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Google Earth elevation data extraction and accuracy assessment for transportation applications.

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This study introduces a method to extract roadway elevation data from Google Earth (GE), offering a reliable and accurate source for transportation analysis. The method demonstrates high precision, with errors under 2.3 meters, enabling advanced applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Geospatial Science
  • Transportation Engineering
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Background:

  • Roadway elevation data is crucial for transportation analysis but is often unavailable in existing GIS databases.
  • Current methods for obtaining roadway elevation data can be challenging and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose and validate a novel method for extracting roadway elevation data from Google Earth (GE).
  • To assess the accuracy of GE-extracted elevation data against ground truth and existing datasets.
  • To demonstrate the utility of the extracted data in practical transportation applications.

Main Methods:

  • Extraction of roadway elevation data from Google Earth for the conterminous USA.
  • Accuracy assessment using nationwide GPS benchmarks and roadway monuments from six states.
  • Comparison with U.S. Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset (USGS NED) data.
  • Validation through scenarios including directional extraction, multi-layered roadway recognition, and slope/grade calculation.

Main Results:

  • GE-extracted roadway elevation data demonstrated high accuracy with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 1.32 meters and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 2.27 meters.
  • The proposed method accurately located extraction routes, recognized multi-layered roadways, and automatically segmented routes by grade.
  • The GE elevation data proved to be a reliable alternative to traditional datasets like USGS NED.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed method provides a reliable and accurate source of roadway elevation data for transportation applications.
  • Google Earth's elevation data can significantly enhance various transportation analyses, including route planning and infrastructure assessment.
  • The validated methodology offers a practical solution for overcoming the limitations of existing roadway elevation data.