The concept of surveying set for geometrical dimensioning of difficultly accessible objects

Abstract

While constructing and documenting civil structures, large machines, and industrial facilities, one can encounter a situation where relevant control points are hardly accessible. The instruments with appropriate surveying equipment available on the market provide relatively standard measurements. The limitations mentioned above may transfer into an increased working time (or financial effort) that must be considered while performing the prescribed measuring works. One of the possible solutions (assuming financial capabilities) is utilizing a video-total station (a scan station) with additional supporting equipment. Another possibility would be employing a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) or close-range photogrammetry. However, such technologies demonstrate significant limitations, especially in the industrial environment. Regarding that, the authors propose an original measuring set collaborating with a free electronic total station. The main working principle is a known surveying 3D-polar method that can determine XYZ coordinates. The solution presented in the paper facilitates the performance of inventory works, consisting of dimensioning civil structures and rooms with difficult access. Such situations can often be encountered in industrial plants or while documenting architectural or other engineering structures. The device can also be used for dimensioning ventilation ducts, elevator shafts, and other similar facilities. Depending on the configuration of the measuring equipment and the target shapes, the final accuracy may reach a sub-millimeter or millimeter level. Hence, the solution can successfully be applied in civil engineering, industrial surveying, and industrial metrology.

Keywords

• civil objects
• measuring device
• control systems
• polar 3d stakeout
• object dimensioning
• structural monitoring