Abstract
Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) systems are widely applied for spatial data collection and support applications in many aspects. In recent years, MLS technology had been introduced to railway applications and greatly enhanced the spatial detail and efficiency when compared to traditional approaches. However, the advance of MLS technology is not completely applied to railway environment. Typical MLS systems rely on integrated navigation through the use of Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for geo-referencing, while operation under long-term GNSS outages or even GNSS-free environments, such as underground railway or long tunnels, remains a challenging issue due to the degraded operation of standalone inertial navigation. Commercial MLS systems usually employ high performance inertial measurement units (IMU) and various strategies to manage GNSS outages, but GNSS components are still necessary prior to and after experiencing the loss of GNSS signals. To tackle the problem of permanent GNSS outages, alternative methods are introduced to replace the GNSS and so allow the use of MLS systems in GNSS-free underground railway environments. Such approaches encourage the MLS systems to be developed into the Underground Railway Laser Scanning (URLS) systems, which may provide several alternative operational functions for the management of underground railway operation.
Highlights
Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) systems have been developed as rigorous solutions for dynamic spatial data acquisition
Such applications predominantly rely on a Position and Orientation System (POS) for navigation, and geo-reference performance is diminished with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) outages
The concept of a GNSS-free Underground Railway Laser Scanning (URLS) system that aims at replacing GNSS components and integrating the MLS and underground railway systems was introduced
Summary
Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) systems have been developed as rigorous solutions for dynamic spatial data acquisition. MLS systems are widely applied to railways for rail track surveys, clearance measurements, infrastructure reconstruction and tunnel mapping [4,5,6,7]. Such applications predominantly rely on a POS for navigation, and geo-reference performance is diminished with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) outages. Overhead power lines and gantries, track configuration and alignment data, route assignment information, control and signaling systems, tunnel structures, and platforms can be employed. The scope of development and application of continuous URLS systems are discussed along with the benefits such a technology would bring to the management of underground railway assets
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