operation required only one worker to drive the vehicle pulling the trailer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the system traveled along a road lane, the LEDs illuminated the road in two directions -- parallel and perpendicular to the road -- and the stereo camera took two pictures of the road simultaneously, which were analyzed using thresholding and filtering algorithms. Within 100 milliseconds of taking the images, the computer onboard the trailer generated a \u201ccrack map\u201d specifying the location and shape of any cracks shown in the images.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased on the cracks found in the image, the master controller instructed the sealant applicator valves when to fire. To fill longitudinal cracks, a single dispensing nozzle capable of continuous operation was attached to a linear servo axis. The transverse sealant distribution system consisted of 12 nozzles spaced evenly across one foot. The transverse and diagonal distribution prototype was intended to represent one module that could be replicated and joined together to service a full-width roadway lane.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn multiple road tests, the prototype system proved to be a successful proof-of-concept for the automation of crack sealing operations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore a full-scale system can be successfully implemented by transportation departments, several issues must be addressed, according to Holmes. First, the crack detection algorithm will need to be improved. The researchers tested their crack detection algorithm on more than 100,000 images they collected of cracks on state roads and found the program correctly identified more than 83 percent of the cracks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur crack detection algorithm was limited because we used a vision-based system, which was confounded by regions of high contrast caused by features other than pavement cracks, including dark stains in the pavement, lane stripes, raised-pavement markers, crack sealant and debris,\u201d said Holmes. \u201cA full-scale system may require a fusion of multiple imaging sensors, such as a 3-D laser scanning system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolmes also suggested changes will be necessary in the way the sealant was supplied to the longitudinal and transverse distribution systems before a full-scale system can be realized.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDavid Jared, acting chief of research \u0026amp; development at the Georgia Department of Transportation Office of Materials and Research, and GTRI principal research engineers Wayne Daley and Wiley Holcombe, research scientist Colin Usher, and research engineers Sergio Grullon and Steven Robertson also worked on this project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe contents of this publication reflect the views of the principal investigators who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the Department of Transportation, State of Georgia or the Federal Highway Administration. This publication does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGTRI researchers have developed a prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system. In road tests, the system was able to detect cracks smaller than one-eighth-inch wide and efficiently fill cracks from a vehicle moving at a speed of three miles per hour.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTRI researchers have developed a prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-06-18 09:03:55","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:22","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-06-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-06-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"135831":{"id":"135831","type":"image","title":"GTRI prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system","body":null,"created":"1449178685","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:38:05","changed":"1475894766","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:46:06","alt":"GTRI prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system","file":{"fid":"194804","name":"gtri_automated_crack_sealing_system.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gtri_automated_crack_sealing_system_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gtri_automated_crack_sealing_system_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1960242,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gtri_automated_crack_sealing_system_0.jpg?itok=-QRKk4qb"}},"135821":{"id":"135821","type":"image","title":"Crack sealed by GTRI\u0027s prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system (1)","body":null,"created":"1449178685","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:38:05","changed":"1475894766","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:46:06","alt":"Crack sealed by GTRI\u0027s prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system (1)","file":{"fid":"194803","name":"gtri_sealed_crack.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gtri_sealed_crack_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gtri_sealed_crack_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3396862,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gtri_sealed_crack_0.jpg?itok=YFkFaJ3R"}}},"media_ids":["135831","135821"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E Research News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}