Tunnel Cross-Section Deformation Monitoring Based on Mobile Laser Scanning Point Cloud

Mobile laser scanning (MLS) has emerged as a pivotal tool for accurately collecting tunnel point cloud data and enabling the detection of tunnel deformation. This study introduces a novel approach for the precise monitoring of tunnel cross-section deformation, a critical factor in assessing stability and lining safety. The MLS system used in this study is the Self-mobile Intelligent Laser Scanning System (SILSS) for data acquisition. A comparison with corresponding data acquired by Leica P16 demonstrates that the data collected by SILSS are accurate. The methodology developed utilizes ellipticity parameters and deformation analysis indices based on the ellipse-fitting analysis of circular shield tunnel deformation. A key innovation is the robust denoising of data using the Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) method, ensuring accurate ellipse fitting and extraction of tunnel lining. Subsequently, an algorithm segmented the tunnel cross-section lining into individual shield tunnels, enabling the calculation of ellipticity parameters for shield tunnels, which are the objects for deformation analysis. The experimental results underscore the novelty and effectiveness of this approach in monitoring deformation across different indices. The method proves to be a reliable tool for assessing tunnel health, providing a detailed evaluation of the cross-section's condition through statistical and graphical visualization. This study significantly advances shield tunnel monitoring, offering a practical and precise methodology for tunnel deformation analysis based on MLS point cloud data.