Full Length Research Paper

Close range photogrammetry and robotic total station in volume calculation

M. Yakar¹, H. M. Yilmaz² and O. Mutluoglu³*

¹Selcuk University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, 42130 Konya, Turkey.

²Aksaray University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, Aksaray, Turkey.

³Selcuk University, Technical Sciences High School, 42130 Konya, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: omutluoglu@selcuk.edu.tr.

Accepted 28 December, 2009.

   Abstract

Nowadays, volume calculations are been used in many engineering studies such as road project, mining enterprise, geological works and building applications. In many volume calculations, some approaches such as number of lorry computation instead of mathematical calculation are used because of lack of adequate technical knowledge or insufficiency of software and hardware. Particularly, the difficulties of measurement processes in mine areas, even owing to impossibility of it in some cases, have obliged this kind of solutions. However it is reality that this process does not give volume value at adequate accuracy. In this case, important economic losses have been revealed in many applications. Volume computations can be carried out not only by geodetic measurement but also by photogrammetry and laser scanning technologies. Particularly, in the areas where reaching is risky and difficult, it is more convenient that the calculations should be performed by means of the photograph taken or scanning images of the object rather than land studying. The developments in software and hardware technologies, makes the processes in engineering studies easier and rapid as soon as possible. In this study, the performance of photogrammetry and laser scanning method on volume computation was investigated. For that in an excavation site, the volume computations were performed in both methods. The methods were compared from point of view of accuracy, time and cost. It is concluded that the both methods can be used on account of volume calculations.

Key words: Volume calculation, laser scanning, close range photogrammetry.