98 research outputs found
Improving riverbed sediment classification using backscatter and depth residual features of multi-beam echo-sounder systems
No full textRiverbed and seafloor sediment classification using acoustic remote sensing techniques is of high interest due to their high coverage capabilities at limited cost. This contribution presents the results of riverbed sediment classification using multi-beam echo-sounder data based on an empirical method. Two data sets are considered, both taken at the Waal River, namely Sint Andries and Nijmegen. This work is a follow-up to the work carried out by Amiri-Simkooei et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126(4), 1724–1738 (2009)]. The empirical method bases the classification on features of the backscatter strength and depth residuals. A principal component analysis is used to identify the most appropriate and informative features. Clustering is then applied to the principal components resulting from this set of features to assign a sediment class to each measurement. The results show that the backscatter strength features discriminate between different classes based on the sediment properties, whereas the depth residual features discriminate classes based on riverbed forms such as the “fixed layer” (stone having riprap structure) and riverbed ripples. Combination of these two sets of features is highly recommended because they provide complementary information on both the composition and the structure of the riverbed.Remote SensingAerospace Engineerin
Least-squares variance component estimation: Theory and GPS applications
No full textIn this thesis we study the method of least-squares variance component estimation (LS-VCE) and elaborate on theoretical and practical aspects of the method. We show that LS-VCE is a simple, flexible, and attractive VCE-method. The LS-VCE method is simple because it is based on the well-known principle of least-squares. With this method the estimation of the (co)variance components is based on a linear model of observation equations. The method is flexible since it works with a user-defined weight matrix. Different weight matrix classes can be defined which all automatically lead to unbiased estimators of (co)variance components. LS-VCE is attractive since it allows one to apply the existing body of knowledge of least-squares theory to the problem of (co)variance component estimation. With this method, one can 1) obtain measures of discrepancies in the stochastic model, 2) determine the covariance matrix of the (co)variance components, 3) obtain the minimum variance estimator of (co)variance components by choosing the weight matrix as the inverse of the covariance matrix, 4) take the a-priori information on the (co)variance component into account, 5) solve for a nonlinear (co)variance component model, 6) apply the idea of robust estimation to (co)variance components, 7) evaluate the estimability of the (co)variance components, and 8) avoid the problem of obtaining negative variance components.Aerospace Engineerin
Multivariate Weighted Total Least Squares Based on the Standard Least-Squares Theory
No full textThe weighted total least squares (WTLS) has been widely used in many geodetic problems to solve the error-in-variable (EIV) models in which both the observation vector and the design matrix contain random errors. This method is widely applied in its univariate form, where the observations and unknown coefficients appear in vector forms. However, in some geodetic problems, data sets appear in more than one dimension, and the vector representation of the univariate model may not be suitable to efficiently solve the problem. The observation and unknown parameter vectors can then be replaced with their counterparts in matrix representations in a multivariate model. In this paper, we propose a simple, fast, and flexible procedure for solving the multivariate WTLS (MWTLS) problem using the standard least squares theory. The method has the capability of applying to large-size and high-dimensional data sets. Our numerical experiments on both simulated and real datasets demonstrate the high performance of the proposed method for solving multivariate WTLS problems. In terms of computational complexity, our method outperforms the existing state-of-the-art methods, both numerically and analytically.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Optical and Laser Remote Sensin
RINGEN Geothermal Project Development MDP
No full textIn this multidisciplinary project several aspects of geosciences are combined. The regional geology background was summarized and linked to the borehole data.Multiple tests were conducted on the well to answer several questions. The slug test indicated that the fracture is still open and essentially confirmed that it is a shear fracture, however it is unclear to what extent that the fracture is open. The fracture seems to be hydraulically connected to a permeable unit or shallow aquifer. Unfortunately, the length of the fracture could not be determined with the data collected from the test.Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and seismics were both applied to a location near the borehole to acquire lateral information of the subsurface. The ERT results showed that the layers were horizontally continuous and indicated layers with different compositions based on resistive properties.Seismic refraction tomography conducted along a part of the same profile showed similar results as the ERT for that part of the profile. P-wave velocities indicate a horizontally layered subsurface in the upper 40m. Additionally surface wave analysis of the same setup utilizing active and passive measurements resulted in a vertical s-wave velocity profile that can be used for future implementation of the planned Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES) system.The last geophysical method was using gravity data on the region around the site. A map was made by using available data on changes in gravity in the region and plotting the results. On this map the location of remnants of volcanos and the Litoměřice deep fault can be recognised.Thermal properties of cores were analyzed using a Hot Disk and an optical scanner. Unfortunately the drilling of a new well from which the cores were to be analyzed was delayed, and cores from an uranium mine were used. This way the advantages and disadvantages of both measuring devices could be argued and used for future research.Past analysis of geothermal regions have shown that exploration of geothermal energy causes surface displacement. It can also be observed during the drilling phase. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are valuable tools to monitor land surface changes. Measurement of surface deformation being one of its many applications. For this study, the above tools have been used to measure surface displacement in the region of Litoměřice.Civil Engineerin
Noise in multivariate GPS position time-series
No full textA methodology is developed to analyze a multivariate linear model, which occurs in many geodetic and geophysical applications. Proper analysis of multivariate GPS coordinate time-series is considered to be an application. General, special, and more practical stochastic models are adopted to assess the noise characteristics of multivariate time-series. The least-squares variance component estimation (LS-VCE) is applied to estimate full covariance matrices among different series. For the special model, it is shown that the multivariate time-series can be estimated separately, and that the (cross) correlation between series propagates directly into the correlation between the corresponding parameters in the functional model. The time-series of five permanent GPS stations are used to show how the correlation between series propagates into the site velocities. The results subsequently conclude that the general model is close to the more practical model, for which an iterative algorithm is presented. The results also indicate that the correlation between series of different coordinate components per station is not significant. However, the spatial correlation between different stations for individual components is significant (a correlation of 0.9 over short baselines) both for white and for colored noise components.Earth Observation and Space SystemsAerospace Engineerin
Quality of Photogrammetry in Oblique Aerial Imagery for 3D Reconstruction: Assessing the quality of photogrammetry on aerial image sets and incorporate the quality in geometric feature extraction
No full textPhotogrammetry is a well-established technique that has a significant impact on the use of images for mapping purposes. Employing feature extraction, matching, and the bundle adjustment, a large number of images can be automatically processed. Ingenieursbureau Geodelta developed an application for measurements in processed (oblique) aerial images. However, the quality of these measurements and the added value of oblique images on the adjustment's quality were unclear. This will be assessed by means of the theoretical standard deviation resulting from the bundle adjustment. Upon estimating this quality, an adapted RANSAC method is proposed that incorporates this quality as weights within its algorithm to extract geometric features. The objective is to evaluate whether this enhances the RANSAC results and could be applied to 3D reconstructions. The results indicate three key factors that influence the theoretical standard deviation: high tie point availability, larger observation angles, and image viewing direction. With this, the theoretical standard deviation for tie points in both Nadir and Oblique image sets separately approximates 3 centimeters in the horizontal direction and about 10 in the height direction. Combining the two sets enhances the results by nearly a factor of three in all directions because the Nadir images connect the Oblique images, combining the strong characteristics of both sets. This demonstrates the value of both Nadir and Oblique imagery. For image exteriors, the improvement is even more pronounced, yielding an improvement factor of 4 or 5. However, propagating this quality metric through a dense matching algorithm in an adapted, weighted RANSAC algorithm does not show significant improvements in the number of planes found or the percentage of points classified as inliers of those planes. Furthermore, the RANSAC method does not converge to a better result in fewer iterations using the proposed method.Civil Engineerin
On the nature of GPS draconitic year periodic pattern in multivariate position time series
No full textPlate tectonics studies using GPS require proper analysis of time series, in which all functional effects are understood and all stochastic effects are captured using an appropriate noise assessment technique. Both issues are addressed in this contribution. Estimates of spatial correlation, time correlated noise, and multivariate power spectrum for daily position time series of 350, 150, and 50 permanent GPS stations, respectively, collected between 2000–2007, 1998–2007, and 1996–2007 are obtained. The daily GPS global solutions were processed by the GPS Analysis Center at JPL. The detection power of the common-mode signals is improved by including the time- and space-correlated noise into the least squares power spectrum. Previous signals, such as those with periods of 13.63, 14.2, 14.6, and 14.8?days, are identified in the multivariate analysis. Significant signal with period of 351.6?±?0.2?days and its higher harmonics are detected in the series, which closely follows the GPS draconitic year. The variation range of this periodic pattern for the north, east, and up components are about ±3, ±3.2, and ±6.5?mm, respectively. Three independent criteria confirm that this periodic pattern is of similar nature at adjacent stations, indicating its independence of the station-related effects such as multipath. It is likely due to the other causes of the GPS draconitic year period driven into GPS time series. The multivariate power spectrum shows a cluster of signals with periods ranging from 5 to 6?days (quasiperiodic signals). In their aliased forms, the effects are likely partly responsible for the time-correlated noise and partly for the periodic patterns at lower frequencies.Control & OperationsAerospace Engineerin
Least-squares variance component estimation
No full textLeast-squares variance component estimation (LS-VCE) is a simple, flexible and attractive method for the estimation of unknown variance and covariance components. LS-VCE is simple because it is based on the well-known principle of LS; it is flexible because it works with a user-defined weight matrix; and it is attractive because it allows one to directly apply the existing body of knowledge of LS theory. In this contribution, we present the LS-VCE method for different scenarios and explore its various properties. The method is described for three classes of weight matrices: a general weight matrix, a weight matrix from the unit weight matrix class; and a weight matrix derived from the class of elliptically contoured distributions. We also compare the LS-VCE method with some of the existing VCE methods. Some of them are shown to be special cases of LS-VCE. We also show how the existing body of knowledge of LS theory can be used to one’s advantage for studying various aspects of VCE, such as the precision and estimability of VCE, the use of a-priori variance component information, and the problem of nonlinear VCE. Finally, we show how the mean and the variance of the fixed effect estimator of the linear model are affected by the results of LS-VCE. Various examples are given to illustrate the theory.Delft Institute of Earth Observation and Space Systems (DEOS)Aerospace Engineerin
Photogrammetric Deformation Analysis of a Quay Wall: Stochastic non-linear least-squares deformation analysis from photogrammetric measurements on a quay wall
No full textIn recent years, unstable quay walls are a problem in The Netherlands. 100-year-old quay walls in cities like Amsterdam are collapsing and endanger people and property. The government needs to renovate unstable quay walls quickly. With 600 kilometre of quay wall in Amsterdam alone, this is a great challenge. Currently, unstable walls are found by deformation monitoring using tacheometry, which takes too much time for large scale monitoring. To increase both speed and coverage, a photogrammetric deformation analysis is proposed. In multiple epochs, at months interval, a series of images of the quay wall is made from a boat. In these images, feature points are identified and matched, where part of the feature points are matched across multiple epochs. All feature point observations are put in a multi-epoch least squares adjustment. This adjustment integrates both feature point observations of individual epochs and point deformations between multiple epochs. Using photogrammetry in combination with such a deformation adjustment has not been done previously, but has great advantages. The least squares adjustment allows to take the stochastic nature of the observations into account. This enables proper error propagation, such that not only quay wall stability can be assessed, but also the corresponding error budget. Results show that using two epochs 300 multi-epoch feature points can be found per square meter quay wall. With these points, sub-centimetre deformation can be estimated.Civil Engineerin
Development of remotely sensed image velocimetry for large-scale free surface flows: Application to the flow through the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier
No full textThe Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier (ES-SSB) is the largest hydraulic structure in the Netherlands. Its semi-open inlets allow for North Sea waters to enter and leave the Eastern Scheldt estuary with each tidal cycle, and can be closed during extreme storm events. The flow through the barrier is strongly contracted, and complex flow patterns emerge. Among characteristic flow features are the shallow jet and shallow mixing layer, generated as a result of large transverse shear stresses with horizontal lengths scales greatly exceeding the water depth. Large mean velocities in combination with the developing lateral non-uniformity of the flow between slack water and maximum flood gives rise to higher bed shear stresses. A bed protection up to a distance of about 600 m from the barrier is applied to stabilize the bed against increased hydraulic loading. Scour hole development adjacent to the applied bed protection was anticipated for, but expected equilibrium depths have not yet been reached. Reaching local depths of 60 m with respect to the water surface, these scour holes may on the long term be a threat to the stability of the barrier. Broekema (2020) concluded that during flow contraction, separation of flow near the bed of the scour hole is suppressed and high flow velocities in streamwise direction are found near the bed. Cyclic variations in lateral non-uniformity affect turbulence intensities and subsequent mixing of mass and momentum. Scour growth is therefore enhanced in two ways: i) velocities in the main flow remain high due to horizontal flow convergence, and ii) lateral velocity gradients are associated with larger turbulence intensities that are likely leading to larger bed shear stresses..
- …
