SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate the usefulness of image processing technologies for characterizing discontinuities in rock masses. Discontinuities in rock masses include joints, faults, bedding planes, etc., and characterizing these features is one of the most important inputs to engineering design in rock masses. Split Engineering LLC has developed image processing and mathematical algorithms for I) delineating fracture traces in images of rock fractures, and 2) extracting three-dimensional properties (including strike and dip) from the delineated fracture traces. The first objective of the Phase I work is to test and further refine the image processing and mathematical algorithms that have been developed. The second objective is to investigate the synergies between this technology and the laser scanning technologies, which also have great commercial potential in the field of fracture characterization. The third objective is to conduct a number of field case studies to validate the trace analysis approach and to determine under what circumstances it is beneficial to incorporate laser-scanning technologies into the approach. Knowledge of geologic discontinuities is important for a number of industries. Current technologies have resulted in either millions of dollars in damage due to a missed fracture or costly reinforcement where it was not needed because of a misinterpreted discontinuity. Important end-users of the technology proffered by Split Engineering LLC, referred to as the trace analysis technology, are the mining and geotechnical industries. The capability fits in especially well with the need to automate certain rock characterization tasks and incorporate the resulting information into the mining process. If the project is successful in developing improvements in fracture system characterization

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will further the investigation of two innovative technologies for characterizing fractures in rock masses. The first technology involves image-processing algorithms for the extraction of 3D fracture properties from fracture traces in digital images. The second technology involves the use of laser-scanners to extract the 3D properties of exposed fracture surfaces. The two technologies complement each other well and there are situations where the characterization of fracturing is best analyzed with one or the other or both technologies. The first objective of the Phase II research is to continue to improve the two technologies, and to integrate all the various algorithms into a single user-friendly software tool. The second objective is to thoroughly evaluate sources of error in both technologies through synthetic and field studies, and to develop a set of recommended field procedures and equipment for various applications to optimize the techniques and minimize errors. The third objective is to develop relationships with potential customers for the software and also groups interested in collaborating on software development and validation. Once a beta version of the software is developed, this software will be provided to some customers for validation and assessment. Within the broad scope of the rock engineering market, four distinct market segments have been identified for this innovation. Each market segment has a separate end-use application: mining, geotechnical, petroleum, and environment. Market research and letters of support from various market participants have demonstrated that a market need exists for automation of tasks currently performed manually by rock engineering professionals