3D HydroMapper

Background

The infrastructure for maritime and inland shipping is exposed to many different mechanical and environmental influences, which cause additional damage to the ageing structure. Port structures must therefore be regularly inspected and tested underwater by diving engineers.

Project Goals

New perspectives, technologies and methods of lifecycle management are required to maintain an efficient infrastructure of sea and inland ports in Germany. Automated inspections can significantly reduce personnel and time expenditure as they are easier to plan. The aim of the joint project is therefore to automate data collection, damage detection and modeling as far as possible.

For this purpose, the 3D HydroMapper is used, which employs a hybrid multi-sensor system to create 3D images of harbor structures above and below water. Using pattern recognition methods, structural damage can be automatically derived and classified, allowing damage to be detected and rectified at an early stage. This reduces the downtime of port facilities and safeguards handling processes, resulting in considerable cost and time savings for port operators. In this project, Niedersachsen Ports is developing a tool for digital, paperless damage recording. It supports the recording and standardized assessment of damage to structures and the identification and prioritization of repair measures.