Enhanced automatic detection of road surface cracks by combining 2D/3D image processing techniques

In this paper, a comprehensive automatic visual inspection system for detecting pavement cracks, built around a Laser Road Inspection System (LRIS) onboard an instrumented vehicle, is presented. Two inertial profilers, a Differential Global Position System (DGPS), a high-definition camera and a high-speed area scan camera are the additional acquisition equipment. Visual appearance and geometrical information are obtained simultaneously since 3D profiles are obtained by capturing the laser line projected by the LRIS with the external area scan camera. Using AdaBoost algorithm for the combination of the processing results of these two types of data allows us to improve surface crack detection rates.