Structural performance assessment of high-strength concrete beams using terrestrial laser scanning and finite element...

High-strength concrete (HSC) is widely used in modern structures because of its superior mechanical performance; however, accurate deflection monitoring is essential for assessing serviceability and validating numerical models. This study evaluates the capability of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) as a non-contact technique for measuring the deflection of reinforced concrete beams under static loading. The proposed methodology is primarily intended for laboratory-scale validation but provides a transferable framework for future field applications and structural health monitoring. Experimental TLS measurements were compared with dial gauge and total station measurements, analytical calculations, and finite element simulations using ABAQUS and ANSYS. The results showed excellent agreement between TLS and conventional techniques. At the ultimate load of 230 kN, the measured mid-span deflections were 26.0 mm using TLS, 26.3 mm using the dial gauge, and 26.1 mm using ABAQUS, while ANSYS predicted 21.8 mm. Besides providing accurate deflection measurements, TLS enabled rapid, full-field deformation mapping without physical contact. The close agreement between experimental and numerical results confirms the reliability of TLS for structural deformation monitoring and numerical model validation. Integrating TLS with finite element analysis offers an effective framework for structural performance assessment and supports future structural health monitoring applications. The present investigation was limited to static four-point bending tests. Nevertheless, the proposed TLS-based monitoring methodology is independent of the loading configuration and can potentially be extended to beams subjected to concentrated loads, moving loads, cyclic loading, or other structural loading scenarios, provided that appropriate data acquisition procedures are adopted. Experimental verification under these loading conditions is recommended for future research.