Road condition mapping

Zesmill has developed the unique technology for road pavement assessment and monitoring based on remote sensing data. This technology matches road inventory process while may be employed specifically for the mapping of road pavement conditions.

During the last decade the spatial resolution of satellite images increased dramatically. Images of 50 and even 30 cm resolution are available now. At the same time, images obtained from aircrafts and drones (UAVs) with a spatial resolution up to 5-6 cm became more and more accessible and affordable. Images in visual and infrared bands along with hyperspectral images allow to detect, localize and classify pavement defects. They also can be used for collecting geometric information about highways and roads, roadsides, road marking etc., which is basic data for the road inventory.

At Zesmill, we use aerial and satellite images for assessment of asphalt pavements and monitoring pavement aging and deteriorations including: potholes, rutting, corrugations and cracking of different types (surface, cluster, fatigue etc.). Both semi-automatic and manual interpretation methods are applied. All images are ortho-rectified and processed using wavelet or Fourier transformation if they have blurring or other defects due to atmospheric conditions and illuminance. Based on the orthophotos, the distress properties, such as depth and size can be measured.

This technology is proved to be faster, more accurate and more convenient as compared with traditional ground methods. Transportation departments around the world use sophisticated survey vehicles equipped with GPRs, hitch mount profilers, digital cameras and falling weight deflectometers. Vehicle-based platforms are known to be very useful because of continuous, high resolution data they collected.

But road networks in the USA, European and East Asian countries are extensive. It is not economically and physically feasible to map every road using manual measurements or even special road survey vehicles. In developing countries, large road networks have been heavily using, but undermaintaining. Thousands of kilometers of roads in large Latin American countries and Asian countries are in poor condition and need reconstruction or rehabilitation. 

Zesmill’s remote sensing technology meets time and budget goals and can supplement and/or substitute traditional road survey methods.