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Application of Terrestrial Laser Scanner in engineering survey

To cite this article: Chang’an Hu et al 2021 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 783 012084

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2nd International Conference on Geology, Mapping and Remote Sensing IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 783 (2021) 012084 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/783/1/012084

Application of Terrestrial Laser Scanner in engineering

survey

Chang’an Hu 1, Dekun Peng2*, Fei Lv3, Haifeng Sun4, Tao Zhao1, Wanze Li1
1
National Institute of Measurement and Testing Technology, Chengdu, SiChuan,
610021, China
2
China MCC5 Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, SiChuan, 610063, China
3
Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, SiChuan, 611130, China
4
University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, SiChuan, 611731, China
*
Corresponding author’s e-mail: mcc5@mcc5.com.cn

Abstract: For evaluating the objective measured by the traditional measurement technology
that is continuous and periodic single point observation method, it is one-sided and uncertainty.
The 3D laser scanning technology called the real scene reproduction technology can provide
the support for the 3D design of all kinds of tested objectives in the favorable data. It not only
simplifies the construction project cost and improves the work efficiency, but also the results of
its data evaluation are more reliable and comprehensive. In the past ten years, the terrestrial
laser scanner as a physical representative of the three-dimensional laser scanning technology
has been applied in some industries such as electric power, archaeology, factories, cities,
Bridges, hotels, ships, criminal investigation to represent its immeasurable value. In this paper,
these cases applied in the hotel, sculpture, landscape wall, karst cave are more representative to
show a variety of terrestrial laser scanner applications.

1. Introduction
The traditional measurement means describe the measured object by continuous measurement and
single point measurement. In some application scenarios, the measurement results can not fully meet
the needs of customers, and in addition, they can not comprehensively and objectively evaluate the
measured object. The 3D scanning measurement method can go deep into the complex field
environment and space. By collecting a large number of point cloud data, it can quickly reconstruct the
3D entity model of the target and comprehensively evaluate the tested object. The data processed in
the follow-up are used in metrology, mapping, stress analysis, finite element analysis, simulation
analysis, virtual reality and other aspects. For nearly 10 years, the terrestrial laser scanner, as a
representative of the 3 d scanning measurement technology of material in nuclear power, cultural
relics and archaeology, construction, aerospace, shipbuilding, petrochemical, water conservancy,
energy, machinery, film and television, teaching, scientific research, automobile, public security,
transportation, electricity and other fields, wide application, at the same time, the experts from all
walks of life to draft some relevant regulations, standard, national standard and industry standard, For
example, in the field of terrestrial laser scanner operation [1], oil industry [2], railway industry [3],
construction [4][5], city [6][7][8], power [9], mining [10], shipping [11] and so on. At present, on the
market the relevant terrestrial laser scanners as many as ten kinds of above. In this paper, we show the

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2nd International Conference on Geology, Mapping and Remote Sensing IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 783 (2021) 012084 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/783/1/012084

various uses of ground laser scanners in hotels, sculptures, landscape walls, karst caves and other
projects.

2. Terrestrial laser scanner

2.1 the principle

The scanner is mainly composed of laser ranging system, laser scanning system, control system,
power supply system and accessories, etc. It can quickly and extensively collect spatial point cloud
information, establish point cloud model, and provide early services for the establishment of data
model in the later stage. Scanner used in the process of measuring coordinate system, through the
internal servo motor system, precise control of polyhedral reflecting prism of fast moving, the laser
beam can carry on the linear array along the horizontal and vertical direction or plane array scan, by
precision clock control encoder measurement of each laser beam transverse scan Angle and the
vertical scanning Angle, and along the measuring axis distance measurements, after coordinates are
finally converted into three-dimensional coordinates of the Cartesian coordinates.

2.2 Classification
There are many categories of terrestrial laser scanners. According to its scanning space, it can be
roughly divided into terrestrial laser scanner, vehicle-mounted scanner and handheld scanner. In the
process of 3D data collection, the general configuration is shown in Table 1. Different scanning
equipment is required according to different conditions of the project. In most cases, terrestrial laser
scanners are generally used at the building level.

Table 1. Configuration table of 3D data acquisition instrument.

Practical Common Main
Applicable scanning
Device type accuracy accuracy range instruments and
range
class of equipment equipment
Terrestrial laser Single buildings,
Building Terrestrial laser
scanning courtyards, blocks, 1mm-6mm
level scanner, etc
equipment large buildings, etc
Vehicle-mounted
radar, recording
Mobile 3D laser Single buildings,
Building radar, real-time
scanning courtyards, blocks, 10mm-50mm
level positioning and
equipment large buildings, etc
mapping
equipment, etc
Handheld
Component Building scanner, portable
Close range 3D
level components, detail scanning
scanning ＜1mm
Fine nodes, part levels, measuring arm,
equipment
ministry decorations, etc raster scanner,
etc
Individual buildings,
Building UAV tilt camera
Close-range courtyards, blocks,
level equipment,
photography building components, --
Component video camera,
equipment detailed nodes, parts,
level camera, etc
decorations, etc

2.3 Measurement process

In the actual operation process of terrestrial laser scanner, different measurements need to be made
according to different projects. Generally speaking, the scanning work is divided into two parts: field

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2nd International Conference on Geology, Mapping and Remote Sensing IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 783 (2021) 012084 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/783/1/012084

work and internal work. Field operations are carried out using a terrestrial laser scanner. Sometimes
targets are used, and sometimes color images of the site are collected. The internal work mainly
includes stitching, modeling, measurement and achievement evaluation of the collected point cloud.

3. Typical application cases

Terrestrial laser scanner is an emerging in the field of survey and mapping measurement equipment, it
can quickly and efficiently obtain the three-dimensional point cloud data of the object, it broke
through the traditional way of measuring data, the current in the digital city, deformation monitoring,
digital, cultural heritage protection, mining, engineering accident/have applied the scene of the crime,
and other fields. Table 2 shows common application examples. In this paper, hotel, sculpture,
landscape wall, karst cave as a typical case, to show a variety of terrestrial laser scanner applications.

Table 2. Application cases.

field application example
Digital city 3D model Urban roads/buildings/facilities
Seismic deformation, geological
3D model
Deformation monitoring slopes, landslides, tunnels, Bridges,
3D detection
roads, DAMS
3D pipeline modeling
Offshore oil and gas platform,
Structure testing
chemical/pharmaceutical/petroleum,
Geometric measurement
smelting plant
The factory Detection of spatial position
Shipyard, car factory, aerospace
conflict
industry
Volume inspection and
Nuclear/thermal power/substation
verification
Two dimensional engineering
drawing
Cultural Heritage Ancient building interior and
3D model
Preservation exterior, statue, historic site survey
Area/volume/virtual
measurement
Open pit mine, mine tunnel, mine
mine Area/volume
pile
3D modeling Accident analysis
Accident/crime scene
The virtual measuring Crime scene analysis
Other 3D modeling Virtual reality/games/movies/TV

3.1 Sculpture scanning

Sculpture scanning belongs to the protection of cultural heritage, it has some differences with
industrial modeling, industrial modeling needs a smooth surface, this smooth surface can be expressed
by a function, as long as the measurement of some points on the surface can be calculated to the entire
surface. However, the shape of the sculpture is relatively complex, and there are many blind spots to
scan, such as thick hair wrinkles and curved inner ears. If the data is expressed by functions, it will be
very large. In many cases, such relatively complex surfaces need to be outlined. From the accuracy
above, the accuracy of industrial modeling is generally higher than the accuracy of sculpture. Figure 1
shows the site scan of the sculpture, and Figure 2 shows the modeled figure based on the point cloud
of the sculpture.

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2nd International Conference on Geology, Mapping and Remote Sensing IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 783 (2021) 012084 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/783/1/012084

Figure 1. Sculpture site scan. Figure 2. Sculpture modeling diagram.

3.2 The landscape wall

Digital landscape wall is a case of digital landscape. Digital landscape methods and technologies can
help the whole process of landscape architecture research, design, construction and control, from data
collection and analysis, digital modeling and modeling, virtual reality and expression, parametric
design and construction, to Internet of Things sensing and digital measurement and control. The value
of digital landscape is embodied in the whole process of landscape planning, design and construction.
Research before the design stage, the development of 3D scanning technology such as data acquisition
technology has changed the traditional way of investigation and data collection, data provides a more
comprehensive, the guest officer, improved the precision of the research, present research traditional
methods are difficult to collect environmental information, provides a new perspective for landscape
design. Figure 3 shows the landscape wall scanned by a terrestrial-based laser scanner, and Figure 4
shows the modeling based on point cloud data. Data acquisition and modeling by terrestrial laser
scanner in the early stage provide richer and more reasonable data support for the generation of
landscape wall planning and design scheme.

Figure 3. Scanning view of landscape wall. Figure 4. Modeling diagram of landscape wall.

3.3 Cave
The wide part of karst cave is like a square, while the narrow part is like a long corridor. Because of its
particularity, the traditional measuring instrument can not meet the current requirements of karst cave
detection. Because of its fast and efficient characteristics, terrestrial-based laser scanner has

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2nd International Conference on Geology, Mapping and Remote Sensing IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 783 (2021) 012084 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/783/1/012084

remarkable advantages in 3D data and shape extraction of karst cave. The use of the devices, not only
can improve the work of karst cave measurement precision and work efficiency, also for the inside of a
cave landform and geological body form 3D visualization, virtual components inside the cave
geographical scene building, cave geographical information system construction to provide data
support, as the cave data construction, cave, cave landscape tourism development environment and
landscape protection, cave archaeological and provide intuitive precision based data research and
analysis, etc. Fig. 5 shows the site scanning map of the karst cave, and Fig. 6 shows the karst cave map
after point cloud splicing.

Figure 5. Scanning image of karst cave. Figure 6. Point cloud Mosaic of karst cave.

3.4 Hotel scanning

In the final analysis, the business competition of the hotel is the cultural competition. Under this
background, the online digital hotel system created by using virtual reality technology provides
three-dimensional visualization management and online display support functions for the digitalization
of the hotel. It can construct the whole hotel from the whole view to the part on the network. Through
the network browser, the public can observe the external and internal environment of the hotel from
any Angle, conduct independent roaming, and enter various rooms in the virtual room to experience
the living environment of the hotel in an all-round way. Among them, the terrestrial-based laser
scanner is a scientific instrument used to collect and analyze data showing the geometric structure and
appearance of objects or environments in the world. The collected point cloud data is used for 3D
reconstruction calculation to create digital models of actual objects in the virtual world. BaZhong
TianMaShan Hotel is a five-star hotel in BaZhong area. Figure 7 shows the scanning image of the
entrance of the hotel, and Figure 8 shows the color dot cloud image of the exterior of the hotel.

Figure 7. Scanning view of the hotel. Figure 8 Hotel point cloud map.

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2nd International Conference on Geology, Mapping and Remote Sensing IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 783 (2021) 012084 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/783/1/012084

3.5 Other measurements

The terrestrial laser scanner can also be used as a standard for other measurement systems to carry out
value transfer. Fig. 9 shows the two-dimensional line laser tunnel measurement system, whose
measurement accuracy has always been a problem perplexing the railway system. The advent of
terrestrial-based laser scanners has solved this precision problem. In this test, high precision 3D laser
scanning technology and high precision coordinate positioning technology were used to check the
positioning coordinates and the accuracy of visual resolution of the 2D linear laser tunnel
measurement system, which ensured the accuracy requirements of the system for dynamic monitoring
of the tunnel. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of field measurement.

Figure 9. Two-dimensional line laser

Figure 10. Field operation diagram.
tunneling measurement system.

4. Summary
Terrestrial laser scanner as the real example of 3D laser scanning technology, it abandoned the
traditional measurement shortcomings respectively and the two aspects of uncertainty, successful and
effective to solve the traditional measuring way of small amount of data acquisition, data is not
comprehensive, it can go deep into the complex scenario point cloud data collection, subsequent data
modeling, data visualization degree is high, effect is clear. It is believed that with the development of
information technology, 3D laser scanning technology will continue to improve, and the application of
3D terrestrial scanners will continue to deepen and extensive.

References
[1] CH/Z 3017 (2015) Technical specifications for terrestrial three-dimensional laser scanning.
[2] SY/T 7346 (2016) Code of terrestrial 3Dlaser scanning survey for oil and gas engineering.
[3] JJF 1719 (2018) Calibration Specification for 3D Laser Scanner for Volume Measurements of
Rail Tankers and Tank Containers.
[4] WW/T 0082 (2017) Specification for digitalized surveying and mapping of wall painting in
historic building.
[5] DB 11/T 1796 (2020) Technical specification of three-dimensional information acquisition of
heritage buildings.
[6] DB 1310/T 232 (2020) Standard for warehousing urban 3D data.
[7] DB 50/T 393 (2011) Technical specification for three dimensional modeling of city.
[8] CJJ/T 157 (2010) Technical code for three dimensional city modelling.
[9] Q/GDW 11809 (2018) Interaction specification for the three-dimensional design model of
power transmission and transformation project.
[10] DB 13/T 5148 (2019) Technical specification for three-dimensional modeling of iron ore
deposits.
[11] CB 20022 (2011) The general requirements of 3D model for ship.