Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset

<p>Image-based grain sizing has been used to measure grain size more efficiently compared with traditional methods (e.g., sieving and Wolman pebble count). However, current methods to automatically detect individual grains are largely based on detecting grain interstices from image intensity w...

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Main Authors: X. Chen, M. A. Hassan, X. Fu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2022-04-01
Series:Earth Surface Dynamics
Online Access:https://esurf.copernicus.org/articles/10/349/2022/esurf-10-349-2022.pdf
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author X. Chen
X. Chen
M. A. Hassan
X. Fu
author_facet X. Chen
X. Chen
M. A. Hassan
X. Fu
author_sort X. Chen
collection DOAJ
description <p>Image-based grain sizing has been used to measure grain size more efficiently compared with traditional methods (e.g., sieving and Wolman pebble count). However, current methods to automatically detect individual grains are largely based on detecting grain interstices from image intensity which not only require a significant level of expertise for parameter tuning but also underperform when they are applied to suboptimal environments (e.g., dense organic debris, various sediment lithology). We proposed a model (GrainID) based on convolutional neural networks to measure grain size in a diverse range of fluvial environments. A dataset of more than 125 000 grains from flume and field measurements were compiled to develop GrainID. Tests were performed to compare the predictive ability of GrainID with sieving, manual labeling, Wolman pebble counts (Wolman, 1954) and BASEGRAIN (Detert and Weitbrecht, 2012). When compared with the sieving results for a sandy-gravel bed, GrainID yielded high predictive accuracy (comparable to the performance of manual labeling) and outperformed BASEGRAIN and Wolman pebble counts (especially for small grains). For the entire evaluation dataset, GrainID once again showed fewer predictive errors and significantly lower variation in results in comparison with BASEGRAIN and Wolman pebble counts and maintained this advantage even in uncalibrated rivers with drone images. Moreover, the existence of vegetation and noise have little influence on the performance of GrainID. Analysis indicated that GrainID performed optimally when the image resolution is higher than 1.8 mm pixel<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, the image tile size is <span class="inline-formula">512×512</span> pixels and the grain area truncation values (the area of smallest detectable grains) were equal to 18–25 pixels.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-c2c95619fb8c4d88b85cdea5bdcfd97d2022-12-22T02:09:22ZengCopernicus PublicationsEarth Surface Dynamics2196-63112196-632X2022-04-011034936610.5194/esurf-10-349-2022Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne datasetX. Chen0X. Chen1M. A. Hassan2X. Fu3Department of Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Geography, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Geography, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China<p>Image-based grain sizing has been used to measure grain size more efficiently compared with traditional methods (e.g., sieving and Wolman pebble count). However, current methods to automatically detect individual grains are largely based on detecting grain interstices from image intensity which not only require a significant level of expertise for parameter tuning but also underperform when they are applied to suboptimal environments (e.g., dense organic debris, various sediment lithology). We proposed a model (GrainID) based on convolutional neural networks to measure grain size in a diverse range of fluvial environments. A dataset of more than 125 000 grains from flume and field measurements were compiled to develop GrainID. Tests were performed to compare the predictive ability of GrainID with sieving, manual labeling, Wolman pebble counts (Wolman, 1954) and BASEGRAIN (Detert and Weitbrecht, 2012). When compared with the sieving results for a sandy-gravel bed, GrainID yielded high predictive accuracy (comparable to the performance of manual labeling) and outperformed BASEGRAIN and Wolman pebble counts (especially for small grains). For the entire evaluation dataset, GrainID once again showed fewer predictive errors and significantly lower variation in results in comparison with BASEGRAIN and Wolman pebble counts and maintained this advantage even in uncalibrated rivers with drone images. Moreover, the existence of vegetation and noise have little influence on the performance of GrainID. Analysis indicated that GrainID performed optimally when the image resolution is higher than 1.8 mm pixel<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, the image tile size is <span class="inline-formula">512×512</span> pixels and the grain area truncation values (the area of smallest detectable grains) were equal to 18–25 pixels.</p>https://esurf.copernicus.org/articles/10/349/2022/esurf-10-349-2022.pdf
spellingShingle X. Chen
X. Chen
M. A. Hassan
X. Fu
Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
Earth Surface Dynamics
title Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
title_full Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
title_fullStr Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
title_full_unstemmed Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
title_short Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
title_sort convolutional neural networks for image based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
url https://esurf.copernicus.org/articles/10/349/2022/esurf-10-349-2022.pdf
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AT mahassan convolutionalneuralnetworksforimagebasedsedimentdetectionappliedtoalargeterrestrialandairbornedataset
AT xfu convolutionalneuralnetworksforimagebasedsedimentdetectionappliedtoalargeterrestrialandairbornedataset