The analysis process of robotic total station data to determine structural deformations

Abstract

Monitoring structural deformations and taking measures for building safety are considered almost synonymous with important concepts such as human health, public safety and prevention of economic losses. For this reason, new structural monitoring application techniques are being developed in parallel with the developments in building construction technologies and architecture. In particular, GNSS satellite-based measurement systems have found wide application areas for determining structural oscillations and deformations. In addition, the direction of the studies in this field has focused on lower cost and more practical measurement systems. One of the alternative measurement devices used for this purpose is angle and distance measurements with the classical total station. Total stations, which have been automated and gained robotic features in recent years, are easily used in the determination of the most critical structural monitoring and deformations with their programmable structure. In this study, angle-distance measurements performed with a robotic total station at a simultaneous and constant sampling interval for 6 hours were processed and analyzed. Coordinate values and position errors were calculated by balancing according to the least-squares method for each measuring range. Structural displacement values were determined from the coordinate values calculated as a function of time.