3D models from Virginia Tech Unmanned Systems Lab offer insights into post-flood terrain changes

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech’s Unmanned Systems Laboratory is helping recovery crews understand the impacts of Helene on our region.

“We were contacted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality,” said Kevin Kochersberger, a professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech. “The environment has changed after a flood and that is our big concern.”

Using aerial photos taken from a plane, the team is creating 3D models to see how the geography was impacted by the floods.

“We found in our past work that you can have twice the flood heights resulting from these reconfigured environments after the flooding takes place,” Kochersberger said.

To learn about how they do this, I sat down with Kochersberger and Danny Whitehurst. They showed me the models.

“This is a point cloud reconstruction of Damascus,” said Whitehurst. “If we zoom in, we can see portions. There’s the stream, and also here. We can actually get a 3D representation of volume and height change from the flood event.”

They said this type of historic flooding can rearrange the landscape.

“You’re kind of redeveloping the flow in a not good way,” Kochersberger said.

With these models, Kochersberger said they can help plan and prepare for future floods.

They said they hope they can expand this to be able to help in any future events.