Monitoring coastal morphology: the potential of low-cost fixed array action cameras for 3D reconstruction |
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| Authors: | Samantha Godfrey James Cooper Frederic Bezombes Andrew Plater |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK;2. General Engineering Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK |
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| Abstract: | The combination of structure-from-motion with multi-view stereo (SfM-MVS) photogrammetry has become an increasingly popular method for the monitoring and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of coastal environments. Climate change is driving the potential for increased coastal landward retreat meaning geomorphological monitoring using methods such as SfM-MVS has become essential for detecting and tracking impacts. SfM-MVS has been well-researched with a variety of platforms and spatial and temporal resolutions using mainly rectilinear digital cameras in coastal settings. However, there has been no assessment of the potential of fixed multi-camera arrays to monitor landward retreat or on the significance of camera placement in relation to the scene. This study presents an innovative method of image acquisition using a purpose-built camera grid and GoPro© action camera to evaluate the combined effects of camera height, obliqueness and overlap at a site of known landward retreat. This approach examines the effect of camera placement on scene reconstruction to aid the design of a multi-camera array. SfM-MVS dense point clouds display millimetre accuracy when compared to equivalent terrestrial laser scans and strong image network geometry with internal precision estimates of < 3 mm. Comparable point cloud reconstruction can be achieved with a small number of images stationed in appropriate positions. Initial results show as few as five images positioned at a cliff to camera ratio of 3:4.18 and camera obliqueness of 40° can provide reconstruction in the range of millimetres (mean error of 4.79 mm). These findings illustrate the importance of camera placement when using multiple cameras and aid the design of a low-cost, fixed multi-camera array for use at sites of small-scale landward retreat. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd |
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| Keywords: | action camera coastal erosion coastal monitoring image optimization structure-from-motion photogrammetry 3D reconstruction |
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