Comparison of Vehicle Measurement Techniques

摘要

The application of the principle of Conservation of Energy for an accident reconstruction requires that an investigator determine the amount of residual deformation of a damaged vehicle. Law enforcement officers present at the scene of an accident are operating under time restrictions which frequently do not allow sufficiently comprehensive vehicle damage data to be taken for use in calculations. Instead, an investigator may need to acquire deformation measurements independently. Common measurement techniques include the use of hand measurements, photogram-metric analysis, or a theodylite (total station) survey. A lesser-known 3-dimensional metrology tool is also available. Several methods exist, and much has been written about these methods, from semi-automated photogrammetry1 to use of de-formable wire-frame models when as little as two photographs of a vehicle are available2. However, little in the way of comparative studies has been published about these different techniques. This paper compares several methods of vehicle measurement for application in the accident reconstruction discipline. Each method was employed to model a subject vehicle, and the methods are compared to assess measurement accuracy, time required to acquire and process the data, cost of use for the data collection equipment, and general equipment ease of use.