Self‐training approach for crack detection using synthesized crack images based on conditional generative adversarial network

• Published in: Computer-aided civil and infrastructure engineering 2024-04, Vol.39 (7), p.1019-1041
• Main Author: Shim, Seungbo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accident prevention; Algorithms; Damage detection; Deep learning; Generative adversarial networks; Image enhancement; Image processing; Machine learning; Structural damage; Synthesis
• ISSN: 1093-9687; 1467-8667
• DOI: 10.1111/mice.13119

Urban infrastructure plays a crucial role in determining the quality of life for citizens. However, given the increasing number of aging infrastructures, regular inspections are essential to prevent accidents. Deep learning studies have been conducted to detect structural damage and ensure high accuracy and reliability of these inspections. However, these detection algorithms often face challenges due to scarcity of damage data. To overcome this issue, this paper proposes a method for synthesizing crack images and utilizing them for crack detection. Initially, crack images are synthesized from labeled images by using a conditional generative adversarial network. Subsequently, a new self‐training method is implemented wherein the synthesized crack images from the prediction images were incorporated into the learning process to enhance data diversity. The proposed approach yields promising results with a mean intersection over union of 80.34% and F1‐score of 76.31% on average. The proposed method can aid further research on virtual image generation for crack detection, seeking to reduce the reliance on extensive image collection.