How LiDAR is Being Used to Help With Natural Disaster Mapping and Management

How LiDAR is Being Used to Help With Natural Disaster Mapping and Management

 

Michael Shillenn, vice president and program manager with Quantum Spatial outlines three projects where LiDAR data from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) has been used to assist in planning, disaster response and recovery, and emergency preparedness.  

This month the United States Geological Survey (USGS) kicks off the fourth year of its grant process that supports collection high-resolution topographic data using LiDAR under its 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The 3DEP program stemmed from the growing national need for standards-based 3D representations of natural and constructed above-ground features, and provides valuable data and insights to federal and state agencies, as well as municipalities and other organizations across the U.S. and its territories.

With geospatial data collected through 3DEP, these agencies and organizations can mitigate flood risk, manage infrastructure and construction projects, conserve national resources, mitigate hazards and ensure they are prepared for natural and manmade disasters.

Here’s a look at three projects undertaken by Quantum Spatial Inc. on behalf of various government agencies, explaining how the LiDAR data collected has been used to support hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts, provide risk assessments for potential flooding and address potential volcanic hazards.

Hurricane Sandy Disaster Response and Recovery

Hurricane Sandy was one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, impacting 24 states, including the entire Eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine. The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 enabled the USGS and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support response, recovery and mitigation of damages caused by Hurricane Sandy.

As a result, USGS and NOAA coordinated the collection of high-resolution topographic and bathymetric elevation data using LiDAR technology along the eastern seaboard from South Carolina to Rhode Island covering coastal and inland areas impacted by the storm. This integrated data is supporting scientific studies related to:

  • Hurricane recovery and rebuilding activities;
  • Vulnerability assessments of shorelines to coastal change hazards, such as severe storms, sea-level rise, and shoreline erosion and retreat;
  • Validation of storm-surge inundation predictions over urban areas;
  • Watershed planning and resource management; and
  • Ecological assessments.

The elevation data collected during this project has been included in the 3DEP repository, as well as NOAA’s Digital Coast — a centralized, user-friendly and cost-effective information repository developed by the NOAA Office for Coastal Management for the coastal managers, planners, decision-makers, and technical users who are charged to manage the nation’s coastal and ocean resources to sustain vibrant coastal communities and economies.

In this image, you’ll see a 3D LiDAR surface model colored by elevation centered on the inlet between Bear and Browns Island, part of North Carolina’s barrier islands south of Emerald Isle in Onslow Bay. The Back Bay marshlands and Intercostal Waterway also are clearly defined in this data.

3D LiDAR surface model colored by elevation centered on the inlet between Bear and Browns Island, part of North Carolina’s barrier islands south of Emerald Isle in Onslow Bay.

Flood Mapping and Border Security along the Rio Grande River

Not only is flooding one of the most common and costly disasters, flood risk also can change over time as a result of development, weather patterns and other factors. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) works with federal, state, tribal and local partners across the nation to identify and reduce flood risk through the Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) program. Risk MAP leverages 3DEP elevation data to create high-quality flood maps and models. The program also provides information and tools that help authorities better assess potential risk from flooding and supports planning and outreach to communities in order to help them take action to reduce (or mitigate) flood risk.

This image depicts a 3D LiDAR surface model, colored by elevation, for a portion of the City of El Paso, Texas. U.S. and Mexico territory, separated by the Rio Grande River, is shown. Centered in the picture is the Cordova Point of Entry Bridge crossing the Rio Grande. The US Customs and Border Protection, El Paso Port of Entry Station is prominently shown on the north side of the bridge. Not only does this data show the neighborhoods and businesses that could be impacted by flooding, but also it provides up-to-date geospatial data that may be valuable to border security initiatives.

3D LiDAR surface model, colored by elevation, for a portion of the City of El Paso, Texas. U.S. and Mexico territory, separated by the Rio Grande River

Disaster Preparedness Around the Glacier Peak Volcano

The USGS has a Volcano Hazards Program designed to advance the scientific understanding of volcanic processes and lessen the harmful impacts of volcanic activity. This program monitors active and potentially active volcanoes, assesses their hazards, responds to volcanic crises and conducts research on how volcanoes work.

Through 3DEP, USGS acquired LiDAR of Glacier Peak, the most remote, and one of the most active volcanoes, in the state of Washington. The terrain information provided by LiDAR enables scientists to get accurate view of the land, even in remote, heavily forested areas. This data helps researchers examine past eruptions, prepare for future volcanic activity and determine the best locations for installing real-time monitoring systems. The LiDAR data also is used in the design of a real-time monitoring network at Glacier Peak in preparation for installation in subsequent years, at which time the USGS will be able to better monitor activity and forecast eruptions.

This image offers a view looking southeast at Glacier and Kennedy Peaks and was created from the gridded LiDAR surface, colored by elevation.

3D LiDAR surface model of a view looking southeast at Glacier and Kennedy Peaks.

 

Source : www.gislounge.com

Concrete Pavement Design Spreadsheet

Concrete Pavement Design Spreadsheet

 

Pavement Design ( Wheel Loading ) – Using CCAA Approach

A concrete pavement is to be designed to support loading from mining trucks with an axle load of 640 kN with a wheel spacing of 4.97 m. All areas of the pavement may be traversed by the mining truck. The pavement design shall be designed for an operating life of 20 years, and it has been estimated that an average of 25 daily load repetitions may occur.

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Convert PDF to AutoCAD DWG Free

Convert PDF to AutoCAD DWG Free

 

Don’t waste your time and money on any paid or sometimes free online resources and software. Now converting PDF document to editable AutoCAD DWG format file is just a matter of seconds. You will be able to convert PDF to DWG by using just one AutoCAD Command.

 

PDFIMPORT Command in AutoCAD

When AutoCAD 2017 was released, it included one of the most necessary functionality PDFIMPORT. AutoCAD provides the simplest one-click method to convert your PDF to AutoCAD. PDFIMPORT command is used as a permanent PDF Converter for AutoCAD drawings. By using PDFIMPORT command, it is now easily possible to import PDF content material directly into AutoCAD drawings. The text turns into editable text and Lines will become editable geometry. AutoCAD supports complex geometry conversion from PDF to DWG format. The kind of the actual PDF primarily controls the accuracy of the following AutoCAD content, so consequences can also range. Moreover, PDF underlays in drawings created with preceding AutoCAD releases may be converted into editable drawing geometry by the use of PDFIMPORT command.

The use of PDFIMPORT with PDF produced from scanned pix/files will bring about the creation of a raster picture document, which is then attached to the drawing as an xref. The raster imagery will no longer be converted into editable geometry. It can be used for tracing the drawing objects accordingly.

How to Convert PDF to AutoCAD By using PDFIMPORT Command

Follow these simple steps for converting a PDF file to editable AutoCAD drawing;

Type PDFATTACH command in the command line to browse and attach the PDF file that you want to change to an AutoCAD drawing.

AutoCAD Attach PDF Underlay

In the next window select the required page number from pdf file. Only that one page will be imported as an underlay into this drawing.

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Just type the command PDFIMPORT or click on the PDF attachment. The top ribbon of AutoCAD interface will be changed to PDF Underlay section. Click on “Import as Objects” button. This option is used to import the PDF file or a particular part of the PDF attached file as editable AutoCAD objects.

PDF Import Settings

When PDFIMPORT command is initiated, three options can be seen on the command line [Polygon, All and Settings]. By selecting the Polygon option, you will be able to draw a closed polygon in the drawing to choose the part of PDF drawing to bring into this drawing as AutoCAD objects. The whole of the underlay is converted to AutoCAD if “All” option is selected. PDF Import Settings can be accessed by selecting the “Settings” option on the command line.

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In PDF Import Settings window you can select the type of data that will be imported into this drawing, i.e., vector geometry, True Type text, and raster images. You can also assign the layers to imported objects.

If the PDF underlay drawing includes raster images, these images will be extracted as png files to a specified folder and then attached to the current drawing as an underlay.

You can change the location of these raster images by clicking on the Options button and then follow these steps to change the location of the raster images folder according to your workflow.

PDFIMPORT PDF Images Location Settings how to convert pdf to dwg in AutoCAD 2017,

After clicking on OK and then selecting one of the options as per your convenience Polygon or All, new commands [Keep, Detach, Unload] are shown on the command line. Select any of these commands as you like the PDF Underlay to behave after conversion.

When the command is completed, the selected objects in the PDF Underlay are imported as editable AutoCAD objects enabling you to save this data as DWG or DXF file format and editing.

 

Source : freecadtipsandtricks.com

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