Investigation of the Precision in Geodetic Reference-Point Positioning Because of Temperature-Induced Pillar...

Area of Science:

• Geodesy and Geophysics
• Civil Engineering
• Environmental Monitoring

Background:

• Accurate geodetic measurements rely on stable reference points, often reinforced concrete pillars.
• Existing pillar construction methods may not adequately address environmental influences like temperature fluctuations.
• The positional stability of forced centering screws is critical for precise geodetic surveys.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the displacement of a concrete pillar and its fixed screw due to temperature variations.
• To assess the impact of asymmetrical heating on pillar stability.
• To determine if temperature-induced displacements necessitate adjustments in high-precision geodetic measurements.

Main Methods:

• Analytical calculations were performed to model pillar displacement under thermal stress.
• An experimental setup was used to heat a 1.5 m concrete pillar from one side.
• Horizontal displacement of the fixed screw for forced centering was measured during the experiment.

Main Results:

• Both theoretical calculations and experimental measurements demonstrated significant horizontal displacement of the fixed screw.
• A temperature difference of 16.2 °C across the pillar resulted in approximately 1 mm of screw displacement.
• The findings confirm that temperature variations induce non-negligible movements in reference pillars.

Conclusions:

• Temperature-induced displacements of reference pillars are a critical factor in precise geodetic measurements.
• Standard pillar construction may not mitigate thermal effects sufficiently for high-accuracy work.
• Future geodetic survey protocols should incorporate thermal compensation or monitoring for reference points.