Laboratory fire spread analysis using visual and infrared images

J. Ramiro Martínez-de Dios; Jorge C. André; João C. Gonçalves; Begoña Ch. Arrue; Aníbal Ollero; Domingos X. Viegas

doi:10.1071/WF05004

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Laboratory fire spread analysis using visual and infrared images

J. Ramiro Martínez-de Dios ^A ^C , Jorge C. André ^B , João C. Gonçalves ^B , Begoña Ch. Arrue ^A , Aníbal Ollero ^A and Domingos X. Viegas ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Grupo de Robótica, Visión y Control, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Camino de los Descubrimientos, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.

^B Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Universidade de Coimbra, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-201 Coimbra, Portugal.

^C Corresponding author. Email: jdedios@cartuja.us.es

International Journal of Wildland Fire 15(2) 179-186 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF05004
Submitted: 6 January 2005 Accepted: 10 January 2006 Published: 31 May 2006

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental method using computer-based image processing techniques of visual and infrared movies of a propagating fire front, taken from one or more cameras, to supply the time evolutions of the fire front shape and position, flame inclination angle, height, and base width. As secondary outputs, it also provides the fire front rate of spread and a 3D graphical model of the fire front that can be rendered from any virtual view. The method is automatic and non-intrusive, has space–time resolution close to continuum and can be run in real-time or deferred modes. It is demonstrated in simple laboratory experiments in beds of pine needles set upon an inclinable burn table, with point and linear ignitions, but can be extended to open field situations.

Additional keywords: fire behavior; image processing techniques; laboratory experiments; sensor fusion.

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Laboratory fire spread analysis using visual and infrared images

Abstract

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