Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Accurate and precise three dimensional characterization of civil infrastructure elements and materials is critical to advancing the science of our infrastructure construction, preservation and safe operation. We propose to acquire a portable (handheld) 3D imaging device, which will enable our research teams to rapidly obtain precise (±0.030 mm) 3D surface profiles of complex objects and surfaces primarily on civil infrastructure in the field. Our current laser scanners cannot scan at close proximity (0-2 m), and are 10 years old and 100 times less precise. This limited capability imposes a significant opportunity cost as we cannot derive models of structural connections, welds, characteristics of construction aggregates, and deteriorated infrastructure in the field or even of extracted samples in the laboratory without error prone, sparse, dangerous and extremely laborious mechanical measurements. This is handicapping an otherwise thriving set of research programs. Furthermore, the added risk of equipment failure may make it impossible to deliver on current NSERC and industrial partner research commitments. Over one dozen industrial partnerships and dozens of students depend on these programs which are discovering significant new knowledge, developing HQP with 3D imaging and image analysis skills that are in high demand in the civil engineering research and industrial worlds, and developing critical tools that improve the social welfare and enable our partners to effectively compete. A portable high precision 3D imaging device is critical to the health and ongoing contributions of these programs.