From TLS Point Clouds to 3d Models of Trees: A Comparison of Existing Algorithms for 3d Tree Reconstruction

Abstract

ABSTRACT:3D models of tree geometry are important for numerous studies, such as for urban planning or agricultural studies. In climatology, tree models can be necessary for simulating the cooling effect of trees by estimating their evapotranspiration. The literature shows that the more accurate the 3D structure of a tree is, the more accurate microclimate models are. This is the reason why, since 2013, we have been developing an algorithm for the reconstruction of trees from terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) data, which we call TreeArchitecture. Meanwhile, new promising algorithms dedicated to tree reconstruction have emerged in the literature. In this paper, we assess the capacity of our algorithm and of two others -PlantScan3D and SimpleTree-to reconstruct the 3D structure of trees. The aim of this reconstruction is to be able to characterize the geometric complexity of trees, with different heights, sizes and shapes of branches. Based on a specific surveying workflow with a TLS, we have acquired dense point clouds of six different urban trees, with specific architectures, before reconstructing them with each algorithm. Finally, qualitative and quantitative assessments of the models are performed using reference tree reconstructions and field measurements. Based on this assessment, the advantages and the limits of every reconstruction algorithm are highlighted. Anyway, very satisfying results can be reached for 3D reconstructions of tree topology as well as of tree volume.

Using terrestrial laser scanning data to estimate large tropical trees biomass and calibrate allometric models: A comparison with traditional destructive approach

“…For about a decade, a growing number of studies have been using three‐dimensional points clouds of trees from Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) technology to estimate above‐ground tree volume (e.g. Bournez, Landes, Saudreau, Kastendeuch, & Najjar, ; Calders et al., ; Côté, Fournier, & Egli, ; Hackenberg, Morhart, Sheppard, Spiecker, & Disney, ; Hackenberg, Spiecker, Calders, Disney, & Raumonen, ; Hackenberg, Wassenberg, Spiecker, & Sun, ; Mei, Zhang, Wu, Wang, & Zhang, ; Raumonen et al., ; Tansey, Selmes, Anstee, Tate, & Denniss, ) based on a variety of tree reconstruction methods like the Quantitative Structure Model (QSM) and Outer Hull Model (Stovall, Vorster, Anderson, Evangelista, & Shugart, ). Tree models volume and derived AGB estimates usually correlates well with validation data (Table ).…”

Retrieval of Forest Structural Parameters From Terrestrial Laser Scanning: A Romanian Case Study

“…Over the last decade, technological advances in terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) have allowed the development of highly portable, accurate and increasingly cost-effective sensors. Similarly, we can observe an increase in data processing solutions capable of segmenting and reconstructing accurate individual tree models [1][2][3]. This facilitated the use of such close range remote sensing technologies for describing forest stands structural parameters [4][5][6] and biophysical parameters [7][8][9].…”

Assessing branching structure for biomass and wood quality estimation using terrestrial laser scanning point clouds

“…as they have been shown to hold potential for representing the scanned tree structures with the most 62 detail, including a geometrical presentation of individual branches and twigs (Bournez et al 2017 studies are increasingly using TLS data to infer the stem and branch biomass directly from the 76 geometrical tree models, although how the methodologies perform across various vertical stem 77 sections with varying branch properties remains unclear. The omission of structures along the length 78 of tree stems has a crucial effect on the performance of geometrical tree-modeling methods in the 79 extraction of branching structures and, consequently, their applicability into acquiring input for 80 biomass and wood quality equations (Pyörälä et al 2018b).…”