[mesh manipulation] Generating Mesh from LiDAR data (PointCloud or Surface)

mankoff · January 15, 2012, 18:28

Hi,

I'm fairly new to OpenFOAM and just beginning to make my own experiments and meshes. I have data collected with a LiDAR that is in pointcloud format (PLY, PCD). I can convert it easily to a gridded format using the opensource Points2Grid tool. I would like to be able to use this as one wall of my simulation. It does not seem that there is much overlap between the LiDAR and CFD. Has anyone done something similar, or have pointers or know of tools that can take a pointcloud and generate a mesh from it?

Thanks,

-k.

ic3wall · February 1, 2012, 10:53

What do you want to do exactly ?

You have coordinates in space corresponding to the points where your Lidar is taking measurements ? And you want to create a mesh from this ?

its not clear ..

mankoff · February 1, 2012, 10:58

Correct. I have (x,y,z) triplets in space from LiDAR. I'd like to create a mesh from this.

niklas · February 1, 2012, 11:07

if you can convert it to an STL it sounds pretty similar as the snakeriver tutorial.

mankoff · February 1, 2012, 11:10

Yes. Any suggestions on free tools that convert point clouds to STL?

ngj · February 1, 2012, 11:33

Hi

You could try to find a delaunay-triangulation tool. Having the triangles you should be able to write the STL yourself. With a delaunay-triangulation you will also have the best estimate of the surface between the measured points.

I believe matlab uses/used qhull, which is an open-source delaunay bundle.

Best regards,

Niels

ic3wall · February 1, 2012, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by mankoff

Correct. I have (x,y,z) triplets in space from LiDAR. I'd like to create a mesh from this.

For converting xyz coords to STL, you can use global mapper, very convenient.

Why don't you create a mesh around these points, a cube for example, and then refine ?

Do you have the topography ?

dshawul · February 1, 2012, 13:41

If you can't find a better tool, there are MATLAB scripts in the web that you can use to convert point data into stl format.

elvis · February 2, 2012, 06:14

Hi,

A Synthetic LiDAR Scanner for VTK http://www.kitware.com/products/html...nerForVTK.html
A Leica PTX Reader for VTK http://www.midasjournal.org/download/viewpdf/712/2

I guess that VTK is your friend

bastil · February 2, 2012, 07:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by niklas

the snakeriver tutorial.

What the hell is the snakeriver tutorial?

elvis · February 2, 2012, 08:10

snakeriver tutorial is a terrain meshing example

January 15, 2012, 18:28	Generating Mesh from LiDAR data (PointCloud or Surface)	#1
mankoff New Member Ken Mankoff Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 16	Hi, I'm fairly new to OpenFOAM and just beginning to make my own experiments and meshes. I have data collected with a LiDAR that is in pointcloud format (PLY, PCD). I can convert it easily to a gridded format using the opensource Points2Grid tool. I would like to be able to use this as one wall of my simulation. It does not seem that there is much overlap between the LiDAR and CFD. Has anyone done something similar, or have pointers or know of tools that can take a pointcloud and generate a mesh from it? Thanks, -k.

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February 1, 2012, 10:53		#2
ic3wall Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 45 Rep Power: 15	What do you want to do exactly ? You have coordinates in space corresponding to the points where your Lidar is taking measurements ? And you want to create a mesh from this ? its not clear ..

February 1, 2012, 10:58		#3
mankoff New Member Ken Mankoff Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 16	Correct. I have (x,y,z) triplets in space from LiDAR. I'd like to create a mesh from this.

February 1, 2012, 11:07		#4
niklas Super Moderator Niklas Nordin Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 693 Rep Power: 29	if you can convert it to an STL it sounds pretty similar as the snakeriver tutorial.

February 1, 2012, 11:10		#5
mankoff New Member Ken Mankoff Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 16	Yes. Any suggestions on free tools that convert point clouds to STL?

February 1, 2012, 11:33		#6
ngj Senior Member Niels Gjoel Jacobsen Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 1,903 Rep Power: 37	Hi You could try to find a delaunay-triangulation tool. Having the triangles you should be able to write the STL yourself. With a delaunay-triangulation you will also have the best estimate of the surface between the measured points. I believe matlab uses/used qhull, which is an open-source delaunay bundle. Best regards, Niels

February 1, 2012, 13:41		#8
dshawul New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 27 Rep Power: 17	If you can't find a better tool, there are MATLAB scripts in the web that you can use to convert point data into stl format.

February 2, 2012, 06:14		#9
elvis Senior Member Elvis Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sindelfingen, Germany Posts: 620 Blog Entries: 6 Rep Power: 24	Hi, A Synthetic LiDAR Scanner for VTK http://www.kitware.com/products/html...nerForVTK.html A Leica PTX Reader for VTK http://www.midasjournal.org/download/viewpdf/712/2 I guess that VTK is your friend

February 2, 2012, 08:10		#11
elvis Senior Member Elvis Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sindelfingen, Germany Posts: 620 Blog Entries: 6 Rep Power: 24	snakeriver tutorial is a terrain meshing example