An automatic bridge detection technique for high resolution SAR images

In this paper, an approach for detecting bridges over water bodies from high resolution SAR images is presented. It consists of two steps: water extraction and bridge detection. A method based on porosity combined with an edge mending algorithm utilizing canny edges is used to extract water bodies firstly. By considering the ubiety of bridges and water bodies, the candidate bridge regions are detected. Then the candidate bridge regions are confirmed on the basis of the geometric characteristics of bridges. Finally bridges are detected in confirmed bridge regions according to geometric characteristics of bridges and water extraction result. The proposed approach has been tested with SAR images that have a spatial resolution of 1 m. The experimental results show that our method can detect bridges effectively.