4 in 1 Alignment of 3D Point Cloud, CAD Model, Real-time Camera View and Partial Point Cloud for Pipeline Retrofitting Application

The use of laser scanned 3D point cloud data and computer aided design (CAD) models aids in the construction, monitoring, and retrofitting of complex engineering objects in petrochemical plants. Moreover, it reduces the time, effort, and cost required for the building information modeling (BIM) process. Connecting the laser scanner generated point cloud data with the physical world enables users to find, analyze, and modify the specific element of the model corresponding to the physical model. This paper presents a framework for point cloud acquisition, alignment of generated point cloud data with the physical world model, adaptive 3D modeling, and retrofitting. The workflow includes an efficient 4-in-1 approach, beginning with the alignment of pre-processed point cloud data with the realworld physical model using a real-time partial point cloud obtained from light detection and ranging (LiDAR), followed by the automation of 3D model generation from the point cloud data and virtual retrofitting of CAD models. Finally, an overlap of the generated 3D models on the real environment from the camera view is efficiently visualized using a wearable virtual reality (VR) device. The proposed method is demonstrated in a real-world setting, using the partial point cloud from LiDAR, pre-processed real-world point cloud data, and CAD models of an industrial plant.