Development of a 3D modeling algorithm for tunnel deformation monitoring based on terrestrial laser scanning

Deformation monitoring is vital for tunnel engineering. Traditional monitoring techniques measure only a few data points, which is insufficient to understand the deformation of the entire tunnel. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) is a newly developed technique that can collect thousands of data points in a few minutes, with promising applications to tunnel deformation monitoring. The raw point cloud collected from TLS cannot display tunnel deformation; therefore, a new 3D modeling algorithm was developed for this purpose. The 3D modeling algorithm includes modules for preprocessing the point cloud, extracting the tunnel axis, performing coordinate transformations, performing noise reduction and generating the 3D model. Measurement results from TLS were compared to the results of total station and numerical simulation, confirming the reliability of TLS for tunnel deformation monitoring. Finally, a case study of the Shanghai West Changjiang Road tunnel is introduced, where TLS was applied to measure shield tunnel deformation over multiple sections. Settlement, segment dislocation and cross section convergence were measured and visualized using the proposed 3D modeling algorithm.