Monitoring of a Coastal Zone by Independent Fast Photogrammetric Surveys: the Case of Monterosso a Mare (Ligurian Sea, Italy)

Arianna Pesci^1, , Giordano Teza², Marina Bisson³, Filippo Muccini⁴, Paolo Stefanelli⁴, Marco Anzidei⁵, Roberto Carluccio⁴, Iacopo Nicolosi⁴, Alessandro Galvani⁵, Vincenzo Sepe⁵ and Cosmo Carmisciano⁴

¹Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Bologna, via Creti 12, 40128 Bologna, Italy

²Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova, via Gradenigo, 6, 35131 Padova, Italy

³Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Pisa, via della Faggiola, 32, 56126 Pisa, Italy

⁴Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Roma2, via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Roma, Italy

⁵Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica Vulcanologia, CNT, via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Roma, Italy

Cite this paper:
Arianna Pesci, Giordano Teza, Marina Bisson, Filippo Muccini, Paolo Stefanelli, Marco Anzidei, Roberto Carluccio, Iacopo Nicolosi, Alessandro Galvani, Vincenzo Sepe and Cosmo Carmisciano. Monitoring of a Coastal Zone by Independent Fast Photogrammetric Surveys: the Case of Monterosso a Mare (Ligurian Sea, Italy). Journal of Geosciences and Geomatics. 2016; 4(4):73-81. doi: 10.12691/jgg-4-4-1

Abstract

The Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry (SfM) allows a fast and easy data acquisition and a highly automated data processing, leading to accurate photorealistic point clouds. The results of a SfM-based modeling of the coastal zone of Monterosso a Mare (Eastern Liguria, Italy) are shown here. Four photogrammetric surveys of the area were carried out from both moving surface (boat) and aerial (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) platforms. The corresponding results were compared in order to provide information about precision and model reliability from fast ad cheap SfM surveys carried out without Ground Control Points (GCPs). The important issue of scale factor evaluation was solved by means of selection of points easily recognizable in each point cloud and measurement of the length of the polyline that connects these points. The ratio between the lengths of the polyline defined on a point cloud and the corresponding polyline defined in a metric reference frame provided the scale factor. The results highlight that the SfM technique can be used in emergency conditions, where GCPs cannot be used, and is compatible with a floating platform-based observation, leading to point clouds whose resolution is some centimeters for an acquisition distance of 100-150 m.

Keywords:
photogrammetry structure-from-motion fast surveying monitoring 3D modeling coast

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