An approach to automate frequent encroachment condition assessments

Updates on the assessment of the encroachment condition in large infrastructure assets are often missing. Such type of assessment is often neglected due to the extensive manual effort that requires. The article proposes an automated approach towards the assessment of the encroachment within the right of way of a canal infrastructure. The proposed approach combines 3D sensed data of the infrastructure and computational geometric analysis of such data. The original point cloud is segmented into meaningful sections of the canal infrastructure. Theoretical planes are computed for both the ground surface and boundary object, which is typically, but not always, a fence or wall. Due to occlusions (e.g., vegetation) between the boundary object and the roving sensor, the points in the theoretical vertical plane of the vertical boundary object are extruded as long as clusters of points fitting in the theoretical plane can be identified. The intersection between the vertical plane corresponding to the boundary object and the horizontal plane corresponding to the embankment results in the actual boundary intersection line. Currently, a computational solution for singularities in the encroachment condition is being investigated. Preliminary results show that: (1) the accuracy in the location of the actual presence of objects from adjacent properties with the proposed approach, and (2) the feasibility of such approach. The readers should notice that this study was preceded by numerous feasibility field tests with different data collection sensing technologies. In terms of transferring the research results to management, ArcGIS has been used to analyze data and mostly to generate results in the form of shapefiles that can be easily understood by those managing the infrastructure. If regularly used, the automated monitoring proposed in this study can prevent invasions of the right of way when there is still time for initiating legal actions.