Jang-Mi Baek and In-Sik Hong

International Journal of Smart Home
Vol.7, No.6 (2013), pp.255-264

http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/ijsh.2013.7.6.25

ISSN: 1975-4094 IJSH
Copyright 2013 SERSC
The Design of an Automatically Generated System for Cross Sections
of Underground Utilities using Augmented Reality

Jang-Mi Baek and In-Sik Hong
Department of Computer Science University of SoonChunHyang
E-mail: {bjm1453, ishong}@sch.ac.kr
Abstract
As the utilization range of smart devices for infrastructure has widen its application owing
to flourishing of smart devices, studies on the technologies to graft IT onto underground
utilities are actively carried out. In particular, as underground utilities have a characteristic
of invisibility, studies on a management system converged with augmented reality are
demanded for the efficient management in underground utilities. Accordingly, in this paper,
we build a database of underground utilities in order to produce accurate locations and
information about underground utilities in a visualized form, and by analyzing the data, build
a system which automatically generates cross section of the underground utility at the
location where the user requires. Also, we provide the user with efficiency in identifying
accurate locations of the underground utility and in information management by producing
the exact location of the underground utility as data on the basis of augmented reality and by
visualizing it in realistic data.

Keywords: Mobile Augmented Reality, Underground Utilities Management System,
Automatic Generation System of Cross Section (AGSCS)

1. Introduction
Due to the geospatial environment of an underground utility, this paper, which contains a
suitable application of the augmented reality, provides realistic information of an environment
of the underground utilities by converging invisible underground utilities with GIS data to
augment reality. In particular, in this paper, we intend to propose a technology which can
manage to change accurate location information of various underground utilities into a
database, and to design and develop a system that can analyze the data and generate cross
sections. Accordingly, the proposed system can enhance sense of reality and efficiency by
converging efficient management of underground utilities with a real-time monitoring
technology. For this purpose, the related technologies are fully discussed in section 2, and in
section 3, we shall design a system which automatically generates cross sections of
underground utilities using AR. In section 4, we shall discuss about the algorithm and its
implementation to implement the automatically generated system of cross sections of
underground utilities using AR. And in section 5, the conclusion and the orientation for future
study shall be presented.

Vol.7, No.6 (2013)

256 Copyright 2013 SERSC

2. Technology Overview
Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology which shows a view of the real world merged
upon a digital image in real time, and provides users with more improved sense of reality. In
particular, mobile AR is a technology which serves the information about the object and
environment the user sees at present by converging it on the screen of a mobile device. By
popular use of smart phones, mobile AR combines information about diverse sensors (slope,
azimuth), focused on display field, situational recognition through input/output devices and
hardware control, and thus studies on AR with this technology have become popular. Based
on this, diverse applications are developed through mobile AR technology by managing
geographical information data converged with GIS (Geographic Information System)
information and by newly processing the data through collecting and analyzing. Database
design is important for efficient management in underground utilities. Design of underground
utility database is currently at the initial stage. The key of the design of a database is to
develop the data which can be stored and operated in a server for the purpose of minimizing
duplication of data. Also, it is a shared data, neither for a specific application program nor an
application system, but for both multiple users of the organization and multiple application
systems which use data for different purposes. Accordingly, it is typical that a database
becomes huge and complicated. As it has been stated above, though a database seems to be
simple externally, it internally has a pluralistic nature.

3. Design a System which automatically generates Cross Sections of
Underground Utilities using AR
This paper discusses about the system which controls the geospatial data in underground
utilities, and the key content, if the location is selected, is about the technique which can
produce output of the cross sections of the pipes corresponding to the information of the
location by analyzing the information about the pipes buried underground. The cross sections
display the marker information about the pipe buried underground in reference to the road,
and, when a displayed area is selected, it shows the status information of the cross section by
cutting the selected area of the road vertically.

3.1. Design the Database which generates Cross Sections of Underground Utilities
In this paper, we intend to enhance the usefulness of the database management by
describing the database fields about underground utilities. The types of pipes which can be
buried underground include waterworks, sewerage, gas pipe, communication network, and
power line. Also, all these pipes run through the underground with different lengths and
diameters. The location of the pipe is the most important information. A pipe is not installed
on the ground but buried underground, and its cross section cannot be generated using the
information about the latitude and longitude only. There should be additional information
about the burial depth. And the shape of all buried pipes is not formed by one single pipe but
a complete shape of buried pipes is formed by connecting different types of pipes. so that the
information about each pipe which connects to the other pipe should be described. All pipes
are judged as a model in the form of a matchstick, and a marker is generated at the front end
of each pipe and the data is generated based on the information of the location at the
beginning part of the marker.

Vol.7, No.6 (2013)

Copyright 2013 SERSC 257

Table 1. Data Field Components to generate cross sections of buried
underground utilities
Field Name Field Information
Marker No. Basic key to keep a basic marker information of the pipe
Pipe Unique No. Unique number of the pipe
Pipe Types
Classified information about waterworks, sewerage, gas
pipe, communication network and power line.
Pipe Length Information about the length of buried pipe(line)
Pipe Diameter Information about the diameter of buried pipe(line)
Latitude Information about the latitude of buried pipe(line)
Longitude Information about the longitude of buried pipe(line)
Burial Depth Information about the depth of buried pipe(line)
Connection Marker No. Marker number of the pipe connected next
Left Right Info. Information about left, middle, right, in reference to the road
Top Bottom Info
Information about top, middle, bottom, in reference to the
road
Pipe Diameter Size
Level
Information by each level classifying the size information of
diameter into three levels
Details Information about the peripheral location of buried pipe

The detailed attributes for the components defined in [Table 1] are as follows.

3.1.1. Marker Number: As a marker number is a unique key which does not have a
characteristic of duplication, and, though a RFID is attached to each pipe or each pipe has a
unique identification number, complexity of the information itself may occur so that the
marker number should be generated and set as a form of data easy to be reminded. For
example, if waterworks, sewerage, gas pipe, communication network, and power line exist,
the markers shall be generated in numerical order, and a method of arranging distinguished
row of characters on numbers shall be selected. For example, the markers numbers of the
waterworks are set in the form of 1w while those of sewerage in the form of 1s. All pipes are
judged to be a model in the form of a matchstick, and a marker is generated at the front end of
each pipe, and the data is generated based on the information of location at the beginning part
of the marker.

Vol.7, No.6 (2013)


Figure 1. Marker Location on the pipe connector

3.1.2. Unique Pipe Number: All pipes are not buried as a single connected pipe, but
buried by lengthwise classification. A unique pipe number presents the data which can show
the generation information and unique information of each pipe.

3.1.3. Unique Pipe Number: The type of a pipe can be identified through the fields of the
marker information and the unique pipe number. However, when the information for the
generation of the cross section is detected, it may cause difficulty in search condition if it is
judged by the marker information and the unique pipe number. So that when the cross section
is generated, an additional field which sets the type of pipe should be prepared for easier data
search,

3.1.4. Unique Pipe Number: As each utility pipe is buried in relation with topographical
condition, it is common to bury pipes without a same measure, and thus the pipe length
should be set.

3.1.5. Unique Pipe Number: The pipe diameter field in the system for the generation of
the cross section sets the information about the diameter of the pipe, of which value is utilized
as the basic information to determine the value of the size level field of the diameter.

3.1.6. Unique Pipe Number: It is the information about the location where the pipe is
buried, in which the information of the latitude and longitude corresponding to the pipe
marker location shall be produced and recorded.

3.1.7. Unique Pipe Number: When the road surface is cut into a cross section as an
important factor for the automatically generated system, it is necessary to set the depth
information as it is possible to display the cross section with an exact data by identifying the
depth location of buried utility. As the information about the pipes buried underground is
produced of which data is the output in the form of a cross section and shown using AR
technology, realistic data can be presented only when the different depth information of each
pipe is stored.

3.1.8. Unique Pipe Number: A pipe is connected to other pipes to form a whole pipeline.
Accordingly, the marker numbers of the connected pipe(s) are required to be set.

3.1.9. Unique Pipe Number: It is an important basic data when cross section is generated.
First, the data displayed on the screen as AR is assumed to be displayed on the screen in
reference to north, south, east, and west, and more than 95 % of the underground utilities are
buried along the road. Though utilities are buried at left or right side in reference to a road,
there is no certain rule to determine whether they are buried at the right side or at the left side.
Some utilities may be buried at the central area of a road as a burial should also be done by
understanding the geographical condition. That is to say, as no basic method is set whether
Vol.7, No.6 (2013)


burial area should be left or right with its depth below a certain meters down to the
underground, the cross section information can also be produced differently depending on the
marker locations of all the pipes. Accordingly, in search of the cross section of some areas,
the waterworks might be buried at the left side while the sewerage might be buried at the right
side, and in some other areas, either waterworks or sewerage might be buried at the central
area by changing information of top and bottom. Though it will be fine to produce and
display the detailed location information based on the latitude and longitude information, we
intend to show the data only in 3 areas in this design, judging that it is better to design by
setting and displaying three areas only in the aspect of the burden and load on the system
rather than by displaying through detailed analysis of the information, because AR is the
result characterized by output of virtual data close to real data. Areas shall be set at the left,
center and right and applied to generation of cross sections.

3.1.10. Unique Pipe Number: It is a field in which a display of top and bottom relation of
the cross section information is set. Though the information of left and right relation is
important, the information of top and bottom relation is also important. as the purpose of this
paper is not to show actual image near in perfection. And as the efficiency of actual system
management can be enhanced even when the supervisor judges only the basic information
such as location information between pipes, top area, bottom area, left, right, etc. in the aspect
of managing underground utilities, the fields have been designed to set not only the area of
left and right relation but also the information of top and bottom relation. Though the height
information differs by each pipe, we set it only in three, higher, middle and lower so that an
object can be mapped to higher, middle and lower position depending on the depth
information.

3.1.11. Unique Pipe Number: Though the maximum sense of reality can be provided if
the detailed cross section information is generated and analyzed and shown in AR, it may
increase the load and burden on the system. Though the information of diameter differs by
each pipe, this is also inefficient to analyze each pipe and display it on the screen.
Accordingly, the width information is produced by setting 3 levels based on the information
about pipe diameter.

3.1.12. Unique Pipe Number: It is the information intended to help the user to accurately
judge the location of underground utilities by describing the ground information of the
locations where the underground utilities are buried.

3.2. Design a System which automatically generated Cross Sections of Underground
utilities
The data base has been established and systemized, which was designed by the above
specs. An automatically generated system of the cross section of underground utilities has
been designed using AR technology applied on a mobile terminal. This is a system provided
for supervisors on underground utilities. Its sole purpose is to design a system in which a user
can easily set and view the access time and the required data, judging that he is a person who
handles ground and underground hardware elements. And the system has been built to
enhance the user's accessibility even though the complexity of internal interface is increased.
A block diagram and an interface of each system are as follows.

3.2.1. System Block Diagram: Diagram of Automatic Generation System of Cross
Section(AGSCS) is as in the following. This System has AR Module, manager Server,
Vol.7, No.6 (2013)


AGSCS. AR module displays augmented reality techniques. Manager server manages total
data of pipe information, constructs database. When user requires specific work, AGSCS
performs event processing function.

Figure 2. System Block Diagram

3.2.2. Cross Section Generation Interface: The interface process of analyzing and
extracting the contents of database fields and of generating a cross section of an underground
utility using AR technology on the screen of a mobile device is as follows:

Figure 3. Cross Section Generation Interface
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The user (supervisor: as this paper is developed for the purpose of enhancing the
efficiency in respect to the task of people who directly perform on-site underground burial
rather than for a technology for general people, the interface process is described in the aspect
of a supervisor.) requests Automatic Underground utility Cross Section Generation App
(Program) using AR.
Manager Server approves AR mode accessing, and smart device executes AGSCS
application.
On the executed screen, a program starts to enable the user to select the type of a pipe
desired to be displayed in AR. The user selects a type of the pipe required to output on the
screen. The items to select can be framed in the form of a button or a check box, and as the
whole display area is not required to be used, those items are framed in the form of a check
box either at the upper end or at the lower end of the screen, and the central area of the screen
is used to show the part transmitted by a camera in real time.
When the check data for AR is formed, the system identifies the current location
information to search for the location information of the marker proximate to that current
information, and shows the location of the marker on the screen in AR. As the cross section
will be generated, there is no need to show the data in the form of connection information. As
the marker information of the data generated here needs to classify pipes distinctively, the
characters of pipes are shown by markers for their color information. A color typically given
to each pipe is displayed on the screen; waterworks in blue, sewerage in gray, gas pipe in
yellow, communication network in green, and power line in red .If waterworks, sewerage and
communication network are selected, the marker information is shown in each color at the
place shown on the screen. Though it is not described on the screen at this time, the work is
carried out to maintain the connectivity of the marker internally shown on the screen even by
searching other connecting marker information.
As the user uses this App to extract the height information from the cross section, the
desired location is selected.
While the system can produce and display AR data on the screen based on the location
information of the marker by selecting the location of user's marker accurately, if the user
selects a location on a road which is not the location of a marker, the system searches for the
location of the closest marker on the basis of the coordinates selected, and generates and
displays the graphic data on the screen by analyzing the location information and depth
information of the selected pipe at the location of the marker.
When the output data is clicked, an interface process is carried out to allow the user to
check the detailed information about the pipe.
Manager Server sends detailed information about the piles.

4. Simulation
This paper, executes a simulation for automatically generated system for cross sections of
underground utilities sing augmented reality. This system uses smart phone for android
platform. All modules have mapping image. They have mapping image like waterworks,
sewerage, gas pipe, communication network, and power line. Also, Depth information is
comprised in level images. Simulation mapping images are as in the following.

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Figure 4. Mapping images and Level images

Simple Simulation is as in the following.

Figure 5. Simple Simulation
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This paper explains Figure 4 by stages. AR Button selects AR module. Generally, smart
device's app has map module. Database requires selected button's elements AR module
displays selected elements. User clicks some location. Database selects proximity data,
and AR module displays cross sections of underground utilities. If user requires detail
information, AR module displays it.

5. Conclusions
Currently, the revolutionary technology of IT and mobility of the user are highly regarded,
and IT technology makes an attempt to develop into a convergence technology with
infrastructure technology. At such a point of time, studies on techniques for efficient
management in underground utilities have been progressed, and the developments of systems
which demand a convergence of underground utility information with IT are actively in
progress. In this paper, a database is designed by analyzing special forms of underground
utilities, and, on the basis of the contents designed, we designed a system which generates
cross sections of utilities buried underground. This method has enhanced sense of reality at
the site by producing accurate location information for underground utilities, and by showing
cross sections of underground utilities to supervisors who supervise underground utilities on
the basis of the output data. We judge that this system can also act as an underground
navigator which can process data in real-time being connected with underground cross
sections when the user is moving on a vehicle. The method of utilizing mobile AR data for
the management of underground infrastructure is not only differentiated from other existing
studies but also can be a very significant study as it will enable a new managing response.
The proposed method guarantees efficiency of management through a centralized structure,
and enables immediate correction of AR data and minimizes the error range by using
geographical information data and short range wireless communication. Also, real-time and
positive management of underground infrastructure is made possible by enabling strategic
support for immediate response to irregular accidents. Later, we would like to build a whole
system through actual implementation of each module based on the system presented in this
paper, and to carry out additional studies to apply that built system to on-site management for
a testing.

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the SoonChunHyang University Research Fund.
Corresponding author is In-Sik Hong at SoonChunHyang University department of
computer science. Email is ishong@sch.ac.kr.

References

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User location information, JSE, vol. 9, no. 1, (2000).
[2] B. M Kang, B. C. Chan and I. S. Hong, The Development of Augmented Reality Facility
Database for Water Works Pipe Networks Management, JKKITS, vol. 8, no. 2, (2013).
[3] H. Tobias, Exploring MARS: developing indoor and outdoor user interfaces to a mobile
augmented reality system, Computers & Graphics, vol. 23, no. 6, (1999).
[4] J. Simon, Information filtering for mobile augmented reality, IEEE and ACM International
Symposium on Augmented Reality-IS AR 2000, (2000) October 5-6; Munich, Germany.
[5] D. H. Seo, J. M. Baek, B. M. Kang, B. G. Lee and I. S. Hong, Development of Security System for
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[6] S. Galit, P. Nitin R. and B. Perter C, Data Mining for Business Intelligence, John Wiley & Sonc
Inc., New York (2006).

Authors

Jang-Mi Baek
Jang-Mi Baek received an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Engineering
from SoonChunHyang University in South Korea, in 2001, and in 2006,
respectively. She worked at the School of Information Studies of Howard
University as a Post-Doc from 2006 to 2007. He has been working as a
visiting professor at SoonChunHyang University in South Korea since
2011. She is interests include Multimedia Network System, Mobile
System Development and Design, Ubiquitous Healthcare System
Development, and Embedded System.

In-Sik Hong
In-Sik Hong received an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering
from HanYang University in South Korea, in 1981, and in 1988,
respectively. He was senior researcher at Frontier Research Program for
Water Resources from 2002 to 2011. He is professor at SoonChunHyang
University in South Korea from 1991. He is interests include AR
Technology, GIS, Embedded System and IT Convergence Technology.

Jang-Mi Baek and In-Sik Hong

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International Journal of Smart Home

Vol.7, No.6 (2013), pp.255-264

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