System for Modeling and Visualizing 3D Data of Underground Infrastructure

Japan is promoting the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for maintaining and managing civil engineering structures. Along with this trend, the 3D modeling of structures is experiencing increasing demand. However, research remains limited on the 3D modeling of underground structures such as water, sewage, and gas pipes and the utility tunnels that house them, and practical application of such modeling is not yet widespread. Also, once underground utilities are installed, there are few means for directly inspecting the structures themselves. Therefore, this study aims to establish a method for constructing essential foundational data for maintaining underground structures using ICT and to enhance the management of underground infrastructure. Specifically, we propose a method for modeling the 3D data of underground utilities, as well as a system for visualizing these data in 3D space. The 3D data are generated using point cloud data obtained by terrestrial laser scanning and camera photogrammetry during installation work and 3D models created from design drawings, and effective visualization is achieved by overlaying these data onto a map.