Application of the Terrestrial Laser Scanner in the Monitoring of Earth Structures
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Open Geosciences 2020; 12: 503–517 Research Article Janusz P. Kogut* and Elżbieta Pilecka Application of the terrestrial laser scanner in the monitoring of earth structures https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2020-0033 basis of repeated surveys, one may observe changes that received June 14, 2019; accepted February 6, 2020 have occurred within the analysed area, assess the Abstract: Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) assists in the likelihood of further development of the threat and detection of the unsafe behaviour of slopes and scarps. It also establish ideas and opportunities for securing the facilitates the assessment of the stability of earthworks. Earth endangered terrain. The landslides on which stability structures are those that are usually made of qualified ground works have already been performed should also be ff material. One may distinguish between point structures such monitored to assess the e ectiveness of the methods ff as mounds, forts and dams, and linear structures such as applied. Among the di erent monitoring methods, there – [ ] roads, railways and flood embankments. This article concerns are two basic distinguishable groups surface 1,2 and - [ ] the problem of monitoring and analysing of the effects in depth methods 3,4 . In order for monitoring results to fl associated with the unstable behaviour of selected earth be accurate and re ect the true situation as precisely as structures. TLS enables remote sensing of surface changes in possible, the method of conducting the measurements a simple and automated manner. Regular, multiple measure- should be selected appropriately. This stipulates that the ments with the laser scanner are applied in long-term measuring points be positioned properly and the ff monitoring of the behaviour of the selected objects. The e ective analysis of the results obtained. Surface discrete numerical models using, for example, the finite methods are designed to determine the deformations element method (FEM) take into account geotechnical that occur on the surface of the terrain that are the direct properties of substrate and allow for the risk assessment cause of damage. Among them, one may distinguish and stability testing of such structures. The numerical model between surveys, thanks to which it is possible to fi fi - of the structure along with the parameters of the substrate are accurately nd the displacements of speci c measure introduced into the FEM package. This allows for the analysis ment points and remote sensing methods. This allows for of stresses, strains and displacements, along with different measurements without having to interfere with the loading cases. The work here presents a few selected earth tested ground. These can include air and terrestrial laser ( ) structures for which the aforementioned analyses have been scanning TLS or satellite interferometry synthetic ( )[ ] undertaken. aperture radar InSAR 5,6 . Monitoring by means of surveying methods consists of taking repetitive geodetic Keywords: laser scanning, slope stability, earth structures measurements of the grid of measurement points that have been previously stabilised in the studied area. It is important to choose the location of measurement points – they should be located in areas where activity 1 Introduction is the greatest. However, it is important to also set benchmarks outside the area exposed to movements, The purpose of monitoring areas threatened by soil mass which will be the reference points in conducting movements is to determine the velocity and nature of the measurements. The location of measuring points should mass movements that cause terrain deformation. On the be of long duration, in order to allow for multiple and reliable measurements. Applying the geodetic methods, it is possible to determine the range of active mass * Corresponding author: Janusz P. Kogut, Cracow University of movements and their direction. It is also possible to - Technology, Civil Engineering Department, Warszawska 24, 31 155, estimate the size of the moving soil masses. Measure- Kraków, Poland, e-mail: [email protected] Elżbieta Pilecka: Cracow University of Technology, Civil Engineering ments can be used to determine changes within a certain Department, Warszawska 24, 31-155, Kraków, Poland, time frame in the studied area, which are expressed by e-mail: [email protected] deformation indices such as depression, inclination, Open Access. © 2020 Janusz P. Kogut and Elżbieta Pilecka, published by De Gruyter. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License. 504 Janusz P. Kogut and Elżbieta Pilecka horizontal displacement, deformation or curvature. scanning – airborne and terrestrial. Airborne scanning is Measurements performed by means of laser scanning carried out using the LiDAR system. The scanner is placed are one of the methods of remote sensing [7]. Remote flat under an aeroplane fuselage. During the flight, a sensing is a type of research performed from a distance – rectangular strip of land is registered, which lies in a plane remotely and without contact – using specialised transverse to the direction of flight. On the basis of the devices (sensors). measurement of the return time sent from the signal scanner, Remote sensing methods may be simply divided into which is reflected from the terrain surface, the distance active and passive. In active remote sensing, the impulse between the plane and particular point of the terrain is is sent from the device; and after reflection from the determined. In airborne measurement using a laser scanner, object, it is acquired and analysed. Active radar is an a global positioning system or the global navigation satellite example of active remote sensing, during which micro- system determines the position of the pulse sending aircraft. waves are sent. Additionally, other examples include The inertial navigation system defines the angular inclina- light detection and ranging (LiDAR), during which a tions, in addition to the vectors of the platform acceleration light beam is sent, or sonar (sodar), where acoustic on which the optical scanning head is mounted. This system waves are sent [8]. Passive methods of remote sensing measures the height coordinate with an accuracy of 15 cm. It are those based on the analysis of signals emitted by the allows the obtainment from one measurement of an image observed object. Photogrammetry is an example of with an area of several square kilometres [5,7]. Another type passive remote sensing. It may be combined with the of terrain observation that may be conducted is the use of a results of unmanned aerial vehicle surveys [9]. On the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. It consists of a other hand, discrete numerical models using the finite satellite-based radar and a land-based processor. The radar element method (FEM) packages that take into account sends microwave radiation towards the Earth’ssurface.After the properties of substrate, allow for risk assessment and reaching the surface of the area, the radiation interacts with stability of earth structures. The numerical modelling of it, whereby it undergoes reflection, transmission or absorp- the structure along with the parameters of the substrate tion. For each pixel of the radar picture, the SAR system also provides the analysis of stresses, strains and registers the amplitude and phase of the reflected signal. It displacements for the consideration of different loading consists of a radar on board of satellite and a processor cases. This article presents a few selected earth located on land. The radar sends microwave radiation structures, on which such mechanical analyses have towards the Earth’s surface. After reaching the surface of been carried out. Nowadays, similar papers are pub- the area, the radiation interacts with it (undergoes reflection, lished, which synthesise the results of geodetic surveys transmission or absorption).Foreachpixeloftheradar with discrete elements methods modelling [10,11]. picture, the SAR system registers the amplitude and phase of Artificial intelligence methods are also employed as the reflected signal [6,7]. The InSAR method involves the tools for soil stability assessment [12,13]. processing of images that were made with one SAR antenna during subsequent satellite flights over the same area. For each pixel, the phase differences from two SAR images are calculated. On this posture, one gets an image of phase 2 Methodology differences, which is called an interferogram. It consists of interference fringes that give information about the relative 2.1 Laser scanning and other surface elevation of the land surface and its changes over time. This method allows remote, non-contact measurement with very measurements high precision and frequency. The TLS is another modern terrain mapping method. The Employing specialised software based on a cloud of points measurements are based on the recording of a laser beam obtained from measurements using a laser scanner, it is transformed later to the Cartesian coordinates. Usually, the possible to create a 3D terrain model after the processing of TLS is placed on a geodetic tripod. In order to obtain greater measurements. With the overlap of two or more modes made accuracy of measurements to cover the scanning of larger at time intervals, a differential model can be created, on the areas, as well as to supplement areas that were in the shadow basisofwhichonemayfollowtheprocessofdeformation of previously scanned objects, terrestrial laser scanner over time. The advantage of laser scanning lies in the fact measurements are performed from many positions. Each of that this measurement does not interfere with the tested these positions adjoins a common reference point. The data environment. One may distinguish two types of laser set (in the form of a cloud of points) creates an image of the Application of the TLS in the monitoring of earth structures 505 scanned space. The data measured are then archived for (the minimum distance between the measured points) further processing. The difficulty in the laser recording and the size of the area, the diameter of which increases process is the vast amount of data. Therefore, in the essential with distance.