Allowable Deformation Prediction for Surrounding Rock of Underground Caverns Based on Support Vector Machine

This paper presents a novel allowable deformation prediction model of surrounding rock based on support vector machine (SVM). The engineering rock mass classification is subdivided based on the national standards Standard for Engineering Classification of Rock Masses in order to get more accurate physicalmechanical parameters. Using the developed parameters, 100 sets of multi-factors and multi-levels orthogonal experiments are designed, which are simulated with two-dimensional numerical models established based on ABAQUS. 100 groups of learning samples and 9 samples of random inspection are obtained. The prediction model has been established from the study of learning samples based on LibSVM. Using this model, 9 samples of random inspection and 9 engineering examples are predicted and the prediction accuracy is good compared with their actual values. It is indicated that this model can meet the initial support design requirements of underground caverns well. The novel model has the advantages of convenience, rapidity, and reliability

The Cyborg Astrobiologist: Testing a Novelty-Detection Algorithm on Two Mobile Exploration Systems at Rivas Vaciamadrid in Spain and at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah

(ABRIDGED) In previous work, two platforms have been developed for testing computer-vision algorithms for robotic planetary exploration (McGuire et al. 2004b,2005; Bartolo et al. 2007). The wearable-computer platform has been tested at geological and astrobiological field sites in Spain (Rivas Vaciamadrid and Riba de Santiuste), and the phone-camera has been tested at a geological field site in Malta. In this work, we (i) apply a Hopfield neural-network algorithm for novelty detection based upon color, (ii) integrate a field-capable digital microscope on the wearable computer platform, (iii) test this novelty detection with the digital microscope at Rivas Vaciamadrid, (iv) develop a Bluetooth communication mode for the phone-camera platform, in order to allow access to a mobile processing computer at the field sites, and (v) test the novelty detection on the Bluetooth-enabled phone-camera connected to a netbook computer at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. This systems engineering and field testing have together allowed us to develop a real-time computer-vision system that is capable, for example, of identifying lichens as novel within a series of images acquired in semi-arid desert environments. We acquired sequences of images of geologic outcrops in Utah and Spain consisting of various rock types and colors to test this algorithm. The algorithm robustly recognized previously-observed units by their color, while requiring only a single image or a few images to learn colors as familiar, demonstrating its fast learning capability.Comment: 28 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in the International Journal of Astrobiolog

Recognition of Microseismic and Blasting Signals in Mines Based on Convolutional Neural Network and Stockwell Transform

The microseismic monitoring signals which need to be determined in mines include those caused by both rock bursts and by blasting. The blasting signals must be separated from the microseismic signals in order to extract the information needed for the correct location of the source and for determining the blast mechanism. The use of a convolutional neural network (CNN) is a viable approach to extract these blast characteristic parameters automatically and to achieve the accuracy needed in the signal recognition. The Stockwell Transform (or S-Transform) has excellent two-dimensional time-frequency characteristics and thus to obtain the microseismic signal and blasting vibration signal separately, the microseismic signal has been converted in this work into a two-dimensional image format by use of the S-Transform, following which it is recognized by using the CNN. The sample data given in this paper are used for model training, where the training sample is an image containing three RGB color channels. The training time can be decreased by means of reducing the picture size and thus reducing the number of training steps used. The optimal combination of parameters can then be obtained after continuously updating the training parameters. When the image size is 180 × 140 pixels, it has been shown that the test accuracy can reach 96.15% and that it is feasible to classify separately the blasting signal and the microseismic signal based on using the S-Transform and the CNN model architecture, where the training parameters were designed by synthesizing LeNet-5 and AlexNet

The integration of freely available medium resolution optical sensors with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery capabilities for American bramble (Rubus cuneifolius) invasion detection and mapping.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu- Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The emergence of American bramble (Rubus cuneifolius) across South Africa has caused severe ecological and economic damage. To date, most of the efforts to mitigate its effects have been largely unsuccessful due to its prolific growth and widespread distribution. Accurate and timeous detection and mapping of Bramble is therefore critical to the development of effective eradication management plans. Hence, this study sought to determine the potential of freely available, new generation medium spatial resolution satellite imagery for the detection and mapping of American Bramble infestations within the UNESCO world heritage site of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park (UDP). The first part of the thesis determined the potential of conventional freely available remote sensing imagery for the detection and mapping of Bramble. Utilizing the Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning algorithm, it was established that Bramble could be detected with limited users (45%) and reasonable producers (80%) accuracies. Much of the confusion occurred between the grassland land cover class and Bramble. The second part of the study focused on fusing the new age optical imagery and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery for Bramble detection and mapping. The synergistic potential of fused imagery was evaluated using multiclass SVM classification algorithm. Feature level image fusion of optical imagery and SAR resulted in an overall classification accuracy of 76%, with increased users and producers’ accuracies for Bramble. These positive results offered an opportunity to explore the polarization variables associated with SAR imagery for improved classification accuracies. The final section of the study dwelt on the use of Vegetation Indices (VIs) derived from new age satellite imagery, in concert with SAR to improve Bramble classification accuracies. Whereas improvement in classification accuracies were minimal, the potential of stand-alone VIs to detect and map Bramble (80%) was noteworthy. Lastly, dual-polarized SAR was fused with new age optical imagery to determine the synergistic potential of dual-polarized SAR to increase Bramble mapping accuracies. Results indicated a marked increase in overall Bramble classification accuracy (85%), suggesting improved potential of dual-polarized SAR and optical imagery in invasive species detection and mapping. Overall, this study provides sufficient evidence of the complimentary and synergistic potential of active and passive remote sensing imagery for invasive alien species detection and mapping. Results of this study are important for supporting contemporary decision making relating to invasive species management and eradication in order to safeguard ecological biodiversity and pristine status of nationally protected areas