Close range photogrammetry for dynamically tracking drifted snow deposition

Snow drifting along with snow blowing is a major concern for transportation efficiency and driving safety in regions where it develops. Common means to mitigate snow drifting on roadways are snow fences. Designing snow fences requires sound engineering judgment and a thorough evaluation of the potential for snow blowing and drifting at the construction site. The evaluation includes site-specific design parameters typically obtained with semi-empirical relations characterizing local transport conditions. Among the critical parameters involved in fence design and assessment of their post-construction efficiency is the quantification of snow accumulation at the fence site. Conventional methods for quantification of snow accumulation are tedious, expensive, and, given the harsh winter weather environment, risky at times. The present paper proposes an innovative assemblage of a close range photogrammetry (CRP) system to enable non-intrusive remote estimation of the snow deposit volume using real-time, automated data acquisition protocols. The study illustrates practical means for CRP implementation for snow mapping and tracking by highlighting the benefits and limitations of the method, comparing it with alternative measurement approaches, and pointing to circumstances where the technique is valuable for design and monitoring.