Digi-track digital roadway and railway analyzer

Abstract

A horizontal position and vertical elevation measurement apparatus and method for measuring horizontal positioning and absolute elevations of railways, paved or unpaved roadways, and other travel surfaces. The apparatus is capable of determining longitudinal and transverse elevational profiles in an X-Y-Z coordinate format usable with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Land Information Systems (LIS) to project present and future traffic counts and traffic flow patterns. It can measure the horizontal location and elevations of paved and unpaved travel surfaces, potholes, cracks, wheel ruts, etc. within a travel surface, and the horizontal location and elevations of railway tracks when conventional railroad high rail gear is used. The apparatus has Global Positioning System (GPS) signal receiving units fixed to each end of a sensor bar mounted on a vehicle perpendicular to vehicle movement. Depending upon the type of surface is being located, the sensor bar has a combination of non-mechanical sonic or infrared distance sensors placed across the sensor bar between the GPS signal receiving units which gather vertical elevation information. Concurrent with collection of information from the GPS units and the distance sensors, a video camera projects downward at the travel surface and provides a visual reference of the surface conditions should collected data exceed preset ranges. Measurement intervals are user defined. Raw digital data is stored in an onboard computer system. The data is later transferred to a remote computer for post processing, analysis and generation of the final formatted electronic file by proprietary and copyrighted software.