Evaluating a Static Multibeam Sonar Scanner for 3D Surveys in Confined Underwater Environments

• Main Authors: Emmanuel Moisan, Pierre Charbonnier, Philippe Foucher, Pierre Grussenmeyer, Samuel Guillemin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-09-01
• Series: Remote Sensing
• Subjects: 3D modelling; accuracy assessment; mechanical sonar scanner; terrestrial laser scanner
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/10/9/1395

Mechanical Sonar Scanning (MSS) is a recent technology that allows sonar to be used for static measurements in the same way as Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS), which makes it an attractive tool for underwater infrastructure surveys. Nevertheless, the metrological capabilities of this type of device have been little explored in the literature, particularly in narrow and shallow environments. In this paper, we report on the experimental assessment of a recent MSS, the BlueView BV5000, in a lock. The 3D sonar scans performed with the system suspended from the surface are registered using an innovative algorithm that exploits external measurements from a total station and the symmetry of the structure. We review the different errors that impair sonar data, and compare the resulting point cloud to a TLS model that was acquired the day before, while the lock was completely emptied for maintenance. After correcting a tilt angle calibration error, the maximum difference is less than 10 cm, and the standard deviation is about 3 cm. Visual inspection shows that coarse defects of the masonry, such as stone lacks or cavities, can be detected in the MSS point cloud, while details smaller than 4 cm, e.g., damaged joints, are harder to notice.