Year
2007
Abstract
A requirement for a nuclear facility to be placed under IAEA safeguards is that design information about the facility, including the layout of structures, and activities in those structures are provided in a document called the Design Information Questionnaire (DIQ). Verification of facility structures is extremely difficult for the individual inspectors. This paper describes an effective outdoor modelling and verification system (OVS) that spatially maps and records the exterior of facility structures thereby simplifying this task. The OVS was developed by the European Commission Support Programme for the IAEA and consists of a 3D laser range scanner, high-resolution digital photography or video, coupled with a geo-location system (e.g., GPS or Galileo) and inertial navigation system. The OVS easily mounts on the roof of a vehicle and integrates data acquired at ground level with airborne, and/or satellite data. The OVS complements the already operational 3-Dimensional Laser Range Finder system (3DLR) that is currently used by the IAEA to map the interiors of facilities for design information verification (DIV). The paper describes the OVS as well as the integration and navigation capabilities of the high resolution 3D models with geographical information systems and associated databases and layers. The results are spatially accurate images useful for design verification as well as the training and preparation for inspections.