Rock Fall Trajectory Reconstruction with Radar-Video-Seismic Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rock fall monitors only indicate rock fall events without providing sufficient details for optimal project design and operation, lacking accurate and diverse data on rock fall trajectories.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that combines radar, video, and seismic sensors to determine a rock fall trajectory by fusing line of sight and perpendicular data, using Kalman filters for motion estimation, and incorporating spatial characterizing data to calculate the rock's source, free fall, bounce kinematics, and runout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If existing rock fall monitors are used to detect rock falls, then rock fall events can be detected, but sufficient details for designing and operating projects optimally are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (radar, video, seismic) into an integrated monitoring system. The radar system provides depth and velocity data, the video system provides visual trajectory information, and the seismic system detects bounce events. By merging these complementary data sources, the system captures complete rock fall trajectories with sufficient detail for project optimization without requiring each individual sensor to be overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated sensor system serves multiple functions simultaneously: detecting rock fall events, tracking three-dimensional trajectories, identifying bounce locations, and providing data for both immediate alerts and long-term project design. This multi-functionality reduces information loss across different application needs while avoiding the complexity of separate specialized systems for each function.
2Measurement precision
If a combination of radar and video systems is used to provide information about rock movement, then detailed trajectory information is obtained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sensor fusion algorithm as an intermediary that processes and integrates data from radar and video systems. The algorithm combines radar depth/velocity measurements with video visual tracking data to produce accurate three-dimensional trajectory estimates. This intermediary processing layer manages the complexity of multi-sensor integration while maintaining high measurement precision through coordinated data fusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical trajectory measurement equipment with a combination of electromagnetic (radar) and optical (video) sensing systems. This substitution achieves equivalent or superior measurement precision while reducing mechanical complexity, as electronic sensor fusion algorithms are simpler to implement and maintain than mechanical measurement apparatus.
3Reliability
If seismic sensors are used to detect bounce events, then correction of sensor fusion is enabled, but the system requires more sophisticated data processing
Solution Approach 1:
The seismic system provides feedback about bounce events that corrects the sensor fusion trajectory estimates. When the seismic sensor detects a bounce, this information feeds back into the trajectory calculation algorithm to adjust the rock's position and velocity estimates. This feedback mechanism improves reliability by correcting errors in the primary radar-video fusion, while the correction logic remains relatively simple compared to building entirely new measurement systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides detailed rock fall trajectories for improved project optimization, enabling targeted risk assessment and mitigation actions, such as alarms and vehicle control, by accurately analyzing rock fall events in three dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
capturing depth data of the rock fall site with a depth measurement system comprising a radar system configured to scan the rock fall site
Implementation Method 2
capturing seismic data of the rock fall site; detecting a rock fall source location of a rock fall based on the video data, depth data, and seismic data
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure relates to analysing rock falls. A video camera captures video data, a depth measurement system captures depth data, a seismic sensor captures seismic data, and a data store stores spatial characterising data of the rock fall site. A processor detects a rock fall source location based on the video data, depth data, seismic data; determines a three-dimensional free fall estimation based on the rock fall source location; estimates three-dimensional bounce kinematics based on the three-dimensional free fall estimation and the spatial characterising data of the rock fall site; estimates a runout based on the rock fall source location, free fall and bounce kinematics; and combines the rock fall source location, the three-dimensional free fall, the three dimensional bounce kinematics and the runout to determine a rock fall trajectory.